HQE Building under Construction


HQE Building under Construction (HQE-B Construction) is designed for public and private, non-residential property stakeholders of any size, with or without an HQE track record, who are seeking recognition and endorsement of their new-builds’ environmental, societal and economic performance.
HQE Building under Construction is aligned with the new family of HQE Building certifications launched by Certivea in June 2022.
Its scheme was developed with Alliance HQE-GBC and numerous stakeholders.
With a modular format, it can be adapted to the kind of building to be certified: offices, retail outlet, warehouse, hotel, childcare centre, school, campus, museum or library, etc.
A comprehensive approach based on 15 complementary themes
HQE Building under Construction
Indoor air quality
Indoor air pollutants (VOC, CO, CO2, NO2, benzen, fine particles, formaldehyde, mildew) – Ventilation (air flows, filtration, air inlets and outlets, etc.)
Water quality
Physicochemical and bacteriological composition – Water quality and temperature control (prevention of legionella, etc.) – Design of indoor distribution systems, etc.
Electromagnetic exposure
Identification of internal and external sources – Electromagnetic field levels – Equipment and architectural layout to reduce exposure, etc.
Hygrothermal comfort
Time out of the comfort range – Solar factors, air speed, humidity control, user control over thermal comfort, etc.
Acoustic comfort
Location of external and internal noise sources – Insulation from outdoors, between units, impact noise, equipment noise, reverberation time, etc.
Visual comfort
Amount of light (natural light autonomy, lighting level, etc.) – Absence of discomfort (glare, etc.) – Access to views, user control over light ambience, etc.
Transport
Access and flow management – Nearby public transport – Close access to stations and airports, bicycle paths – Facilities encouraging the use of bicycles and electrical vehicles, etc.
Energy
Performance in energy consumption, all uses (kWhEP/sq.m.year) – Reduction in energy consumption – Special provisions (cold storage, data centres, etc.)
Water management
Performance in drinking water consumption (m³/q.m.year) – Reduction in drinking water consumption – Rainwater management – Waste-water management – recovered water valorisation, etc.

Waste
Waste management (dimensions, location and equipment of waste facilities, etc.) – Quantity and valorisation of work site waste, etc.
Carbon
CO2 emissions from energy consumed during use of the building (kgCO2eq/sq.m.year) and from mobility (kgCO2eq/sq.m.year)

Adaptation to climate change
Management of natural risks due to climate change – Hygrothermal comfort in a deteriorated climate, etc. – Heat island effect, etc.

Adaptability
Adaptability of building for same use – Suitability for change of use – Digital adaptability and interoperability, etc.
Work site
Organisation of work site – Work site waste management – Nuisance limitation – Control of water and energy consumption – Work site assessment, etc.

Governance
Identifying, prioritizing and taking into account stakeholders’ needs and expectations
HQE Bâtiment Durable en Rénovation
Accessibilité
Conception inclusive, circulations planes, portes utilisables par tous – Circulation horizontale aisée – Facilité d’usage, orientation intuitive – Sécurité, absence d’obstacles…
Services, Fonctions productives (Am)
Offre de services, mixité fonctionnelle – Agriculture urbaine – Approvisionnement et logistique urbaine…
Biodiversité
Diagnostic initial du site et du projet – Potentiel écologique du site (coefficient de biotope par surface, végétalisation locale…) – Connexions intra et extra site, mesures compensatoires…
Maîtrise des coûts
Charges de fonctionnement – Charges liées à l’eau et aux déchets – Charges d’exploitation – Facilité d’entretien – Maîtrise du coût des remplacements – Approche en coût global…
Économie locale
Contribution à l’ancrage local – Emploi et insertion locale – Montée en compétence d’acteurs locaux – Choix de filières locales – Réemploi et réutilisation – Energie locale…
Commission- nement
Objectifs et mission de l’agent de commissionnement – Définition des essais fonctionnels et saisonniers, suivi des travaux et réception, optimisation des réglages…
Correlation with key public policy, business and investor indicators
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Significant contribution to SDGs 3 (good health & well-being), 6 (clean water & sanitation) and 7 (affordable & clean energy)
Some contribution to SDGs 4 (quality education), 8 (decent work & economic growth), 9 (industry, innovation & infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities & communities), 12 (responsible consumption & production), 13 (climate action) and 17 (partnerships for the goals)
Indirect contribution to SDGs 2 (zero hunger), 5 (gender equality) and 10 (reduced inequalities)

EU Level(s) indicators
Significant contribution to objectives 3, 4 and 5
No. 3 Efficient use of water resources
No. 4 Healthy and comfortable spaces
No. 5 Adaptation and resilience to climate change
Some contribution to objectives 1, 2 and 6
No. 1 Greenhouse gas emissions along the building’s lifecycle
No. 2 Resource-efficient and circular material lifecycles
No. 6 lifecycle cost and value
HQE Building under Construction : When? How? What cost? What score?
Recommended phase for certification entry
Program or Design
Recourse to an HQE Certification Referent recognised by Certivea
Recommended, particularly if you have not sought HQE certification before or if your last HQE certification was several years ago
Contact with Certivea during the certification process
- Contact with your Certivea correspondent by e-mail or phone
- Online contact via Certivea’s ISIA-2 digital platform
Scoring scale
4 levels:
- Good,
- Very Good,
- Excellent,
- Outstanding
Communication on the project’s certification
- Program, design or execution phases: information may be circulated on the certification in progress
- Once the building is constructed, it is possible to communicate without time limitation on the certification issued by Certivea
Fees paid to Certivea for the certification process
- Depends on project and total surface area
- 19.000 € on average
- Price includes the cost of the auditor, an independent third party commissioned and paid by Certivea.