Water and real estate: turning constraints into territorial performance - 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.

Designing with water: moving away from the logic of end-of-pipe treatment

Accelerated urbanization, more stringent waterproofing requirements, parcel-based retention targets and the evolution of green and blue networks call for a change of method. It's no longer water management that needs to be integrated into development, but development that needs to be built around water.

Effinature certification, supported by IRICE, offers an evaluation framework based on the preservation of living soil and the functional reading of ecosystems. It aligns the ecological ambitions of territories with the performance criteria expected by investors and asset managers.

In practice :

Biotope coefficients are translated into verifiable technical choices.
Rainwater management is integrated right from the design phase, in line with local requirements (PLUi, EP zoning, green charters).
The soil and natural infiltration component is audited during the construction and operation phases, to guarantee real ecological continuity.

Assessment for control: a compatible, traceable, enforceable approach

Effinature is now recognized by a number of local authorities (Oppidea - Toulouse Métropole, Est Ensemble, Grand Paris Sud). It is not only a prescriptive tool, enshrined in development agreements, but also a guarantee of legal certainty for developers and investors.

IRICE's approach is based on independent audits, accredited to ISO/CEI 17065. It ensures the impartiality of the assessment, with no confusion between advice and control.

For project owners, this means :

Operational management of biodiversity and water cycle commitments.
Compatibility with the ESG obligations of asset portfolios.
A simple, readable, documented response to the growing expectations of local authorities.

A rare resource, a demanding framework, a structured response

In a context where water is becoming a strategic asset, the challenge is no longer to do better than regulations, but to structure useful, measurable responses that can be directly mobilized by projects.

IRICE is committed to turning this requirement into a performance opportunity, in the service of territorial resilience and the quality of real estate operations.