Vents d’Houyet: idealists with their feet on the ground

Sustainability is the common thread in Vents d’Houyet’s activities. The company was set up in 2002 by Bernard Delville, with the aim of working for the common good, promoting sustainable lifestyles and sharing both knowledge and resources. “We mainly focus on renewable energies,” says Pierre Oldenhove, who is in charge of the company’s finances. “They are our most profitable projects, giving us the resources to develop educational and mobility-based initiatives. These make less money but the long-term value they add and their social impact are crucial.”

Doing better with less

So Vents d’Houyet wants to help create a more “sustainable, intelligent and peaceful” world. Although some might regard that as a pipedream, the company disagrees, and is an active force for change. “The increasing scarcity of resources is a major challenge. We need to do better with less,” explains Pierre Oldenhove. “That means increasing our resilience through highly practical projects, including in rural settings.”

Meaningful projects

Vents d’Houyet is not short of projects. The company has bought a disused train station in Paliseul and a disused bus station in Bouillon, with the aim of installing solar panels and charging stations for electric bicycles and cars. “These stations are often abandoned because they’re not profitable. Our plans are primarily energy-related, but we also want to promote social cohesion and interaction at the local level.” Other initiatives include a mobility project in Walhain and the installation of a small hydroelectric power plant in Bouillon.

Not just financing

Vents d’Houyet depends on its partnerships, particularly with BNP Paribas Fortis, which provided €3 million of funding for the company’s tenth wind turbine. “BNP Paribas Fortis has helped us grow in the last few years,” he says. “But not just in financial terms. Our relationship managers understand that we’re not your usual company: obviously, our numbers stack up, but we’re not just aiming to be profitable. Today, BNP Paribas Fortis also supports us by giving us advice on how to put together and structure projects, particularly with its genuine expertise on sustainability matters, and is highly responsive.”

Entrepreneurial success stories

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to support pioneering and inspiring companies like Vents d’Houyet. Working together to forge new ways of doing business: another example of Positive Banking.

More information about Vents d’Houyet.