Compans is and will always be an exceptional project. This V.Park, more than any other, is a milestone in Virtuo’s development. Launched in 2020, it involves the construction of a future 15,273 m² parcel sorting and distribution building (including 960 m² of office space) on a 49,105 m² plot of land just outside Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport.
Much more than just a logistics real estate project, the Compans V.Park ultimately became the company’s innovation lab and commitment center, inspiring teams to question, reflect and come to a consensus: Compans should serve as a model for a new, more responsible vision of logistics real estate, supported by all Virtuo employees. The project illustrates Virtuo’s strong commitment to sustainability and underscores the company’s ambition to make its logistics buildings carbon-neutral.
Sustainable partner ecosystem
To live up to this ambition, Virtuo cannot act alone. The company works with key partners. Internally, our employees have joined forces to create the V. Lab, an innovation laboratory dedicated to sustainable development. This space aims to innovate on a wide range of subjects: bio-sourced materials, geothermal energy, renewable energy storage, auditing of all previous projects, carbon footprint estimates for all Virtuo buildings…
The V. Lab shows just how far we still have to go to achieve carbon neutrality.Externally, Virtuo relies on the trust it has placed in the architecture firm Aeco for years, and on real estate consultancy firm Elan, which specializes in environmental and low-carbon issues.
From energy, carbon and biodiversity to BREEAM certification and Biodivercity certification, Elan works with Virtuo to build and implement environmental strategies. The firm is working on Compans’ low-carbon strategy in several stages: a first phase of measurement at the project design stage; a reduction phase via a set of recommendations adapted to a messaging platform; and a final restoration phase, to lead the project to a 0 net emission approach on the “Construction Products” scope.
Elan has identified virtuous reforestation projects in the Compans area, allowing Virtuo to contribute to increasing France’s carbon sink and complementing existing reduction efforts.
Tangible results
In addition to the design and structure of the building, work is also being carried out on the V.Park’s landscaping. The site has been transformed into an island of coolness by the densification of vegetation, and also features a water system based on landscaped valleys and basins to encourage the redevelopment of local biodiversity in connection with neighboring plots. In the end, the project’s carbon footprint will have been reduced in as many ways as possible.
These efforts have now been rewarded, with the project winning the SIMI Immobilier Logistique Grand Prix in 2022, being certified BREEAM Excellent and obtaining the Biodivercity label, and most importantly, being the first of many buildings designed with a zero-carbon ambition.
Grégory Blouin, President of Virtuo Industrial Property, reflects on the Compans project.
How would you assess the progress made since the launch of the V.Park Compans project?
Our goal was ambitious, and we didn’t know if we’d succeed. Two years later, we’re proud to say we’ve achieved a project with a net zero carbon footprint.Meanwhile, the V.Park Compans won the Simi 2022 Grand Prix in the logistics real estate category. This project inspired us to think bigger, and we have already launched a second project along the same lines.
We are now convinced that we will be able to build projects with a net zero carbon footprint well before 2050.
Was this project behind a fundamental change at Virtuo?
Yes, it did put us on a global and virtuous path that we’re going to follow moving forward.
Over the next two years, we have also decided to introduce a number of certifications within the company itself.
We also realized that, although there’s been a lot of talk about carbon neutrality, not all players were fully committed to it. And we fully intend to go all the way and do our utmost.
In addition to the sustainable development benefits for your buildings, how has this project benefited your employees?
This project brought the whole team on board, and helped us collaborate with all our partners to set our global objectives for the coming years.
Carbon neutrality is not aimed at a single project or company, but rather at a territory, a continent.
We’re helping to achieve carbon neutrality, but we can’t succeed alone. We’re just one link in the chain.
