Biodiversity certification for urban planners and ZAC developments
Effinature HOR framework
Article 35 of the Climate Act requires an environmental award criterion in your public contracts. The Effinature HOR framework certifies biodiversity at ZAC, subdivision or public space scale — with the rigour of Cofrac accreditation.
Why certify the biodiversity of a development operation?
Development operations (ZAC, subdivisions, urban regeneration) are the primary lever for biodiversity at territorial scale. They determine ecological corridors, stormwater management, soil quality and the green infrastructure of a neighbourhood for decades to come.
Three regulatory deadlines converge to make biodiversity certification indispensable in urban development:
Article 35 Climate Act
22 August 2026
Mandatory environmental award criterion in public contracts.
Directive 2024/825
27 September 2026
Environmental claims verified by an accredited body.
ZAN — SCoT
22 February 2027
Integration of Zero Net Artificialisation objectives into SCoT planning documents.
The HOR 25.05 framework — development
The HOR 25.05 framework assesses biodiversity performance at development operation scale. It covers masterplan ecological corridors, integrated stormwater management, vegetation layers and functional biodiversity of public spaces.
The certification process is structured in three phases: design assessment (masterplan, prescriptions document), construction monitoring (habitat protection, reduction of ecological impact from works) and handover verification (compliance with the initial ecological programme).
Certification is delivered by IRICE — Cofrac Accreditation No. 5-0655, Product, process and service certification, scope available at www.cofrac.fr. The certification process structurally separates the technical assessment from the decision, in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065 section 5.2.
HOR + NCO combination for ZAC developments
For a ZAC, HOR certifies the overall development (public spaces, green infrastructure, ecological corridors). Each constructed plot can then be certified NCO individually (new construction). This combination ensures ecological consistency from neighbourhood to building.
Construction carbon: the Efficarbone complement
The Efficarbone tool measures the carbon footprint of the development site (A4-A9 modules). It complements HOR biodiversity certification with a carbon dimension, enabling the urban planner to document both environmental aspects in their public contract.
Enforceable biodiversity clause in a development contract
Effinature HOR certification can be specified in a technical specification, tender rules or development concession. Its legal basis rests on Regulation 765/2008 and public procurement law.
Europolia documented a use case of Effinature certification in a public development operation — standard clauses available.
Private associative schemes expose the public purchaser to a risk of favouritism or unjustified restriction of competition. An accredited certification rests on a standardised and verifiable framework — the level of legal certainty expected in public procurement.