Social housing provider
, biodiversity, construction carbon footprint, asset performance
Social housing providers manage a massive portfolio, continuously build and renovate, and are accountable to demanding supervisory bodies. IRICE provides certified measurement tools for biodiversity and construction carbon footprints for your projects — from planning to asset monitoring.
The biodiversity and carbon challenges facing the landlord
Social housing providers are at the crossroads of several obligations that converge towards the measurement of environmental performance:
SNBC and carbon trajectory
The National Low Carbon Strategy sets reduction targets for the building sector. Social Utility Agreements (CUS) now include quantified environmental commitments.
TFPB exemption
New social housing units benefit from an exemption from property tax on built properties. Environmental criteria strengthen eligibility and extend the duration of this exemption.
RE2020 and carbon thresholds
The RE2020 thresholds are becoming stricter (2025, 2028, 2031). The actual measurement of the construction site carbon footprint (IC) replaces the flat-rate value and frees up leeway on the overall carbon footprint assessment.
ZAN and artificialization
The Zero Net Artificialisation objective requires measuring soil biodiversity before and after any intervention. An initial assessment becomes a prerequisite for any operation.
Three tools for the heritage lifecycle
Effinature NCO + Efficarbone
Biodiversity certification for new construction + carbon footprint measurement on site. Dual criteria that can be integrated into the technical specifications and the tender regulations.
Effinature EVO + Efficarbone
Biodiversity certification adapted to rehabilitation + measurement of emissions during renovation work. The EVO standard takes into account the constraints of existing buildings.
BPS — Biodiversity Performance Diagnosis
Biodiversity score based on 70+ criteria for existing heritage. Enables multi-year monitoring, prioritization of interventions and reporting to supervisory bodies.
Typical path: from pilot project to generalization
Adoption usually takes place in three stages:
Pilot operation
A new construction project or a major renovation serves as a test. The landlord incorporates Effinature certification and/or the Efficarbone measurement into the tender documents. The results contribute to the feedback process.
Integration into processes
Standard clauses are formalized and integrated into the landlord's technical specifications templates. The BPS is deployed across the existing property portfolio to establish a baseline.
Generalization and reporting
All new contracts incorporate the criteria. The landlord has benchmark data between operations and indicators for the CUS, the annual report and exchanges with supervisory authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The NCO 25.05 (New Construction) and EVO 25.05 (Renovation) standards cover all types of housing, including social housing. The BPS assesses biodiversity performance independently of occupancy status or financing method.
Biodiversity certification is independent of social housing accreditations (PLUS, PLAI, PLS). It may be required as a supplement by the funding body or the granting authority. Several social housing providers already integrate biodiversity requirements into their environmental quality charters.
The BPS diagnostic starts at €3,500 excluding VAT per operation. This cost is included in the study budget and can be covered by funding dedicated to environmental quality. The return on investment includes CSRD compliance and asset enhancement.
Measure the environmental performance of your operations
Biodiversity certification, construction carbon, heritage scoring — traceable data for your CUS, markets and reporting.