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This contribution, available in open access via www.lawbackontrack.org, critically examines the draft text proposal submitted to the Belgian Parliament for book 1 (general provisions) and book 5 (law of obligations) of the new Belgian civil code. It criticises the lack of consideration for the immediate challenges, which are likely to jeopardise - in the short term - sustainable living and wellbeing on our planet for current, and future, generations: climate change, ecological imbalances, environmental disruptions, increasingly uneven distribution of income and wealth, disappointment and disillusionment with democracy. Where economic activities are the main cause of these challenges and private law - in particular law of obligations - provides the legal framework for these economic activities, this contribution argues that the concerned provisions are insufficient to solve these challenges.

This contribution, available in open access via www.lawbackontrack.org, critically examines the draft text proposal submitted to the Belgian Parliament for book 1 (general provisions) and book 5 (law of obligations) of the new Belgian civil code. It criticises the lack of consideration for the immediate challenges, which are likely to jeopardise - in the short term - sustainable living and wellbeing on our planet for current, and future, generations: climate change, ecological imbalances, environmental disruptions, increasingly uneven distribution of income and wealth, disappointment and disillusionment with democracy. Where economic activities are the main cause of these challenges and private law - in particular law of obligations - provides the legal framework for these economic activities, this contribution argues that the concerned provisions are insufficient to solve these challenges.

This editorial addresses the fact that sustainability considerations are not at all taken into consideration in the new proposal of law of obligations for the Belgian civil code (as has also been the case for the new Belgian company code). This despite the fact that contract law and law of obligations lays at the basis of economic activities and exchanges and that private law should, in light of the constitutional rights and freedoms, participate in the transition to a more sustainable society by ensuring that private activity by amongst others companies is subject to / compliant with public order rules.

This editorial addresses the fact that sustainability considerations are not at all taken into consideration in the new proposal of law of obligations for the Belgian civil code (as has also been the case for the new Belgian company code). This despite the fact that contract law and law of obligations lays at the basis of economic activities and exchanges and that private law should, in light of the constitutional rights and freedoms, participate in the transition to a more sustainable society by ensuring that private activity by amongst others companies is subject to / compliant with public order rules.

In the transition towards a low-carbon society, the application of district heating systems is reconsidered. The new interest entails a lot of questions about district heating design and performance, especially in combination with contemporary dwellings that have a reduced space heating demand. This study presents the simulation results that support the design and performance assessment of a district heating system for a carbon neutral neighbourhood in Kortrijk, within the framework of the European demonstration project ECO-Life.

In the transition towards a low-carbon society, the application of district heating systems is reconsidered. The new interest entails a lot of questions about district heating design and performance, especially in combination with contemporary dwellings that have a reduced space heating demand. This study presents the simulation results that support the design and performance assessment of a district heating system for a carbon neutral neighbourhood in Kortrijk, within the framework of the European demonstration project ECO-Life.

This report covers all relative items for implementing the use of high blend of biodiesel use in captive fleets. In this particular case the use of B30 biodiesel, a mixture of 30% FAME with 70% fossil diesel. The report covers the sustainable and social aspects of the use of biofuels : greenhouse gas saving, an insight in the debate of food versus fuel, the impact on farmland. The report gives a detail overview of all the technical aspects of the use of biodiesel in a car fleet : quality standards, car warranty, technical requirement of the car and the fuel stations. A last chapter goes more into detail on the legal framework, on a European level, and more in particu-lar on the Belgium and Flemish legislation on biofuels. A small action plan is drafted that can be helpful for any one who wants to introduce the use of bio-diesel in his car fleet. This plan can be seen as an manual and guidebook to help and make the intro-duction as smooth as possible. This report can be a first step in a growing concern about changing our habitats in transportation fuels, and make us shift to more sustainable and eco friendly carriers in the future. We hope that this report my be helpful, but the work never finishes, so every comment, experiences, insights, suggestions are more than welcome.

This report covers all relative items for implementing the use of high blend of biodiesel use in captive fleets. In this particular case the use of B30 biodiesel, a mixture of 30% FAME with 70% fossil diesel. The report covers the sustainable and social aspects of the use of biofuels : greenhouse gas saving, an insight in the debate of food versus fuel, the impact on farmland. The report gives a detail overview of all the technical aspects of the use of biodiesel in a car fleet : quality standards, car warranty, technical requirement of the car and the fuel stations. A last chapter goes more into detail on the legal framework, on a European level, and more in particu-lar on the Belgium and Flemish legislation on biofuels. A small action plan is drafted that can be helpful for any one who wants to introduce the use of bio-diesel in his car fleet. This plan can be seen as an manual and guidebook to help and make the intro-duction as smooth as possible. This report can be a first step in a growing concern about changing our habitats in transportation fuels, and make us shift to more sustainable and eco friendly carriers in the future. We hope that this report my be helpful, but the work never finishes, so every comment, experiences, insights, suggestions are more than welcome.