On June 1st 2022, Bouygues Travaux Publics launched the Low Carbon Challenge. Open to all staff, it was an opportunity to share an idea, good practice or a solution, already implemented or to be developed, to reduce the company's carbon footprint.

Introducing the awards, Cécile Gomez, Director of the Performance and Stakeholders Department, said: "We have moved from a world where we could plan our future and that of future generations to a new reality where the future is unthinkable". No less than 65 employees were involved in the Challenge up until the December 2nd 2022 submission date for entries. Five projects received awards following the jury's deliberations, which were based on three selection criteria, the positive impact of the solution on the project's carbon footprint, the cost of the proposed solution, and the possibility of duplicating the solution on other projects.

The five award-winning projects

"Ecodesign" award: Building with cavity spaces

Designed by Thibault DESCHAMPS, Emile LOQUET, Valery PREMAUD and Jean-Jacques LEUGE, this solution consists of sizing the structures to the exact requirements. In order to limit our emissions, we need to reduce the quantity of concrete used and above all to put the material in the right place by integrating holes to reduce the quantity of concrete used.

Worksite solution award: Wooden walkway 

Pierre POIX proposes the use of wood for the construction of temporary walkway. The use of this material is an unavoidable and sensible choice, provided that it respects the moral, economic and social commitments of those who produce it in a sustainable and responsible manner throughout the planet. 

3.0 award: Ultra-low carbon binder based on calcined clay for the production of concrete, the treatment of excavated material and the reinforcement of soil

Conceived by Laure ABDUL, Christian CRÉMONA and Philippe FONOLLOSA, this ultra-low-carbon binder project is part of a partnership with Hofmann Green Cement Technologies to develop low-carbon solutions based on clinker-free and slag-free cement. It is a technology based on the activation of a calcined clay, Metakaolin, which makes it possible to formulate low-carbon concretes or to replace lime or hydraulic road binders that are more emissive with respect to global warming with a decarbonated binder with similar performance.

Jury's "Special award": DTP Mining's Carbon Footprint Reduction Roadmap 

Conceived by Stéphane BEGNE and Thierry VAILLANT, this roadmap for the Mining entity was designed to reduce the carbon footprint per tonne of ore recovered.Today, carbon emissions are mainly linked to the energy consumption of mining equipment, i.e. fuel. There are three levers: reducing energy consumption, increasing productivity and finally replacing fuel oil with renewable energy such as electricity. 

"Métavers" award: Green Visit 

Clément MERIENNE and Kévin VILLEVET have developed a virtual reality headset for remote visits to our construction sites on the T3A lot of the Grand Paris Express. This technology will allow all employees and customers to discover all our sites without having to travel. Total immersion from the office. The introduction of this type of tool will reduce the carbon impact of visitors by up to 80%. 
Less carbon, more visits!

Thanks to all the contributors for their ideas, we'll see you soon on com.unity news to follow the progress of these projects. This is just the beginning of the adventure!

To know more!
To have a look at the video of the award ceremony, click here.
To check out all the teams and projects that participated, visit the Low Carbon Challenge intranet site.