Bouygues Immobilier signs a framework agreement with Cerqual and undertakes to certify all housing development schemes in France under the “Habitat & Environment” label - 19 October 2006
François Bertière, Chairman and CEO of Bouygues Immobilier, and Antoine Desbarrières, Chairman of CERQUAL, signed today a framework agreement whereby Bouygues Immobilier undertakes to certify all its housing development schemes (apartments and houses) in France under the "Habitat & Environment" label.
Bouygues Immobilier is the first French property developer to sign such an undertaking, firmly placing sustainable development at the core of its strategy. The agreement will apply to all building permit applications submitted from 1 July 2007.
Three programmes, or 149 dwellings, have been certified under the "Habitat & Environment" label and 18 others, equivalent to 761 dwellings, are in progress.
Bouygues Immobilier is the first French property developer to sign such an undertaking, firmly placing sustainable development at the core of its strategy. The agreement will apply to all building permit applications submitted from 1 July 2007.
Three programmes, or 149 dwellings, have been certified under the "Habitat & Environment" label and 18 others, equivalent to 761 dwellings, are in progress.
Commitments under "Habitat & Environment" certification
Delivered by CERQUAL, a subsidiary of the QUALITEL Association, "Habitat & Environment" certification is the first environmental certification specific to the housing sector. It has been drafted on the basis of research conducted by the HQE™ Association and QUALITEL's experience in certification processes. It defines a number of performance criteria addressing environmental quality.
There are seven criteria, each related to a different environmental priority. Housing development programmes must meet at least six out of the seven criteria:
There are seven criteria, each related to a different environmental priority. Housing development programmes must meet at least six out of the seven criteria:
- Environmental management of the programme: integrate the programme into the site environment and the town or city as a whole;
- Clean work sites: manage site waste and limit the environmental impact: keep local residents informed, reduce nuisance, clean the work site and limit ground and water pollution;
- Energy and reduction of the greenhouse effect: improve the energy performance of housing;
- Choice of materials: take into account the environmental impact of materials;
- Water: install equipment to limit water consumption;
- Comfort and wellbeing: interior and exterior acoustics, thermal comfort, ventilation and sorting of household waste;
- Environmentally friendly gestures: advise occupants on "green" practices.
Strict compliance with "Habitat & Environment" certification enables occupants to reduce energy consumption by 20%, compared with a building constructed according to 2000 thermal regulations.
"Habitat & Environment" certification of housing programmes – key to Bouygues Immobilier's sustainable development policy
Certification is now a priority for Bouygues Immobilier and is part of a new global environmental strategy. The company has set up a special organisation, headed by a sustainable development manager.
More than 500 employees will be involved in the new environmental policy, with training and awareness-raising programmes organised in cooperation with CERQUAL and engineering consultants GreenAffair.
Bouygues Immobilier will include these new environmental considerations in its quality procedures, from design through aftersales service. The company will select partners, such as architects and engineering consultants, on the basis of their recognised expertise in the environment and assist them, together with contractors, in understanding its new policy.
Performance indicators will help track the development of all certification criteria, such as energy savings, preservation of natural resources, reduction of pollution, waste recycling, and enhanced comfort and wellbeing.
Bouygues Immobilier will distribute a guide to good environmental conduct to buyers, managing agents and building managers. It will also regularly evaluate customer satisfaction in this area.
"Our commitment to 'Habitat & Environment' certification is proof of our determination to place sustainable development at the core of our strategy," said François Bertière, Chairman and CEO of Bouygues Immobilier. "Bouygues Immobilier will strive to construct living environments that foster wellbeing and quality and enhance the value of property, while keeping down maintenance charges. 'Habitat & Environment' certification is perfectly in line with our strategy."
"I am delighted that Bouygues Immobilier has taken a proactive stance, as the first French property developer to undertake a broad-based 'Habitat & Environment' certification process," said Antoine Desbarrières, Chairman of CERQUAL. "The aim is to take environmental protection into account throughout the property's entire lifecycle. It is a commitment to comfort, and design and construction quality."
More than 500 employees will be involved in the new environmental policy, with training and awareness-raising programmes organised in cooperation with CERQUAL and engineering consultants GreenAffair.
Bouygues Immobilier will include these new environmental considerations in its quality procedures, from design through aftersales service. The company will select partners, such as architects and engineering consultants, on the basis of their recognised expertise in the environment and assist them, together with contractors, in understanding its new policy.
Performance indicators will help track the development of all certification criteria, such as energy savings, preservation of natural resources, reduction of pollution, waste recycling, and enhanced comfort and wellbeing.
Bouygues Immobilier will distribute a guide to good environmental conduct to buyers, managing agents and building managers. It will also regularly evaluate customer satisfaction in this area.
"Our commitment to 'Habitat & Environment' certification is proof of our determination to place sustainable development at the core of our strategy," said François Bertière, Chairman and CEO of Bouygues Immobilier. "Bouygues Immobilier will strive to construct living environments that foster wellbeing and quality and enhance the value of property, while keeping down maintenance charges. 'Habitat & Environment' certification is perfectly in line with our strategy."
"I am delighted that Bouygues Immobilier has taken a proactive stance, as the first French property developer to undertake a broad-based 'Habitat & Environment' certification process," said Antoine Desbarrières, Chairman of CERQUAL. "The aim is to take environmental protection into account throughout the property's entire lifecycle. It is a commitment to comfort, and design and construction quality."
Respect for the environment – a priority for Bouygues Immobilier
The environmental impact of property development schemes is a constant concern at Bouygues Immobilier.
The company has implemented a special organisation to anticipate any risks or environmental nuisance. It systematically calls on specialist engineering consultants when considering buying land to check for any pollution and act to remedy the situation if necessary. Bouygues Immobilier attaches great importance to soil investigation and the environmental impact of property development programmes. Furthermore, specifications given to partner companies include an obligation to recycle waste, in an effort to reduce nuisance and pollution on work sites as much as possible.
Bouygues Immobilier works with leading firms of architects, including Christian de Portzamparc and Christian Devillers, and engineering consultants specialised in the environment, such as Tribu, Terre-Eco and GreenAffair, to address the future use of property it builds or renovates.
In Magny-les-Hameaux, 35 houses benefit from "Habitat & Environment" certification thanks to the installation of solar panels that generate 30% of energy requirements and shafts below ground for energy recovery.
In the office property sector, Bouygues Immobilier is at the forefront of "High Environmental Quality" (HQE™) certification, which is being applied to the Mozart project (87,000 sq. metres of offices) in Issy-les-Moulineaux, south of Paris.
Bouygues Immobilier has also joined the Global Compact, a UN-sponsored programme, to underscore its full commitment to ethics and sustainable development.
The company has implemented a special organisation to anticipate any risks or environmental nuisance. It systematically calls on specialist engineering consultants when considering buying land to check for any pollution and act to remedy the situation if necessary. Bouygues Immobilier attaches great importance to soil investigation and the environmental impact of property development programmes. Furthermore, specifications given to partner companies include an obligation to recycle waste, in an effort to reduce nuisance and pollution on work sites as much as possible.
Bouygues Immobilier works with leading firms of architects, including Christian de Portzamparc and Christian Devillers, and engineering consultants specialised in the environment, such as Tribu, Terre-Eco and GreenAffair, to address the future use of property it builds or renovates.
In Magny-les-Hameaux, 35 houses benefit from "Habitat & Environment" certification thanks to the installation of solar panels that generate 30% of energy requirements and shafts below ground for energy recovery.
In the office property sector, Bouygues Immobilier is at the forefront of "High Environmental Quality" (HQE™) certification, which is being applied to the Mozart project (87,000 sq. metres of offices) in Issy-les-Moulineaux, south of Paris.
Bouygues Immobilier has also joined the Global Compact, a UN-sponsored programme, to underscore its full commitment to ethics and sustainable development.