Industrial and territorial ecology, a sustainable and necessary transition

The need for the energy transition no longer needs to be demonstrated. In industry, the implementation of the principles of industrial and territorial ecology (ITE) allows concrete progress. A win-win commitment at the service of territories and the environment. Illustration with the Barjane Group , specialized in logistics real estate.

  Global optimization at the service of the territories

  Industrial and Territorial ecology, also called industrial symbiosis, is one of the 7 pillars of the circular economy defined by ADEME. It is based on “ a mode of inter-company organization through exchanges of flows or pooling of needs ”. For manufacturers, the EIT is doubly virtuous. In addition to the induced environmental benefits, industrial and territorial ecology makes it possible to optimize resources (energy, water, materials, waste, equipment, production spaces, expertise) by systematically applying the three objectives: reduce, reuse and recycle. The key to savings and improved productivity.

Barjane, sustainable development as a business plan

The Barjane group specializes in logistics and industrial real estate, from its design to its management, including its construction and equipment with photovoltaic power plants integrated into roofs and car park shades. "When we founded the company in 2006, my brother and I were convinced that to be a long-term company, it was necessary to take into account and apply the principles of CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility ,” explains Julie Barlatier Prieuret, co-founder and CEO of Barjane.

The ecological transition of industry notably involves logistics. “ It is a key sector of the economy. We have seen this during this health crisis. The logistics platforms are at the heart of the flow of raw materials, products and goods throughout the territory. They must be flexible, modular buildings that meet the needs of operators, but also respectful of the environment and carefully designed to integrate harmoniously into the territories. Since the beginning of our activity, we have therefore carried out diagnoses for each project in order to understand its impact on the site concerned and to be able to act accordingly in order to combine economic development, social commitment and environmental performance. »

The Parc des Aiguilles, at the gates of Marseille: from wasteland to exemplary site

Witness to this commitment, the Parc des Aiguilles site, near Marseille, aims to rehabilitate a wasteland to develop a logistics and economic activity zone. Barjane, concessionaire of the Metropolis, has carried out numerous studies there to make the site constructible, and to allow the development of quality real estate assets on the serviced lots thus created. The development work, launched in 2020, has made it possible in particular to treat nearly 70,000 m3 of surface and buried waste, as well as concentrated pollution. Winner of the Wasteland Fund , the Parc des Aiguilles is supported in this work by ADEME.

Labeled "turnkey industrial site" by the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, the park will house 170,000 m² of logistics, logistics, messaging and new generation activities buildings, certified HQE (High Quality Environmental) or BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) and inserted into a rich landscape program that creates biodiversity integrating nearly 8 km of bocage hedges, local trees and shrubs, wildlife refuges, alternative management of rainwater and living spaces for employees. Ultimately, more than 1,000 jobs will be created, including 700 by the end of 2022, with the delivery of the first two buildings for Decathlon and Action.

Compliance with standards to build its commitment

Barjane retains management of the buildings he designs and builds. To frame its long-term commitment, the group adopted the ISO 14001 standard from its very first project. “ The tender won for the Parc des Bréguières launched our company. Located alongside the A8 motorway, it represents a new generation of logistics parks. It was our first site certified ISO 14001 in 2009 on a global scope: design, construction and sustainable management of the park. Since then, we have extended this ISO 14001 certification to all of our planning, developer and manager professions. As part of our low-carbon strategy, all buildings are equipped with photovoltaic power plants on the roof to ensure the production of green energy. It was obvious to exploit this resource in the South where there is a lot of sunshine, but we are now installing photovoltaic power plants on all our projects throughout France ,” explains Julie Barlatier Prieuret. To date, the Group has installed 15 photovoltaic power plants which produce 22 megawatts-peak*.

In 2016, Barjane made the choice to strengthen its CSR commitment by adopting the Lucie Label reference system, aligned with the ISO 26000 standard . The consideration of social issues thus complements the environmental approach. The Group has completed 500,000 m² of buildings and all are HQE or BREEAM certified.

Carrying out green projects with low environmental impact

The realization of sustainable projects cannot materialize without a clear and collaborative approach with customers, communities and service providers. Barjane is committed to involving its entire value chain in its CSR initiatives, for example by developing a “Green site” charter. " The objective is to preserve the environment and avoid all types of nuisance such as noise or inappropriate parking for the comfort of local residents ", specifies Julie Barlatier Prieuret. In order to underline the Group's bias, this charter is appended to each works contract. Non-conformity or progress sheets are drawn up as the project progresses, which makes it possible to update the charter regularly and improve it.

Mutualization and integration in the territories: key issues for ecological transformation

The issue of industrial and territorial ecology implies rigorous consideration of the site: existing local resources, available renewable energy sources, environmental particularities, proximity to local residents... The positioning of Barjane, which takes charge of real estate projects in their completeness, allows it to offer its tenant customers the opportunity to focus on their core logistics business, and to benefit from a number of pooled services across the fleet:

oh Environmental analyzes of projects carried out by Barjane with the assistance of experts (ecologists, landscapers, design offices, etc.);

oh Management of an ISO 14001 action plan across the fleet, the objective of which is to minimize environmental impacts and prevent pollution;

oh Risk management: Preventive maintenance of buildings controlled by Barjane teams, emergency instructions defined and shared, shared fire drills...;

oh Monitoring of building consumption by Barjane's CSR teams and monitoring of the photovoltaic production of rooftop power plants;

This park logic also makes it possible to take care of the integration of projects into the territories that host them, in particular with regard to the quality aspects of green spaces and architecture. “We have partnered with the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) on several of our existing sites, including the Parc des Bréguières, and we have proof that our approach works. As for the buildings, we select the colors and materials that best adapt to the territories to facilitate their integration but also their acceptance by local residents . » Adapt to become better anchored, a positioning that is as relevant as it is effective.

According to Julie Barlatier Prieuret, manufacturers are fully aware of the need to make an ecological transition. Synergies are being put in place and the France Relance plan has marked a turning point in moving towards decarbonisation, innovation and energy renovation. The question rests rather on the overall concretization of this aspiration to more environmental sobriety. “The entire industrial sector must make an effort to move forward and this requires collective reflection. In construction, the design phase is essential: we must eliminate what can be eliminated and reveal all the possibilities of pooling, particularly at the land level. It is also necessary to realize that the waste of some will be the resources of others. » Reduce, reuse, recycle. A well-known recipe that can meet everyone's goals.

* A megawatt-peak (MWp) corresponds to 1 million watt-peak. The "peak" power of a photovoltaic installation designates the maximum power that it can deliver to the electrical network.

PHOTO CREDIT: ©BARJANE