Low carbon,
high ambitions
In the face of climate challenges, Paris La Défense wants to embody a low-carbon future and must adapt its development model. An unprecedented, large-scale initiative has been launched to reinvent towers and the ways we live in and build the city.
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The États Généraux on Tower Transformation
Paris La Défense wants to bring together all real estate stakeholders to invent a more sustainable form of verticality, adapted to environmental challenges.
The États Généraux offer 3 events to innovate, share and drive the tower transformation movement. For inspiration, visits to innovative and restructured buildings will be organised.
At the end of this cycle of reflection and discussion, a white paper will be drawn up and officially presented at the final event in May 2023. This summary document will set out the solutions, obstacles and possible levers for driving the transformation of towers.
A new direction for Paris La Défense
Paris La Défense is setting a new strategic direction for the area, with the ambition of making it the world’s first post-carbon business district on a global scale.
Since La Défense was born in the late 1950s, the world has changed in many ways.
First observation: the transformation of La Défense into a genuine place to live, together with today’s climate and environmental challenges, calls for us to rethink the way we live in and build the city.
Second observation: the area’s carbon footprint is too high, with emissions equivalent to those of a regional capital. More precisely, one third of the carbon footprint comes from construction work, and 15% from the operation of buildings alone.
A low-carbon future
Paris La Défense is charting a new course in line with today’s social, societal and environmental expectations.
Through its “raison d’être” (statement of purpose), the public body wants to embody the vision of a low-carbon future for the area and is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
To achieve this, Paris La Défense will focus its actions on four main areas:
• Building and developing better
• Living better together
• Fostering collective intelligence
• Making the ecological transition everyone’s business.
Timeline
First office building
The Esso tower (12 storeys) was the first new building in France designed for office use.
63
-
1969
The business district’s first towers
The first-generation towers are built, framed by a set of common standards established by EPAD: 42 metres by 24 metres at the base for a height of 100 metres.
The business district’s first high-rise building
The Nobel tower (now tour Initiale) is built on the American model. Rising to 109 metres, it prompts the adoption of the French high-rise building (IGH) regulations.
66
-
1976
Second-generation towers
More ambitious, the Franklin, Assur, Gan and FIAT towers have their maximum height set at 200 metres by EPAD.
Third-generation towers
A revival of La Défense is planned, with 350,000 m² of additional space authorised. Still affected by energy costs, investors favour office designs focused on greater energy and operating savings.
-
1992
-
2009
Renovation or demolition and rebuilding?
Renovations of the oldest buildings multiply (Europlaza, Nobel tower), while the demolition of the first office building makes way for the 190,000 m² of offices at Cœur Défense. But faced with the obsolescence of the oldest towers, demolition and rebuilding is chosen for around fifteen towers, creating 150,000 m² of new floor space.
A new direction in the face of global challenges
After more than 60 years, Paris La Défense opens a new chapter in its history by setting a new strategic direction and adopting a statement of purpose (raison d’être). Paris La Défense is committed to becoming the world’s first post-carbon business district on a global scale.
21
-
2023
The first États Généraux on tower transformation are launched
-50% greenhouse gas emissions
This can only be achieved collectively: the business district and the planet need everyone to write the next chapter!
30
First office building
The Esso tower (12 storeys) was the first new building in France designed for office use.
-
1969
The business district’s first towers
The first-generation towers are built, framed by a set of common standards established by EPAD: 42 metres by 24 metres at the base for a height of 100 metres.
The business district’s first high-rise building
The Nobel tower (now tour Initiale) is built on the American model. Rising to 109 metres, it prompts the adoption of the French high-rise building (IGH) regulations.
-
1976
Second-generation towers
More ambitious, the Franklin, Assur, Gan and FIAT towers have their maximum height set at 200 metres by EPAD.
-
1992
Third-generation towers
A revival of La Défense is planned, with 350,000 m² of additional space authorised. Still affected by energy costs, investors favour office designs focused on greater energy and operating savings.
-
2009
Renovation or demolition and rebuilding?
Renovations of the oldest buildings multiply (Europlaza, Nobel tower), while the demolition of the first office building makes way for the 190,000 m² of offices at Cœur Défense. But faced with the obsolescence of the oldest towers, demolition and rebuilding is chosen for around fifteen towers, creating 150,000 m² of new floor space.
A new direction in the face of global challenges
After more than 60 years, Paris La Défense opens a new chapter in its history by setting a new strategic direction and adopting a statement of purpose (raison d’être). Paris La Défense is committed to becoming the world’s first post-carbon business district on a global scale.
-
2023
The first États Généraux on tower transformation are launched
-50% greenhouse gas emissions
This can only be achieved collectively: the business district and the planet need everyone to write the next chapter!
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