2021 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

Eurovia’s biodiversity indicators specific to quarries

(*) Commission locale de concertation et de suivi (local committee for consultation and monitoring)
(**) Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel (national inventory of natural heritage)

• Preserving biodiversity on worksites

VINCI Construction companies identify priority issues and apply the “avoid, reduce, compensate” strategy when responding to calls for tender. Solutions are then defined to adapt to the worksite (avoiding sensitive areas, adjusting the works timetable, etc) and, if possible, more efficient alternatives can also be put forward to customers. Most of the differences between the initial version of the western Strasbourg bypass (A355) and the one actually implemented – and the efforts of Arcos and Socos to redesign the infrastructure – involved ways to reduce the environmental footprint. That is how the motorway went from being an originally planned three-lane dual carriageway to a two-lane dual carriageway. This redesign reduced the project’s land consumption by more than 20%.

VINCI Construction has updated some of its environmental technical documentation to include new best practices for biodiversity preservation, which vary depending on context. Avoidance and mitigation measures can take the following forms: changing worksite access routes if they cross sensitive areas, adapting timetables to species, conservation fishing, relocating species, diverting waterways, marking out worksite areas according to species, combating invasive non-native species, planting and replanting slopes, etc. VINCI Construction Terrassement plans to apply the biodiversity standards of the Actons la Bionécessité initiative ( https://www.actons-la-bionecessite.com), at all its worksites, going beyond regulatory requirements.

VINCI Energies integrates biodiversity issues into its products and services, and, if necessary, offers its customers more favourable alternatives. For example, in 2021 Omexom completed the largest freshwater high-voltage cabling project in Finland. To avoid disturbing a protected seal species, the company went beyond regulatory and customer requirements by adapting its work schedule around the species, anchoring barges outside the seal’s conservation areas and laying the cable at the bottom of the lake to limit the impact on its movements.

Concession companies include biodiversity preservation standards in their works contracts. ASF applies these requirements in all its calls for tender, with reserved areas during construction phases, staff awareness and checks. ASF also implements avoidance and mitigation measures at its worksites whenever possible.

• Preserving biodiversity in property development

VINCI Immobilier plans to meet the “no net land take” target by 2030 by using a calculation method defined on the basis of existing work to measure soil sealing before and after projects. VINCI Immobilier is a member of the biodiversity working group for the future RE 2020 label led by the Scientific and Technical Centre for Building under a mandate from the Department of Housing, Urban Development and Land Management under the Ministry of the Ecological Transition ( http://www.planbatimentdurable.fr/IMG/pdf/gt7_biodiversite_vf2.pdf).

VINCI Immobilier’s Universeine project is a mixed-use urban development with housing, offices and retail space. One of the goals for this former industrial site is to bring nature back to the city by reducing the amount of artificial land by 25%. A green corridor will be formed to connect natural spaces around the Seine in the city with terraces and gardens. The landscaped areas within the complex will give rise to genuine urban oases where biodiversity can thrive, creating “urban cool islands” for residents. Rainwater will be managed for each parcel, and rain gardens will be planted to harvest rainwater for landscaping. Ecosystem conservation and development are a key focus of the project thanks to the BiodiverCity® label, which encourages actors to find ways of integrating flora and fauna into the project from building design to delivery. At the Mainjolle office building project in Bordeaux, an urban micro-forest will be developed using the Akira Miyawaki method.

3.4.3.2 Offset initiatives

In addition to avoidance and mitigation measures, VINCI business lines may implement offsets that can vary depending on their role in the project. When acting as programme managers, some VINCI entities, such as those in the Concessions business, can take responsibility for introducing offsets when the major impacts of a project could not be avoided or sufficiently mitigated. Some of the Group’s roadworks companies specialised in ecological engineering can also contribute to implementing compensatory mitigation measures, for example by restoring damaged environments (see paragraph 3.4.3.3, “Solutions for preserving natural environments used by customers”, page 232). And some entities implement voluntary offsets that combine the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity issues or issues for local populations.

• Regulatory ecological offsetting

For many years, entities in the Concessions business have been adapting offsets to local requirements and monitoring ecological performance. VINCI Autoroutes has included significant offsets and support measures for the 24 km long western Strasbourg bypass, which opened in December 2021. The project itself involves a land area of 278 hectares along 24 km, but the ecological offsets cover more than 1,300 hectares, of which 1,000 hectares to plant vegetation that will create a favourable habitat for the European hamster. These offsets were all implemented before the infrastructure opened and will be monitored throughout the duration of the concession. Support measures taken include the release of more than 1,000 European hamsters to increase current populations.