Sustainability – Genk site

Sustainability as second nature: how Warsco is future‑proofing its Genk site.

In a time when companies often use sustainability as a marketing tool, Warsco stays grounded. “We’ve been doing this long before sustainability became a trend,” says Marc Warson, director and owner of the company that produces and rents modular units in Belgium and abroad. “It’s a mindset that’s in our DNA.” Nowhere is that more evident than at their site in Genk.

CO₂‑neutral

While many businesses are still struggling with the energy transition, Warsco is more than ten years ahead. Since the site opened in 2012, it has never had a gas connection. Heating and cooling are done through geothermal systems with deep underground drilling. The buildings run on electricity generated by their own solar panels.

“If you burn gas, you release CO₂, but we have never been connected to gas. That’s why we have no emissions,” Marc explains.

Reed beds as natural filtration

Water follows its own circular system at Warsco. “The entire site is designed so that rainwater is first collected in large buffers with a capacity of 120,000 litres. We use that water to wash units, for example. After usage, the water is filtered again in several steps: sedimentation pits, oil and grease separators, and finally a reed bed as a natural filter. We return the water to the ground cleaner than we received it,” Marc says.

Charging stations, battery storage and a smart energy system

The latest sustainable step is currently underway: expanding the site with charging stations, a battery pack, and a smart energy management system that synchronises energy use and production.

“When we expanded, many assumed we needed more electrical capacity. But we made a conscious decision not to,” Marc explains.

Instead, Warsco chose intelligent energy management: the solar power goes first to electric vehicles, then to the battery. If a shortage threatens, the system uses stored energy or temporarily disables non‑essential functions.

The software thinks ahead. On a cloudy morning, when production peaks, company vehicles are not charged. The system knows sunlight will come later and reserves energy for production. Efficient and sustainable.

Conscious choices

Remarkably, Warsco isn’t pursuing sustainability to impress the outside world. It’s a consistent way of thinking and operating, with economic awareness. “Sometimes I don’t know if we’ll ever earn this back,” Marc says honestly. “But I know we’re doing the right thing. And that matters most.”

And when trucks and service vehicles soon become fully electric? The next step is ready. “We already have the infrastructure to build further. The site is prepared.”