Our know-how, our people & our vision deliver the construction quality we take pride in.
Full service
To Democo, building means taking a comprehensive approach from initial design to delivery. This means we deliver a building that is fully ready to go, but also that long before the first brick is laid we were already thinking along to ensure construction work can be done quicker, smarter and more sustainably. We’re thinking ahead: always aligning to our customers’ expectations and needs.
From the design phase, our specialists are focused on looking for efficient solutions that they can integrate into the construction trajectory. This way we can unburden our clients all the way from the preparation to the maintenance stages. And thanks to our regional branches, we are always nearby – which gives working together just that little extra touch of efficiency, and humanity.
Sustainability
We build starting from a vision of integrated sustainability. Not just to meet legal standards, but also for our people and for our planet. That means that we push the bar a lot further than we are legally obliged to do.
Democo builds with respect for the environment, water, accessibility, materials and energy, based on our Green Desk principles. We focus on a self-sufficient construction site, climate neutral building and circular building. Within the framework of this integrated sustainability approach, we look for the appropriate techniques required for delivering a construction project to the desired standards, regardless of whether customers opt for nearly energy-neutral (BEN), zero energy or BREEAM Excellent.
DBFM
Design, Build, Finance, Maintain: DBFM is the total package in the field of construction. In other words, we design, build, finance, and/or maintain entirely according to the customer’s wishes. What is more, our specialists offer this approach on a bespoke basis: maybe you are only looking for DB, DBF, or DBM?
Today, our DBFM department is at the very heart of our construction team collaborations. After all, without teamwork it’s impossible to get anything built. Our team of DBFM and sustainability managers, legal specialists and BIM designers works together with architects, research agencies and other specialists to deliver the best possible results.
BIM
Building Information Modeling or BIM is the superlative degree to 3D design. This digital design system unites enormous amounts of information coming from a variety of parties into one single interactive model.
As a contractor, we already have a lot of experience working according to the BIM methodology. At Democo, a BIM manager and a BIM designer manage these processes, ensuring we can enter any BIM trajectory without any issues. For our own construction teams, we involve BIM from the very start to benefit from it as much as possible.
LEAN
Timing is one of the most important elements in a construction project: after all, one phase builds on the results of the previous one. Planning is the key to success here. Following the LEAN principles, we build efficiency into our trajectory and we run through each project twice: once during the planning stages, once during its implementation.
During this planning process, the designers, main contractor, subcontractors and suppliers together prepare the building schedule. By running through the building trajectory together, we avoid timing conflicts and are able to track down solutions even before construction works have actually begun. At the same time, we make clear arrangements with all partners. This way we gain both more time and more resources during the project’s execution stages.
Renovation
Restoring existing buildings to their former glory, giving them a new purpose - or realigning them with energy regulations are popular ways of introducing increased levels of sustainability. But renovating and to restoring often also means bearing in mind unforeseen circumstances.
Thanks to our extensive experience in complex renovation projects, we can respond proactively to avoid unforeseen costs and loss of time. This requires professional knowledge, adaptability and creativity. From restoring protected buildings to renovating office buildings or converting an old brewery into a hotel: Democo provides old buildings with the care they deserve, worry-free.
Working together
Without collaboration, building is impossible. At Democo, this sense of collaboration is in our DNA: we belong to a group of collaborating companies which together are able to take care of all construction phases, from development to finishing and maintenance.
As a contractor, our job is to hire the right partners and suppliers for their expertise on site: together with our people, it is them who ensure flawless results. And of course, everything starts with our client collaborations: every construction project is an implementation of a customer’s vision and wishes. When we work together with governments we speak of public-private partnerships (PPP’s), a specific field of expertise for Democo.
Construction team
For projects that are executed in a construction team, Democo enters into a collaboration with other building partners. We sit down with our partners to extensively pour over every project aspect, so that any issues can be prevented in advance.
We love to start thinking along with our client early in the design phase, so that we can unearth the most sustainable and economic solutions together. In addition to the design, development and construction processes, we can also provide advice about project financing all the way up to and including the maintenance stage. This way we can proactively track down any problems and let go of elements that turn out to be unachievable. The result? An optimised project with minimal issues. A true win-win for both parties involved!
PPP’s
In the late 90’s, Democo helped shape Belgium’s very first public-private partnership project, through the makeover of Genk’s city square. Today we have almost 20 years of experience with PPP projects in Flanders and Brussels.
Every administration has its own vision of the future for its city or municipality. Yet in between dream and reality, cities often face a great deal of practical concerns. Affordability for instance, a sufficiently broad support base, timing & flexibility… Thanks to our experience with the biggest leading public-private partnerships, today as a contractor we are able to offer solutions and answers to any question regarding government property or -infrastructure.