How can we strengthen the biodiversity strategy of real estate players? An operational response: Effinature certification - IRICE

Biodiversity as a project lever

Understand, structure, act. IRICE is publishing a series of short articles designed to help decision-makers integrate biodiversity into real estate projects in a clear, measurable and operational way. Aimed at local authorities, project owners, developers and investors, these articles address recurring sticking points, existing tools, and concrete levers for making biodiversity a project asset, not a formal constraint. ➤ All content is written by the IRICE team based on real cases, field feedback and shared experience.

At a time when ESG policies are intensifying, impact reports are becoming mandatory, and biodiversity is emerging as a structuring lever for value enhancement, environmental performance labels are multiplying. But they still need to converge. This is the aim of IRICE's positioning and Effinature certification: to offer an accredited, verifiable and demanding response to the issues raised by the World Green Building Council (WGBC) and the initiatives led in France by the HQE-GBC Alliance.

An approach aligned with international priorities

The WGBC, through its "Sustainable Buildings for Everyone, Everywhere" program, calls for the integration of nature as infrastructure in urban development. Biodiversity is no longer an aesthetic option; it is a key indicator of the resilience and attractiveness of territories.

Effinature responds to this need with a structured measurement tool that provides practical guidance:

preserving living soil,
functional renaturation,
reducing the impact of operations,
support for local wildlife,
and skills development in the industry.

A strategic fit with HQE™

Certivéa, operator of HQE™ certification in France, is a member of the HQE-GBC Alliance. This label acts on a building's overall performance: comfort, energy, carbon. Complementarity with Effinature enables double cross-recognition: environmental quality and ecological value.

Project owners like Oppidea have also signed a double agreement, integrating HQE™ and Effinature on their strategic urban operations.

What the market wants today

The latest Rapport national sur le cadre de vie (ONCV 2024) is explicit: 42% of French people rank nature as a priority criterion in their quality of life, ahead of proximity to services or employment. This figure rises to 53% in suburban and rural areas.

In other words, integrating biodiversity into projects means responding to expectations of use, not to a regulatory constraint.

What accredited certification guarantees

Effinature is accredited to ISO/CEI 17065. This accreditation guarantees that :

the method is transparent and reproducible,
the assessment is independent,
the criteria are public, verifiable and enforceable.

This distinguishes Effinature from many self-declared or remotely assessed labels.

In a nutshell: 3 pillars for decision-makers

Strategic steering: a tool consistent with HQE™ standards and WGBC expectations.
Reliable recognition: accredited third-party certification.
Real impact: concrete actions to reclaim life, measured and audited.

IRICE supports local authorities, developers and investors wishing to integrate biodiversity requirements into their sustainable strategies. To find out more about Effinature or to propose a pilot project, please contact us.

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