Arkinova hosts Aquitaine stakeholders in the innovative construction industry

The CREAHD Aquitaine cluster (Sustainable Construction Resources Environment Development and Habitat), the association Aquitaine Croissance Verte and the Pays Basque Urban Authority organised a visit of the Arkinova Business Generator on 1^st June. The programme included a technical visit of this eco-building, conferences and the presentation of projects and innovative companies.

“This one-day visit of the Business Generator was open to actors of the Aquitaine construction and sustainable planning ecosystem. The fifty or so participants included partners from the Arkinova Technology Park, numerous regional economic players (including companies in the Public Works and Construction sector and design offices) along with students from nearby schools”, explained Marie-Agnès Barrière, events manager at the Arkinova Business Generator.

Organised by the CREAHD Aquitaine cluster (Sustainable Construction Resources Environment Development and Habitat), the Aquitaine Croissance Verte association (created upon the initiative of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council and bringing together innovating and environmentally responsible entrepreneurs in Nouvelle-Aquitaine) along with the Pays Basque Urban Authority, this one-day event was divided between a detailed technical visit of the building in the morning and ‘A Meeting with Innovative Construction’ in the afternoon. The architects who designed this 2,500m² building notably presented the curtain wall passageway system and solar chimneys, two innovative features of this building which was awarded both HQE and BREEAM environmental certification.

As for the Pays Basque Urban Authority, it presented its first Production-Consumption report for the six-month operation period following the installation of a photovoltaic system at the Business Generator.

In the afternoon, a dozen or so regional companies presented their innovating solutions for the building sector intended for contracting authorities, housing associations, prime contractors, promoters, prescribers and constructors. These three-minute presentations were followed by business to business exchanges. This one-day visit on 1^st June also featured a conference about the restitution of the REX survey on energy efficient buildings conducted by AQC and Eco-habitat, along with a presentation of the website of the Observatoire Régional BBC, (Regional Academy for Low Carbon Buildings), by CREAHD.

Finally, a workshop on the European project Dr BOB (Demand Response in Block Building) which involved ten partners including the centre for technological resources Nobatek located at the Arkinova Technology Park, also took place at the Business Generator on the morning of June 1^st.