Nearly 95% of care homes and hospitals in Belgium must be renovated by 2050 to cope with heatwaves and meet European climate targets, according to a study published on Monday by the construction federation Embuild.
The federation said Belgium’s ageing population will sharply increase demand for healthcare infrastructure over the coming decades.
By 2050, the number of people aged 65 to 85 is expected to rise by 32%, while the number of people aged over 85 is set to double. As a result, Belgium will need 486 additional care homes and seven more hospitals, Embuild said.
Belgium currently has 1,523 care homes: 573 in Wallonia, 140 in Brussels and 820 in Flanders. These facilities accommodate 120,000 people aged over 65.
By 2050, they will need to house an additional 38,000 elderly residents. Embuild estimates that meeting this demand will require 486 new care homes.
Belgium now has 103 hospitals. By 2050, it will need seven more, including six in Flanders and one in Wallonia.
While the growing need for extra facilities is largely driven by the ageing population, according to the federation, it is also due to a projected 7% increase in Belgium’s total population by 2050.
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