{"id":18989,"date":"2025-01-13T11:31:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T10:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsegroup.com\/?p=18989"},"modified":"2026-07-06T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T14:00:00","slug":"hqe-the-french-seal-of-environmental-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsegroup.com\/en\/acticles\/sustainable\/hqe-the-french-seal-of-environmental-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"HQE\u00ae: the French seal of environmental excellence ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HQE\u00ae, a trusted certificate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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As investors try to do their part for the planet, the race continues for environmental certificates and labels that are the mark of a greener building. Among these, the French Haute Qualit\u00e9 Environnementale <\/em>(High Environmental Quality) certificate, or HQE for short, stands out by its comprehensive and rigorous approach. For a general contractor, getting a project HQE-certified is more than a way of ensuring a high level of environmental performance and meeting the client\u2019s demand for eco-responsibility. It also provides recognition and a competitive advantage that helps attract investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A 2020 survey of environmental certificates for buildings in France revealed HQE\u2019s dominant position on the market \u2013 particularly in the commercial sector. Around 71% of certified buildings in all sectors were HQE\u00ae-certified, and 88% of offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As of 31 December 2023, 125 million m\u00b2 of residential and commercial buildings in France and elsewhere had been HQE\u00ae-certified: a total of 692,000 buildings in 27 countries, including 620,000 in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is HQE\u00ae certification?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The aim of Haute Qualit\u00e9 Environnementale<\/em> (HQE\u00ae<\/sup>) certification is to attest to a building\u2019s environmental performance through a series of rigorous criteria covering its entire lifecycle \u2013 from design and construction to operation. For commercial buildings (including industrial and logistics facilities), the HQE\u00ae<\/sup> certificate is issued by Certivea, based on precise standards that assess buildings\u2019 environmental footprint, comfort and energy performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A building can be certified at four levels: Performant<\/em>, Tr\u00e8s Performant<\/em>, Excellent<\/em> and Exceptionnel<\/em>, depending on the number of points and stars obtained. The current market is seeing many projects certified as Tr\u00e8s Performant<\/em> or Excellent<\/em>. The Exceptionnel<\/em> rating remains very ambitious, making it possible to push the boundaries of sustainability and certify a truly exceptional building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The standards are regularly updated to address new issues, adapt to current challenges and anticipate future regulations. The version of the standards is fixed at the date when a project is registered with Certivea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are two families of certificates: Building (HQE-B) and Sustainable Building (HQE-SB). How do they differ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HQE\u00ae Building<\/em> or HQE\u00ae Sustainable Building<\/em>? Learn the differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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CERTIVEA offers two approaches to HQE\u00ae<\/sup> certification for new buildings and renovations. Both were developed with the HQE-GBC Alliance and aim to improve a project\u2019s environmental, social and financial performance \u2013 as well as the governance and management of the operation. However, each \u201cfamily\u201d covers a different range of issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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HQE\u00ae Building in Construction or Renovation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This approach is based on 15 key development themes: indoor air quality, water quality, electromagnetic waves, temperatures & humidity, acoustics, visual comfort, transport connections, energy, water, waste, carbon, adaptation to climate change, adaptability, construction work, and project governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HQE\u00ae Sustainable Building in Construction or Renovation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This approach goes beyond HQE\u00ae<\/sup>-B Construction with seven additional themes: inclusive design, services, lifecycle analysis, biodiversity, cost control, local economy and commissioning. More ambitious, HQE\u00ae<\/sup>-BD in Construction or Renovation covers a wider range of subjects. Primarily intended for commercial property developers, this certificate is perfectly aligned with GSE\u2019s Green Buildings approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GSE\u2019s commitment to green commercial real estate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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GSE\u2019s solutions aim to create projects tailored to each context and each client \u2013 and to make commercial property greener. We address three complementary issues : <\/p>\n\n\n\n