Since 1945, the most common type of facade construction for new buildings in Belgium is the veneer masonry connected by ties to a loadbearing masonry; this last is protected from rain penetration by the veneer masonry and a drained air layer. Since the 1970s (oil crises), the air layer between both leaves is filled with insulation. As energy requirements became more stringent, the thickness of insulation increased from the 2000s onwards. Since 2010, Buildwise is investigating the possibilities of insulating façades u-sing an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) with a rigid cladding. The process, offering only one barrier against rain penetration, applies not only to new construction but also to the retrofitting of existing buildings. These studies have produced a real success story, leading to product and system requirements and the technical note TN 279, a code of good practice for the Belgian construction sector. Considering the many advantages of this technique (external insulation as stra-tegies, reduction in the thickness of the cladding as an improvement in the environmental impact of the wall, great suitability of the process for thermal retrofitting, aesthetic possibilities, …), one can see this process as one of the possible evolutions of the insulated veneer wall. Moreover it is fully in line with the European Green Deal. As well as outlining the trends in Belgium and the advantages and disadvantages of ETICS with a rigid cladding, this paper looks at the performance requirements that these systems must meet.