Strategic real estate plan for Laakdal approved by municipal council

On January 28, the municipal council of Laakdal approved its Strategic Real Estate Plan. With this decision, the municipality takes an important step towards future-proof management of its portfolio of 44 buildings, ranging from administrative sites and sports infrastructure to facilities for local associations.

Factor4 supported Laakdal in developing this plan. The objective: to structurally align municipal real estate with the societal ambitions of the local authority, both today and towards 2050.

With the council’s approval, Laakdal now has a solid, well-founded, and forward-looking framework for managing its real estate portfolio. The strategic real estate plan was also featured in the municipality of Laakdal’s information magazine. Read more at the end of this article about Laakdal’s approach and vision.

Below, we explain how such a strategic real estate plan for local authorities is developed.

Starting from public service delivery

Strategic real estate management means that real estate is not a goal in itself, but a means to enable public service delivery.

Two key questions are central:

• What services does the local authority provide, today and in the future?

• What real estate is required to support these services, in terms of quantity, type, location, and quality?

The starting point is therefore not “which buildings do we have?”, but rather “which services do we want to provide to our citizens?”. This reflection is carried out in close dialogue with internal stakeholders across different policy domains, ensuring that real estate decisions are broadly supported and substantively grounded.

Inventory, site visits and targeted quickscans

A strong strategy starts with a clear and realistic understanding of the existing portfolio. Therefore, we begin with a structured real estate inventory, combined with targeted site visits.

During these visits, we assess each building on aspects such as:

• technical condition

• energy performance

• future readiness

• accessibility

• …

In addition, we analyse energy consumption, perform location assessments, evaluate occupancy rates, and collect administrative and financial data.

The objective is not to build a complex database, but to create a powerful and practical dashboard based on the right parameters to support strategic decision-making. This results in a clear and well-founded overview of all buildings and their potential towards 2050.

 From strategic principles to building scenarios

Based on the analysis, clear strategic principles are first defined and aligned internally. We deliberately take the time to discuss and validate these principles before translating them into concrete actions.

These principles are then applied to each individual building. For every asset, a future scenario is developed with a timeline towards 2050, considering aspects such as:

• retain, repurpose, or dispose

• renovation or investment moments

• opportunities for new construction

The impact of these scenarios is assessed across three dimensions: energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and financial implications. This provides the local authority with clear insight into the consequences of strategic decisions, both in terms of content and budget.

Not a plan for the shelf, but a practical policy instrument

A strategic real estate plan only creates value if it is actively used. That is why strong emphasis is placed on embedding the plan within the organisation.

We explicitly aim for a plan that is practical and actionable, rather than one that ends up unused. The strategic real estate plan is conceived as a policy instrument that guides future investment decisions and priorities.

In addition, we propose fixed evaluation moments to periodically review and adjust the plan in response to new legislation, technological developments, societal trends, or policy changes. In this way, the real estate strategy remains a dynamic tool that evolves alongside the organisation.