Lastly, VINCI Construction’s Road activities are continuing with their work to assess the resilience of their fixed sites in relation to new investments. These analyses involve a study of the site’s climate context, as well as the recurrence and severity of extreme weather events, so that the structure can be adapted to withstand these events.
The Group plans in advance for any necessary changes to cities and their energy, communication, transport, water and sewer infrastructure, by incorporating eco-design into its projects, an approach that studies the structure’s whole life cycle. VINCI plays a central role in making new and existing structures more resistant to extreme weather events, ensuring long-term resilience and providing innovative construction solutions. VINCI companies are developing expertise in technical improvements: to strengthen sea walls, based on scientific scenarios predicting a 50 cm rise in sea levels by 2100, according to the IPCC; to handle heavy rainfall, when projects involve building in areas with a flood risk prevention plan, by installing lift pumps to drain water, or applying porous asphalt to absorb water (Drainovia); to cope with high temperatures, building equipment for a wind farm in the Algerian desert that can withstand temperatures of 50°C, or offering lightcoloured asphalt to reduce heat from roads (SMA, Lumi+, Ecolvia Déco, Puma). VINCI companies are often called on following extreme weather events to restore the normal operation of transport and energy infrastructure.
Adaptations have also been implemented following vulnerability analyses, as in the case of the A10 motorway, where Cofiroute (VINCI Autoroutes) created a unique hydraulic structure under the motorway to protect it in the event of at least a 50-year flood of the Retrève river in the Loiret department of north-central France.
VINCI Construction led several projects in 2023 to improve the resilience of regions, including the Bassée reservoir project upstream of Paris to prevent flooding of the Marne and the 1,200 sq. metre soil unsealing project on the Gerbault schoolyard in Reims, which applied the Revilo® solution to combat urban heat islands. A light-coloured drainage structure was installed made from Hydrovia® Soft, an asphalt mix that allows rainwater to filter through. Outside France, the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir project in Canada will help protect residents of Calgary and the surrounding region by diverting floodwater from the Elbow River to a temporary reservoir during peak flows, while in Poland, VINCI Construction is working to limit flooding on the banks of the Oder.
VINCI Immobilier incorporates summer comfort criteria into all its new residential property projects by anticipating future temperature increases. The targets go beyond the performance requirements of the French environmental regulation RE2020 (with a reduction 20% and 50% lower than the maximum thresholds set). Practical measures such as solar control glazing, air circulation systems and thermal regulation equipment will be implemented from the design stage and adapted to suit the project and its geographical location.
In recognition of the current threats to ecosystems and the increasing scarcity of natural resources, some of which are essential to the operation of its businesses, VINCI aims to limit their environmental footprint by moving them toward a circular economy approach. Implementing circular economy principles means rethinking the way resources and waste are consumed, produced and managed, by improving design and production processes, reducing the extraction of virgin raw materials, and promoting reuse and recycling as well as more efficient techniques and practices.
Over the next few years, VINCI’s environmental ambition will involve stepping up these actions that form the basis of a circular model, across all activities, with a response at three levels of engagement:
This ambition is deployed while integrating realities experienced on the ground, with initiatives built around meeting the specific requirements of VINCI’s businesses (see the overview of the main commitments by business line and by focus on page 223). To support this, a circular economy community of experts from VINCI divisions was formed to share best practices, keep abreast of regulatory changes and foster the adoption of common, cross-business practices.
3.3.1.1 Responsible sourcing actions
| non-inclus | Actions taken in France | Performance indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Eco-design |
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| Sourcing |
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For VINCI, raw materials sourcing is a central issue in implementing a circular economy approach. As the Group’s businesses are users of raw materials, its companies implement a range of solutions to reduce the impacts of their consumption, including eco-design of projects, environmental clauses in subcontractor agreements, supplier assessments in calls for tender, and research into sourcing reused, reconditioned or recycled materials. Responsible purchasing efforts have continued at both business line and Group level, to obtain materials and equipment with a lower environmental impact (see paragraphs 4.4.2 and 4.4.3 of the Group’s duty of vigilance plan, pages 284 and 286).
