The Canal Seine-Nord Europe project receives the HQE Sustainable Infrastructures certification issued by Certivea for its “Program” phase

The Seine-Nord Europe Canal: a project that seeks to set an example in terms of sustainable development

The Canal Seine-Nord Europe, a major regional development project combining technical performance, respect for the environment and safety, will connect Compiègne, in Oise, to Aubencheul-au-Bac, in the North, by 2030 This 107 kilometer long wide-gauge canal is an essential link in the Seine-Escaut river link, which will connect the French network to the 20.000 km of European waterways. Supported by Europe, it is an ecological project by nature: its ambition is to reconcile economy and ecology, by putting river transport at the heart of the exchange of goods in France and Europe.

Its environmental approach is applied at each stage: rigorous design, demanding construction and controlled operation. Conducted voluntarily by deliberation of the SCSNE Supervisory Board since 2018, the HQE Sustainable Infrastructures certification process, issued by the independent office Certivea, anchors and guides the Canal's sustainable development and eco-design commitments.

This certification commits the SCSNE and all the prime contractors and companies mobilized on the site within a rigorous common framework. It is acquired gradually, first for the design phase and then for the project implementation phase.

The HQE approach of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal

The reference framework of the HQE Sustainable Infrastructures approach is articulated around 4 "commitments" to sustainable development (responsible management, respect for the environment, quality of life and economic performance) which are presented under 17 objectives. The construction of the HQE program of the SCSNE consisted in establishing a diagnosis and identifying the challenges of the Seine-North Europe Canal, and thus breaking down these objectives into more than 200 actions.

To monitor the progress of these actions, audits are carried out at each stage of progress in each sector, and the objectives are integrated into the SCSNE's public contracts. The Supervisory Board monitors the milestones at each meeting, every 3 months.

Particular attention to consultation right from the programming phase

The HQE Sustainable Infrastructures certification has introduced a strong dimension of consultation around the management of the project: a central issue for the Seine-Nord Europe Canal, which crosses 64 municipalities and involves many stakeholders. Dialogue right from the programming phase was particularly essential to explain and support the transformations that the Canal will bring about. The consultation phases thus regularly brought together elected officials, economic actors (in particular the agricultural profession), nature protection associations and inhabitants of the municipalities crossed by the Canal. They addressed in particular the location of crossings (bridges and underpasses under the Canal), ecological developments, the construction of quays in inland ports or recreational uses with the development of footpaths and cycle paths along the of water.

For Patrick Nossent, president of CERTIVEA : " CERTIVEA is proud to have been involved for 5 years alongside the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe to help it achieve its ambition in terms of sustainable development. This exceptional infrastructure project, with a unique territorial influence in favor of sustainable modes of transport, deserved a structuring and reassuring roadmap. Obtaining HQE Sustainable Infrastructures certification during the programming phase is proof that the project has been designed in a concerted, sustainable and efficient manner. We are delighted that this first key step has been successfully completed. There is no doubt that the women and men who take up this challenge will know how to keep the course now clearly fixed. »

For Xavier Bertrand, Chairman of the SCSNE Supervisory Board: “The contracting authority that we are must, today, take responsibility in the face of climate issues, and see further. We therefore wanted to take a step ahead from 2018, to make this project a model in the service of the environment, agriculture and regional development. The High Environmental Quality Sustainable Infrastructures certification for the Seine-Nord Europe Canal recognizes our desire for truly sustainable development for our territories. Certification allows all phases of the project and for all actors to promote, quantify, measure and enhance our commitment. »