Real estate companies are also innovating for the world of tomorrow

The Paris Agreement—that is, the goal of limiting global warming to below 2°C—requires us to achieve global carbon neutrality by mid-century. As a reminder, this goal, also known as “net zero,” is defined as a balance between anthropogenic CO emissions and removals₂.

Since emissions know no borders, Achieving carbon neutrality is not a objective individual, but collective. It can only be defined on a global scale—or at least on a regional scale—and not at the level of a single organization. Thus, A company that claims to be carbon-neutral ignores its role throughout the entire value chain. It makes more sense to talk about contributing to achieving carbon neutrality. That is the very purpose of the Net Zero Initiative (NZI), led by Carbone 4 since 2021: establish a common framework and foster dialogue among the various stakeholders in the economic system.

To best support businesses, Carbone 4’s Construction & Real Estate division asked itself the following question: “ What form does this contribution take in the context of real estate portfolio managers? ".

This issue was the subject of a 10-month study conducted in 2024, comprising a steering committee made up of four participating developers and real estate companies (Altarea, Bouygues Immobilier, Ceetrus, and Nexity) and a technical committee comprising the BBCA association, the engineering firm Elioth, and the IFPEB, tasked with ensuring that the work aligns with existing commitment frameworks and on-the-ground realities. The study corresponds to the Overview of the Net Zero Initiative (NZI)'s work^[1] applied to the real estate sector. A summary of the research can be found on the Carbone 4 website^[2],[3].

The practical implementation of these challenges also became an issue as early as 2021, when Icade asked Carbone 4 to assist it in the the definition and implementation of a special lease agreement, the “Climate-Committed Lease,” in accordance with the principles of the NZI. These principles are based on three pillars:

• Pillar A - I'm reducing my emissions;
• Pillar B – I help others reduce their emissions;
• Pillar C - I am developing carbon sinks.

To gather insights from real estate professionals who are currently at the forefront of these issues, Carbone 4 conducted a series of three interviews with Icade, Seqens and the La Rochelle Carbon Cooperative. We hope that their experiences will provide food for thought for other industry players who wish to begin transforming their business models to ensure a more resilient future.

Check out the interviews ⬇️

Pillar A - Interview with Henri Chapouthier, Head of Sustainable Development at Icade
Pillar B - An Interview with Florence Bovet, Director of Heritage at Seqens
Pillar C - Interview with Anne Rostaing, Executive Director of La Coopérative Carbone La Rochelle