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Weekly Building News
2026 - Week 19
Highlights
 
One in two executives in distress: the burden of administrative stress and economic uncertainties
Study / Review / Report
Administrative stress, economic uncertainties, increasing pressure: business leaders are facing an unprecedented accumulation of constraints. According to the 11th barometer of the MMA Foundation for Entrepreneurs of the Future, conducted by Ifop in spring 2026 among 1.000 leaders of very small, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies in France, one in two reports having already suffered from psychological problems, revealing a worrying fragility at the top of companies. Read more
 
Early 2026 will be a difficult year for construction: the crisis in the Middle East and bad weather are weighing on the materials market.
Conjuncture by UNICEM
As the conflict in the Middle East struggles to find a solution and the risk of stalemate becomes increasingly threatening, the first effects on activity are beginning to appear, a month and a half after the start of the American military offensive in Iran. Read more
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In a nutshell
 
Housing: up to -38% in construction starts by 2050 due to demographic decline
Study / Review / Report
According to a Xerfi study, the demographic decline should cause the need for new housing to fall and reduce construction to around 220.000 units per year by 2050, despite the increase in households without children. Read more
 
Heat Fund 2025 Results: 1.200 projects supported to phase out fossil fuels
Study / Assessment / Report by ADEME
The heating needs, which today represent 43% of energy consumption in France, are still mainly met by fossil, carbon-based and imported energy sources (gas, fuel oil, coal). Read more
 
Natural disaster insurance: a matter of financial sustainability
Study / Review / Report
Under the influence of climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (floods, droughts, submersion, cyclonic winds) are increasing, leading to a marked rise in damage to property and economic activities. Read more
 
Construction materials: The Senate refers the matter to the Competition Authority in response to soaring prices
Economic
The Senate's Economic Affairs Committee on Wednesday asked the Competition Authority to examine the functioning of the French construction materials market. Senators are concerned about recent price increases that are jeopardizing the recovery of the building and public works sector, which is already facing a persistent housing crisis. Read more
 
France should avoid recession until 2028, according to the Governor of the Bank of France.
Economic
France should "avoid recession" by 2028, despite uncertainties linked to the war in the Middle East, according to the Governor of the Bank of France in his latest annual letter to the President of the Republic, where he also expresses his wishes for the future of the French economy. Read more
 
Mortgage lending: contrasting banking strategies in May and a competitive situation that offers opportunities for borrowers
Conjuncture
After a month of April marked by tensions in the bond markets, May saw a stabilization of mortgage rates. The 10-year French government bond (OAT) remained around 3,68%, indicating that the interest rate markets had, for the time being, absorbed the shock of the previous weeks. Read more
 
The Senate votes on a bill to combat "shack-building"
Legislation
Cabins, chalets, yurts, shelters, makeshift constructions... Faced with the increasing presence of various installations in areas where construction is prohibited, a phenomenon described as "cabinization", the Senate adopted on Wednesday May 6 a bill to facilitate demolition procedures. Read more
 
Re-letting energy-inefficient properties is fine, but without giving landlords carte blanche.
Regulation
"Pragmatism" for energy-inefficient homes, with a grace period granted to owners. The government's measure is criticized by tenant advocates and fails to convince landlords who face real obstacles to renovations. Read more
 
Solar energy: Brussels no longer wants to subsidize certain Chinese technologies
Energy
The European Union indicated on Monday, May 4, that it would no longer subsidize energy projects using Chinese technologies that could pose risks to the operation of its electricity grid. Read more
 
Uniclima welcomes the stated ambition for heat pumps but warns about the fate of hybrid heat pumps.
Organization News
On April 23, 2026, the government unveiled its plan for the electrification of energy uses, the result of consultations held within several thematic working groups with stakeholders in the sector. Uniclima welcomes several key orientations, particularly concerning heat pumps, but expresses serious concerns about the role reserved for hybrid heat pumps. Read more
 
Urban Pro is tackling industrial wastelands to revitalize city entrances and provide housing for local entrepreneurs
Company News
Long neglected, often degraded and unattractive, the industrial wastelands that line the entrances to the city could well change their appearance. Read more
 
Architect Amelia Tavella, winner of the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture in Istanbul
Contest / Prize / Trophy
Amelia Tavella has just received the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, a leading international distinction awarded at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul. This prize recognizes an architectural approach deeply rooted in the local environment, attentive to resources, uses, and environmental balance. Read more
 
The request for the release of the former CEO of Lafarge will be examined on May 19.
Others
The requests for release of former CEO of cement company Lafarge Bruno Lafont and his former right-hand man Christian Herrault, imprisoned in mid-April after their conviction for financing terrorism, will be examined on May 19 by the Paris Court of Appeal. Read more
 
Publication of the CSTB guide "Playgrounds and Fitness Areas"
Delivered by CSTB Editions
This guide details the conditions for creating outdoor spaces dedicated to play and children and takes into account the revision of standards NF EN 1176 (1 to 11) and EN 1177. Read more
 
Manufacturers and Distributors
 
uvex celebrates its centenary with the launch of the UVEX100 campaign
Birthday by Uvex Heckel
As a leading European specialist in personal protective equipment (PPE), the uvex Group is celebrating a century of commitment to safety in 2026. To mark this occasion, uvex is launching UVEX100, a unique initiative that allows professionals to test 12 iconic protective gear items covering the entire body, from head to toe, free of charge. Read more
 
Balsan carpets: at the heart of 2026 design trends
News Manufacturer by Balsan
In April, carpet manufacturer Balsan hosted “Trends 2026” in its Parisian showroom, an immersive exhibition dedicated to specifiers, architects and designers seeking creative anticipation, devoted to the major design and color trends for 2026. Read more
 
Villeroy & Boch is reshuffling its management team
News Manufacturer by Villeroy & Boch
The Villeroy & Boch group is reshuffling its management team, marking the beginning of a new era for this publicly traded company. Read more
 
Mr Bricolage's net profit plunges again, weighed down by sluggish consumer spending.
Distributor News
French retailer Mr Bricolage announced a few days ago a sharp decline in its net profit of 39,5% in 2025, to 8,4 million euros, penalized by "a continued decline in consumption" since the boom period of lockdowns during the Covid epidemic. Read more
Videos
 
CESI La Rochelle Hackathon 2026: "Together, let's push the boundaries of construction"
Video by CCCA-BTP
Discover the 2nd edition of the hackathon "Together, let's push the boundaries of construction", organized on March 24 and 25, 2026 at the CESI campus in La Rochelle. For 48 hours, students, apprentices, partner companies and experts from the building sector collaborated to tackle concrete challenges related to the major transitions in the construction industry: digital, environmental, societal and organizational. Read more
 
Norman and Justine's tutorials: building a wooden deck with the Easio® pedestal
Video by Jouplast®
The EASIO® pedestal, a patented, self-leveling, and height-adjustable support, allows for the creation of wood or composite terraces designed for pedestrian use. The new EASIO® range makes building a terrace on pedestals simple thanks to its numerous advantages. Read more
 
Bois-Colombes: the Grand Paris Express station by architects Frédéric Lebreton and Zineb Yabari
Video
The future Bois-Colombes station will be accessible from Rue Mertens, Place de la Résistance, and the Doussineau pedestrian promenade running alongside the railway tracks. Its location will allow commuters from the Île-de-France region to connect to the Grand Paris Express network via an underground link with the Transilien J line, which runs between Paris Saint-Lazare and Ermont-Eaubonne. Read more
 
Discover Uni(K)4
Video by Seguin
Designed to offer the experience of a real flame without any constraints, Uni(k)4 is easy to install without a chimney, installation, or construction work. A new way to enjoy a fire at home, with gentle and immediate warmth. Read more
 
Impact web series - Circular economy and French know-how
Video by REHAU Window Solutions
Discover in this impactful web series dedicated to specifiers committed to increasingly sustainable buildings. We're in Sauveterre-de-Guyenne in the Gironde region, to immerse you in a theme that forms the core of the REHAU Window Solutions brand: the circular economy. What concrete commitments have the brand and its manufacturing partners, such as RPI Menuiserie, made? Read more
 
Can robots help people age well at home?
Video by sofinco
What if robots could help us age better at home? Sofinco explores the role of new technologies in the daily lives of seniors. As humanoid and quadruped robots develop rapidly, how can these innovations improve the independence, safety, and comfort of older people living at home? Read more
 
Vision 2050 | New construction can be a driver of the low-carbon transition
Video by FFB
While renovation remains a priority, France will need to continue building to meet housing and infrastructure needs. These new buildings allow for the integration of the most environmentally efficient construction solutions right now. Read more
 
Sustainable Construction Barometer 2026 – Key Findings
Video by Saint-Gobain
The Saint-Gobain Sustainable Construction Observatory takes the pulse of sustainable construction worldwide: perceptions, obstacles and levers for progress, expected solutions, most active stakeholders... Read more
Products and Materials
 
AGC announces the official Environmental and Health Declaration sheets (FDES) for Pyrobel Low-Carbon fire-resistant glass
New documentation by AGC Glass France
AGC is proud to announce the availability of third-party verified Environmental and Health Declaration Sheets (FDES) for its Low-Carbon Pyrobel fire protection glass as well as for standard Pyrobel glass. Read more
 
ATE publishes its Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the Sancol® tube, a decision-making tool for professionals
New documentation by ATE
The SANCOL® Ø100 PVC pipe takes a new environmental step forward. Wastewater collection, stormwater management: the reinforced SANCOL® pipe with joint is at the heart of the most demanding sanitation networks. Read more
 
Watts 2026 Home and Building Catalogues: two new editions per market segment
New catalog by Watts Industries
With 150 years of history, the WATTS group offers professionals a complete range of solutions in the field of water flow management and hydraulics through a set of recognized brands (Watts®, Socla®, Sirius®, Robifix®, Desbordes®). Read more
 
Safety equipment and materials in the workplace: why signage is a key element of prevention
Publi-editorial
In professional environments, security is not solely based on technical equipment or internal procedures. It also depends heavily on the ability to effectively inform, alert, and guide people present on a site. Read more
 
Projects and Achievements
 
A31bis motorway: a "nearly historic opportunity" for the prefect of Moselle
Project
The public inquiry into the A31bis motorway, a project discussed for almost 30 years to ease traffic between Lorraine and Luxembourg, will begin on Monday and continue until June 27, the Moselle prefecture announced on Tuesday, May 5, seeing it as a "historic opportunity". Read more
 
The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab launches a restoration program aimed at preserving its heritage
Project
Jumeirah, a global player in luxury hospitality and a member of Dubai Holding, announces the launch of a progressive restoration program for the iconic Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, with the aim of preserving its legacy for future generations. Read more
 
M62: a major restructuring combining construction requirements and ambitious usage plans, led by AG Real Estate France and GA Smart Building
Construction site
AG Real Estate France continues the transformation of M62, a 5.246 m² R+6 office building, a legacy of the interwar period, located at 62 rue Marcadet, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Read more
 
MBAcity strengthens its presence in the Data Center segment with a first major project in Marseille
Achievement
The company worked alongside the GSE group in the design and construction of the MRS5 data center, on behalf of Digital Realty, a global player in digital infrastructure management. Read more
Products of the week

Padel courts made in France

Unique insulated stainless steel tubing hose on the market

Pivoting sliding glazing for balconies and facades

Low carbon thermal insulation glass

JDM Expert

Poujoulat

Solarlux

AGC Glass France

Decarbonize your activities and control your energy

Your turnkey lighting solution, without investment

Double-flow ventilation unit

Industrial design and 2D/3D plan creation software

hello

lightening

Brink Climate Systems

Gstarsoft
 
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