"Reinventing the city": solutions from CementLab participants

In order to nourish and amplify this federative approach, meetings are, in fact, regularly organized. The start-ups come to present their solution to the various actors of the construction chain in the broad sense: from the researcher to the general contractor, including the architect, the design office, the industrial producer of materials, builders and developers, etc. The March 25 workshop was a great success, with the participation of around 80 people. Following the quality interventions of the first part of CementLab, the participants called on a large number of start-ups, in order to exchange with them, in a second step, in private coffee-rooms.

The cement industry engaged in the reflection and implementation of the city of tomorrow

The cement industry has been involved for decades in the reflection around the renewal of the urban model, and in particular on the innovative power of concrete construction. Indispensable due to its physical performance and durability, concrete is a material of choice in the construction industry, knowing how to adjust to the constraints and technical, economic and environmental requirements of designers and builders but also of end users of infrastructure. .

In this context, the cement industry knows that it is essential to rethink the city around uses, in a logic of economical use of spaces and resources.

Professionals in the sector are therefore working on innovative approaches, in order to always better respond to changes in society in order to live better, move around better, and promote changes in town planning. The reuse of wasteland, urban ecological corridors or even green roofs are all examples of the city of tomorrow which will have to develop and become denser in harmony with nature. The question of water management also arises in the context of the preservation of resources, the management of flood risks or even the waterproofing of urban soils and the saturation of sanitation networks. All these questions to which innovation can provide relevant and sustainable solutions.

Innovative start-ups and their solutions to "Reinvent the city"

The renewal of the urban model requires rethinking the city around uses, in a logic of economical use of spaces and resources. In this context, 3 start-ups were able to come and present the solutions they offer to "Reinvent the city":

• Tellux: The Tellux start-up offers, for design offices, companies and developers of degraded land as well as owners of polluted sites, a technology that determines soil contamination faster and more precisely than with methods. say traditional. The solution developed by Tellux allows buyers and landowners to limit risks as much as possible and optimize operations during decontamination projects.
• Sitowie: The start-up Sitowie simulates the deterioration of buildings and the impact of maintenance operations. The start-up takes into account the environment, uses, material properties, execution conditions and mechanical efforts to anticipate the realistic behavior of buildings over time.
• BUILDRZ: Buildrz proposes to simplify the act of building, from the idea to the financial statement and the 3D envelope of the building. Buildrz allows you to test your urban project by carrying out a 3D simulation of a building, in order to check that it complies with town planning rules and to verify its financial feasibility.

Testimonials from experts and specialists

In addition to the pitches of the start-ups, Bellevilles, the responsible real estate company ESUS (solidarity company of social utility), was the subject of a presentation.

Bellevilles participates in the revitalization of abandoned territories (medium-sized towns, villages, suburbs, peri-urban areas) through the acquisition, programming and rehabilitation of housing, shops, third places and activity spaces. Bellevilles is a real estate tool serving responsible, inclusive, mixed, ecological projects with a strong social impact. Their objective is to bring out extraordinary real estate alternatives in the service of territories and social utility.

In addition to this testimony, that of the Banque des Territoires, which brings together, within a single structure, advice and financing expertise intended for territorial actors to facilitate the realization of their projects. It engages with local communities and public companies, social housing organizations, legal professions and companies and financial players to make territories more sustainable, more connected, more inclusive and more attractive. It supports large innovative projects throughout France.

The CementLab in five points

• A laboratory of ideas dedicated to cement and its use, and more broadly to all those involved in construction (cement manufacturers, quarrymen, concrete producers, builders, promoters, architects, design and engineering offices, economists, etc. .)
• Understand and analyze the challenges of the digital and ecological transition to adapt the offer and good practices necessary to the imperatives of the market.
• Foster a dynamic of exchanges and meetings between manufacturers, start-ups and researchers to encourage technology transfer and innovation in a sustainable development and circular economy approach.
• Seize the opportunities for convergent solutions and unite them to move from the idea to concrete implementation on the ground
• An approach initiated by the SFIC (French Union of the Cement Industry) and perpetuated by regular meetings as well as a dedicated platform: https://cementlab.infociments.fr