Bio-based construction for the ecological revival of the Paris Region

For the past four years, the region has made the environment its top priority whether by combating global warming, improving the health of Paris Region residents or preserving their living environment, with the aim of making Paris Region a zero-carbon region by 2050. As such, expenditure on environmental action in the region will reach a historic level of €10 billion between 2020 and 2024. Massive investments will be made in the development of all renewable energies, solar, hydrogen and biogas, with a budget that will be doubled next year, as well as in the creation of green spaces, the renovation of high schools, the construction of eco-friendly neighbourhoods and, of course, clean mobility.

To go even further, Act II of the recovery plan for the ecological reconstruction of the region – drawn up with all COP IDF stakeholders and participants – contains 192 proposals to address the challenges of climate protection and the fight against global warming. These include Commitment No. 77 to “develop an industrial sector in Paris Region for the supply of bio-based construction materials, with the objective of doubling the amount of bio-based materials used in the construction industry in the Paris Region by 2025”.

The construction sector alone accounts for 40% of CO2 emissions, 37% of energy consumption and 40% of waste produced worldwide. Bio-based construction (i.e. wood construction) is an excellent method for reducing the environmental footprint of our buildings. Bio-based materials are renewable, store carbon and present very favourable environmental assessments. In addition to these benefits, which are now widely documented, wood and bio-based solutions are also particularly well-suited to the dense urban environment of the Paris Region. They are fast to implement, with construction sites that cause limited disruption and a dry build process that generates little construction site waste. Their light weight also allows storeys to be added without having to redo the foundations. However, bio-based construction is struggling to gain a foothold in the market here, even though the region has acquired significant experience in recent years with certain iconic projects including the construction of the Olympic village, the high-rise buildings constructed as part of the "Wood Industries" Plan, the work in the neighbourhoods around the 172 Grand Paris Express stations, as well as with various other construction projects, the addition of extensions and storeys to buildings and with the renovation and conversion of tertiary buildings into housing.

Over the last three years, the region has encouraged public project owners to set an example through its “bio-based wood reflex” and “innovative and ecological neighbourhoods” schemes. As the project owner of the 463 high schools in Paris Region, the region itself has promised to favour wood and bio-based materials in future construction and renovation projects.
 

A call for expressions of interest with €5 million to identify and support industrial facility projects for the processing of wood and bio-based materials

In addition to its structures to support demand and in line with its scheme to help create and modernise sawmills, the region also wishes to support the structuring of a range of industrial wood-bio-based products in the region.

The purpose of this call for expressions of interest is to identify and support projects for creating industrial processing facilities for wood and bio-based materials that are likely to materialise in the Paris Region region.

Why respond to this call for expressions of interest?

The region will offer tailored assistance to project sponsors selected by a technical committee : investment aid, financing for studies, assistance in finding land.

This call for expressions of interest will require a total regional budget of €5 million – as well as perhaps some other public funding – to cover part of the costs associated with:

• The construction, extension and development of production sites
• The purchase of production and marketing equipment and tools
• Preliminary design and consultancy services.

Projects will be classed as “State aid” when the applications to state aid schemes are examined.

If the project can benefit from several regional schemes – which would require the submission of several applications – the region will offer individualised administrative support to the project sponsor.

The identification and acquisition of land may, where appropriate, be supported by the region’s services, the semi-public company Paris Region Investissements et Territoires.

Finally, the region will play a coordinating role vis-à-vis other public and private financiers.

Who can respond to this call for expressions of interest?

Any industrial project sponsor: companies, local authorities, semi-public companies, local public companies.
These projects may include:

• The development of industrial activities dedicated to the processing of wood and other bio-based materials
• The creation of a first processing facility
• The creation of a prefabricated wall production facility
• The creation of a CLT production plant, glulam, wooden structures, etc.
• Modernisation or conversion of an existing industrial facility, etc.

Investments must be made within the Paris Region.

How do you respond to this call for expressions of interest?

Presented in the form of a booklet with approximately 4 to 5 pages, the application document must include the following elements, among others:

• Presentation of associated partners and/or partners to get involved
• Description of the industrial project and planned location
• Target markets, product type, production and sales methods
• Problems encountered in making the project a reality
• Investment and financing plan, including the desired level of public financing
• Job creation potential
• Project progress
• Deployment schedule

The document must be sent by e-mail to the following address: ami-biosources@iledefrance.fr

Provisional timetable:

• Launch of the CEI: 21st January 2021,
• Deadline for responding to the CEI: 1st April 2021,
• Evaluation of responses by the technical committee: from 1st April to 1st May 2021
• Vote on financial allocations: Summer 2021