Effinature Certification
Real Estate Biodiversity
Issued by IRICE, third-party certification body, Effinature certification recognises real estate projects that integrate biodiversity. 4 standards, version 8.1: new construction, renovation, urban development, high ecological value.
Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655 · Certification of products, processes and services · ISO/IEC 17065 · Scope available on www.cofrac.fr
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IRICE's accreditation
IRICE is a body certifying products, processes and services under ISO/IEC 17065, a third party independent of the scheme owner and of the assessed professional. Its competence, impartiality and independence are assessed by Cofrac. Our assessors undergo continuous training.
Accreditation statement: Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655 · Certification of products, processes and services · ISO/IEC 17065 · Scope available on www.cofrac.fr. This accreditation covers the EFFINATURE and EFFINATURE HVE certification programmes.
Normative references: ISO/IEC 17065:2012 · EU Directive 2024/825 · ISO 17298:2025 · Cofrac IRICE record
Effinature compared with other biodiversity approaches
This table clarifies the structural differences between Effinature and other real estate approaches.
| Criterion | Effinature (IRICE) | Non-accredited biodiversity label | Internal / CSR label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issued by an accredited body | Yes | No | No |
| Reference standard | ISO/IEC 17065 | Proprietary | None |
| Assessor / adviser separation | Yes (mandatory) | Partial | No |
| Data usable for CSRD (ESRS E4) and SFDR reporting | Yes (assessment report, certificate in the public register) | Partial | No |
| Certification scheme within the meaning of Directive 2024/825 | Yes | Depends on the scheme | No |
| Third-party field audit | Yes | Yes | No |
| Certifier assessed by Cofrac | Yes | No | No |
Method: comparison of the structural features of 3 categories of schemes (who assesses, against which standard, with which control), based on the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 and the definitions of Directive (EU) 2024/825; no specific label is rated. Drawn up in October 2026, reviewed whenever these texts change.
Sources: ISO/IEC 17065:2012, EU Directive 2024/825, Cofrac.
4 standards tailored to your projects
Each Effinature standard covers the specific context of your project. Version 8.1, designed and published by NORMATYS, applies to certification requests submitted from 19 October 2026.
New Construction
NCO 8.1
Housing, offices, mixed use. Integrate biodiversity from the design stage; 2 phases: design and construction.
- ✓ Housing, offices, mixed use
- ✓ Design + handover assessment
- ✓ Fee schedule on request
Renovation
EVO 8.1
Operations on existing buildings: renovations and transformations.
- ✓ Operations on existing buildings
- ✓ Three-phase assessment: diagnosis, improvement, delivery
- ✓ Fee schedule on request
Urban development
HOR 8.1
Development zones, housing estates, public spaces, roads. Structure biodiversity at the scale of the operation.
- ✓ Development zones, estates, public spaces, roads
- ✓ Design + handover assessment
- ✓ Fee schedule on request
+ HVE: High Ecological Value
Performance does not stop at handover. Requested after the handover of an NCO, EVO or HOR operation, the HVE standard maintains performance in operation through recurring compliance checks.
Benefit: ecological performance tracked over time, documented for investors and for ESG, SFDR and CSRD reporting.
Learn more about HVE →Which version applies to your project?
Version 8.1 applies to certification requests submitted from 19 October 2026. A request submitted before that date keeps the 2020 or 25.05 version it was made for if its certification contract is signed by 31 December 2026 at the latest; after that date, version 8.1 applies. A project already under contract is still assessed against the version in its contract.
The standards are designed and published by NORMATYS and can be downloaded free of charge from effinature.com (version 8.1 documents are available in French only). Earlier versions are listed in the normatys.org version log.
The 6 Effinature action families
Effinature structures biodiversity around 6 action families. Each represents a key area for integrating nature into real estate.
Living Soils
Preservation and restoration of soils to foster underground life and the ecological stability of the project.
Plant Heritage
Selection, planting and management of flora to create natural habitats and reduce climate impacts.
Impact Reduction
Minimisation of disturbances (light, noise and chemical pollution) to protect ecosystems.
Local Wildlife
Creation of habitats and ecological corridors to support populations of birds, insects and small fauna.
User Wellbeing
Creation of accessible and welcoming green spaces to improve residents' quality of life.
Team Competencies
Training and mobilisation of project teams to ensure the quality of biodiversity implementation.
The certification process
4 steps, from registration to decision. Allow 2 to 4 months between the request and the decision, as an indication.
Registration
Account creation and SIRENE data.
Request
Operation, Biodiversity Partner, standard.
Review and contract
Admissibility, contract signed online.
Certification
Assessor appointed by IRICE, IRICE decision, entry in the public register.
The certification step in detail: design, then handover
Design Phase
Initial Audit (Tender Stage)
Review of the tender documentation. Verification of biodiversity commitments from the design drawings.
Final Assessment (Design)
Validation of technical criteria and compliance with the applicable standard.
Handover Phase
On-site Inspection
Site visit to verify compliance of the implemented biodiversity actions.
Review and certification decision
The complete file undergoes an independent review. The certification decision is made by the IRICE president in accordance with procedure 02. Certificate issuance is not automatic: it is conditional on compliance with the standard requirements.
Effinature Pricing
Certification fees depend on the standard, the area and the number of deliveries of the project.
Fee schedule available on request
The same schedule applies to every applicant. The on-site conformity inspection is included in the certification fees. The amount for your project is set out in the certification contract, drawn up once your application has been found admissible.
Need a tailored quote?
Contact us with your project details (location, area, standard type) for a bespoke quote.
Request a quoteThey entrust us with their operations
Public and private project owners, including:
Kaufman & Broad
Eiffage
Altarea Cogedim
Immobilière 3F
Groupama Immobilier
100% of certificates entered in the public register · requirements assessed in new construction · Standard in use since 2010 · 2 to 4 months between request and decision, as an indication
Complete your approach
Effinature is your biodiversity certification. IRICE offers additional tools for a comprehensive ESG approach.
BPS
Assessment tool · Score from A+ to G
The BPS assesses the biodiversity performance of a project at each phase (Baseline, Design, Delivery) and produces a score from A+ to G and an attestation signed by IRICE. The BPS prepares, compares and steers; Effinature certifies.
Assess with BPS →Efficarbone
Measurement tool · Construction site carbon
Efficarbone models, measures and compares the emissions of building and public works sites, from tender to execution.
Measure construction site carbon →Frequently asked questions
Effinature is a biodiversity certification for real estate, issued by IRICE. It covers real estate operations through 4 standards, version 8.1: NCO (new construction), EVO (renovation), HOR (urban development) and HVE (high ecological value). It validates 6 action families: living soils, plant heritage, impact reduction, local wildlife, user wellbeing and team competencies.
Effinature covers: new construction (NCO 8.1), renovation (EVO 8.1), urban development (HOR 8.1) and performance maintained in operation (HVE 8.1). Version 8.1 applies to requests submitted from 19 October 2026; a request submitted before that date keeps the 2020 or 25.05 version if its contract is signed by 31 December 2026 at the latest. All real estate projects incorporating a biodiversity approach are eligible.
The fee schedule is available on request. Fees depend on the standard (NCO, EVO, HOR), the area and the number of deliveries of the project; the on-site conformity inspection is included. The amount for your project is set out in the certification contract.
The process follows 4 steps: 1. Registration (account and SIRENE data). 2. Request (operation, Biodiversity Partner, standard). 3. Review and contract (admissibility, contract signed online). 4. Certification: design-stage assessment and on-site inspection at handover by the assessor appointed by IRICE, IRICE decision, entry in the public register. Allow 2 to 4 months between the request and the decision, as an indication. Certificate issuance is conditional on compliance with the standard requirements.
Yes, in several ways:
HVE (high ecological value): a standard requested after the handover of an NCO, EVO or HOR operation; recurring compliance checks maintain performance in operation.
BPS and Efficarbone: the BPS assesses biodiversity performance (score from A+ to G, attestation signed by IRICE); Efficarbone measures construction site carbon. Together they complete an integrated ESG approach.
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The typology of certification schemes (ISO/IEC 17067)
Schemes differ in what is assessed, by whom, and whether conformity is followed over time. A first-party declaration, a one-off third-party assessment and a certification with controls do not give the same level of confidence.
Self-declaration
First-party declaration (ISO/IEC 17050), issued by the organisation itself.
Certification without surveillance
Third-party assessment of a sample or of a given state, with no later follow-up (types 1a and 1b of ISO/IEC 17067).
Certification at each phase of the operation
Assessment at design stage, on-site control at delivery and formal decision by a certification body; with Effinature HVE, recurring compliance checks maintain performance in operation.
Effinature operates on this model: assessment at design stage, on-site control at delivery, formal decision; Effinature HVE adds recurring compliance checks in operation. ISO/IEC 17067 →
Assess, then certify.
Inventories, diagnostics and scores inform design. Certification adds a decision taken by IRICE as a third party, against a public standard, entered in the public register.
Tools, indices, ecological diagnostics, simulations: they inform design and feed the certification file.
Independent decision taken by IRICE under ISO/IEC 17065, against a public standard.
Traceable, enforceable between the parties, verifiable in the public register.
An open certification, not a closed system
Effinature can accept data produced by recognised measurement methods, according to public admissibility criteria, without depending on a single proprietary method. Working with the whole measurement ecosystem is itself a mark of independence: a body that relies on data produced by third parties, rather than doing everything itself, embodies the separation of functions.
Traceable data
Sources and production conditions documented and auditable.
Documented method
A transparent, reproducible methodology, not a black box.
Normative alignment
Consistency with the applicable standards and reference frameworks.
Public admissibility criteria, not a named list of partner tools.