Carbone 4 Launches the First Study on the Carbon Footprint of Historic Monuments in France

Carbone 4 was commissioned by the Association of Chief Architects for Historic Monuments (ACMH), in partnership with a group of cross-sector stakeholders, to develop an energy and carbon roadmap for France’s historic monuments. This marks a first for the sector.

Carbone 4, a leading consulting firm specializing in energy, climate, and biodiversity issues, announces the launch of the first assessment and forward-looking study on the evolution of the carbon footprint of France’s historic monuments sector. Using a representative sample, the study aims to conduct a carbon assessment, identify paths for improvement, and develop an operational tool for evaluating the performance of historic monuments, designed for all stakeholders in the sector.

This study, whose results are expected before the end of 2025, has just entered its operational phase. It was commissioned to Carbone 4 by the Compagnie des Architectes en Chef des Monuments Historiques (ACMH) and its partners, the 2024 winner of the “Supporting Green Alternatives 2” call for proposals, funded by the government as part of France 2030, designed in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Investment and the Ministry of Culture, and operated by the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts Group) on behalf of the State.

Decarbonizing while respecting the existing infrastructure and in line with the sector’s challenges

Addressing the challenges associated with combating global warming while preserving the overall integrity and architectural qualities of buildings is a major challenge for the historic preservation sector. While the sector’s expertise in conservation is an asset when it comes to reducing carbon impact, the tools needed to develop a decarbonization strategy tailored to the specific challenges of historic monuments are lacking.

The ACMH Company, in partnership with several industry stakeholders, therefore enlisted Carbone 4 to tackle the issue, assess the current state of the fleet, and develop an ambitious yet realistic plan based on real-world case studies. The study will thus enable the sector to set relevant goals and establish a comprehensive energy and carbon reduction roadmap.

Carbone 4 welcomes the completion of this study, which, given its scope and scale, should provide all stakeholders in the sector with quantitative data to support the low-carbon energy transition of historic monuments.

 “This large-scale project, which aims to conduct an initial assessment of the carbon footprint of the historic monuments sector in France and to map out its energy and carbon trajectory, comes at a pivotal moment for the construction industry. Understanding and promoting the environmental potential of renovating historic buildings also means recognizing that our heritage can be a powerful driver of the ecological transition in France. " said Gabrielle Guidetti, Project Manager for the Buildings Division at Carbone 4.

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This initiative is supported by the government as part of the “Supporting Green Alternatives 2” program under France 2030, administered by the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts).

The Association of Chief Architects of Historic Monuments (ACMH) is the lead partner in the project. The project’s associate partners providing technical advice for the study are: the Operator for Cultural Heritage and Real Estate Projects (OPPIC), the Association of Heritage Architects (AAP), and the Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility, and Urban Planning (CEREMA). The project partners are: the Groupement des entreprises de restauration des monuments historiques (GMH), the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, and the École de Chaillot. The Directorate General of Heritage and Architecture of the Ministry of Culture is also supporting the project.

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