The GIEP: from a hydraulic constraint to an ecological function

Integrated stormwater management is no longer solely about regulatory compliance. It now contributes to the ecological functionality of the site.

Within a structured environmental framework, the GIEP contributes to:

• limit hydrological artificialization,
• restore natural infiltration,
• to support local biological dynamics,
• reduce pressures on receiving environments.

The question is no longer simply about managing flow. It is about integrating water into the project's ecosystem.

Positioning within the Effinature reference system

In the context of new constructions (NCO 25.05), water management is part of the overall assessment of ecological performance.

It intervenes in particular through:

• an analysis of the pressures exerted by the project,
• the assessment of ecological continuities,
• the coherence between hydraulic design and the functionality of the environments.

Effinature does not create an additional water-related obligation. The standard requires measurable ecological consistency.

The GIEP thus becomes a verifiable element of the environmental quality of the project.

GIEP and BPS: two distinct approaches

It is important to distinguish between:

1. Effinature Certification

Effinature is an environmental certification issued by an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited body. It is based on an independent assessment and documentary control.

2. The Biodiversity Performance Score (BPS)

The BPS is a separate assessment tool. It allows the biodiversity performance of a project to be measured via an objective score.

The BPS is not a certification. It is an analytical tool that can inform a strategy or program.

The GIEP can influence the overall ecological assessment, but it does not transform the BPS into a certification system.

Why is the GIEP becoming strategic in 2026?

Several dynamics are converging:

• increasing demands related to soil sealing,
• integration of biodiversity into public procurement,
• regulatory pressure on water cycle management,
• growing expectations regarding climate resilience.

In this context, integrated stormwater management becomes an indicator of environmental maturity.

She participates in:

• the reduction of impacts,
• the ecological coherence of the site,
• the environmental credibility of the project.

From technique to objective criteria

A high-performing GIEP (Groupement d'Intérêt Économique et Phytosocié) requires:

• a priority infiltration strategy,
• a limitation of network rejection
• landscape and ecological integration,
• a documented technical justification.

In a structured approach, these elements can be:

• analyzed,
• compared,
• verified.

Biodiversity is not limited to species. It also depends on hydrological functioning.

Integrating the GIEP into a coherent environmental strategy

For a project owner, the question becomes operational:

How to integrate water management from the programming stage?

This implies:

• coordination between hydraulic design and ecological analysis
• anticipation of regulatory requirements,
• a formalization of technical choices.

The GIEP ceases to be an isolated budget line. It becomes a structuring lever for environmental performance.

Conclusion

Integrated stormwater management is emerging as a central element of the ecological performance of real estate projects.

Within the Effinature framework, it contributes to a verifiable and structured assessment. The BPS, a separate tool, makes it possible to objectively measure biodiversity performance without constituting a certification system.

The transformation is clear: water is no longer just managed. It is integrated into a measurable ecological logic.

To further explore the ecological management of projects

• Biodiversity Performance Score (BPS) : biodiversity assessment method. An objective analysis tool allowing the ecological performance of a project to be measured from the programming phase.
• Effinature Certification : Verifiable environmental framework. Certification issued by an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited body integrating the overall ecological coherence of the project.
• Mandatory environmental clauses in public procurement (2026) Integrate biodiversity and water management into enforceable and verifiable criteria.