In response to global warming issues, Bouygues has put in place a number of initiatives to limit its consumption of natural resources and energy, to reduce its waste and CO2 emissions, to assess and restrict its impacts in the area of health and toxicology and, last, to protect biodiversity.
Carbon strategy
In France, construction is one of the most energy-hungry sectors. The construction, maintenance and energy consumption of buildings account for around 30% of global greenhouse emissions (Source: Carbone4 - JM Jancovici).
As a responsible company, Bouygues is committed to a strategy that aims to reduce CO2 emissions, while factoring in the risks inherent to climate change.
The objectives of Bouygues are to:
promote low-carbon offerings to customers, raising awareness on cutting CO2 and on the savings delivered by these solutions.
By integrating the carbon constraint, it is able to:
- make more reliable investments,
- cut its energy bill,
- anticipate regulations,
- showcase its low carbon footprint and communicate on progress achieved,
- pursue a process of sustainable development.
At the same time, by reducing its dependence on fluctuating hydrocarbon prices and regulatory constraints, it is able to make more reliable long-term investments.
To this end, all subsidiaries have developed specific software.
stimulate innovation – primarily through participative management – in order to make its activities less carbon intensive and energy dependent.
An array of practical initiatives have been put in place in order to:
- optimise the energy consumption of buildings (as shown by the renovation of Challenger, head office of Bouygues Construction, where the objective is to cut energy consumption by a factor of 10),
- manage the energy used by information systems (through data centres in particular),
- introduce new ways of working (video-conferences, teleworking, printing on both sides),
- adopt new forms of travel (car-sharing, electric vehicles).
In 2010, Colas devised an in-house campaign called “Together, let’s reduce our energy consumption”. This large-scale programme was rolled out across all the company’s subsidiaries around the globe. Using a three-pronged message – don’t warm up your engine in the morning, turn it off after three minutes of idling, and drive calmly and smoothly – its aim is to change the habits of vehicle drivers and machine operators. The initial benefits are potential energy savings and a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The objectives are a 20% cut in emissions and savings of €100 million.
Bouygues Construction and TF1 have introduced corporate travel plans on their sites. The plans aim to encourage employees and visitors to the sites to use the least polluting forms of transport.
TF1 introduced a corporate travel plan for its Boulogne site in 2010. The plan, drawn up in cooperation with local authorities, aims to encourage employees and visitors to the site to use the least polluting forms of transport.
(Updated: June 2011)
