Cycle Up, Eiffage Construction, Demcy and ITEM create a workshop for reconditioning deconstruction materials in the Lyon area

Local, low-carbon reindustrialisation

The creation of this workshop will make it possible to recover materials from deconstruction projects in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region, reconditioning and reselling them to be used again on local construction sites. In addition to the transport-related carbon savings, the reuse of these materials, in preserving the natural resources that would have been required to produce new materials in distant factories, will have a major ecological impact. The operation began in March 2024 with ceramic sanitary ware and cable trays.

Developing circular economy streams

Eiffage Construction is working to develop circular economy streams applied to structures, with support from local firms such as Demcy, the Eiffage Génie Civil subsidiary specialising in demolition and asbestos removal.

To combat resource depletion, Eiffage Construction and Demcy established research to reduce and optimise the use of virgin raw materials – aggregates, oil, metals, etc. Avoiding the extraction of virgin raw materials by reusing existing items reduces consumption of materials, water and energy.

To create the stream also required the involvement of project owners to give tangible form to this collective commitment to reusing building products and materials.

A range of reconditioned materials

The social employmen workshop ITEM, part of Group ICARE, was selected to perform the reconditioning, which involves refurbishing the materials to extend their useful life and provide a valid technical warranty.

The range of reconditioned materials covers many products: close-coupled and wall-hung toilets, basins, urinals, shower trays and cable trays. Trials are underway to extend the range to meet broader customer demand.

The teams have set themselves a target for 2024 of reconditioning more than 1,000 sanitary ware items (all types) and more than 1,600 metres of cable trays.

Capitalising on experience

This new workshop is meeting the needs of numerous customers and partners in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region with significant requirements for quality reused products, certified ready to install and available in sufficient quantities.

Cycle Up is capitalising on the experience gained from a workshop it opened in Noisy-le-Sec, near Paris, in summer 2023, where activity levels have remained constant. Cycle Up was already established in Auvergne-Rhône Alpes with a branch employing five people and can make use of a dynamic ecosystem to spread the word about this new solution.

Demcy’s deconstruction expertise, which includes selective deconstruction, ensures the availability of high-quality materials and means it can also assess materials obtained elsewhere. Eiffage Construction contributes its expertise in building management, selective removal, and incorporating reused materials into renovation and new-build projects.

The ecosystem of stakeholders around the Eiffage entities and their partners helps raise awareness of the solution on offer and ensure the quality of reconditioned items available for sale.

Christophe Dugourd, Industrial Director, Cycle Up: “Cycle Up is proud to be developing this new site and we hope it will quickly find customers interested in including reused materials in their projects. Our approach aims to drive local re-industrialisation dedicated to a low-carbon economy. With this second workshop, we hope to offer a range of refurbished and upcycled products for a reduced environmental impact and give construction and real estate firms a genuine alternative to new materials. We are also pleased to be providing social employment in this workshop to long-term unemployed people, in line with our values and our purpose as a mission-driven company.”

Jean-Christophe Terrier, Environment and Transformation Director, Eiffage Construction: “We are delighted to have initiated and worked on the creation of this consortium with partners from a variety of backgrounds to give our region a concrete, operational solution that will help reduce the construction sector’s impact. From the beginning, we wanted to join forces and act together on reducing CO₂ emissions, protecting water resources, and promoting circularity to minimise resource extraction. Looking at the issues around reuse and economic constraints, it seemed obvious to create an ecosystem of stakeholders from varied backgrounds and with complementary expertise. With future projects, we want to carry on this message that collaboration between stakeholders in the sector and region is necessary to develop and intensify reuse.”

Boris Azimy, CEO of Demcy: “As a stakeholder, we’re pleased to see this workshop project come to fruition, facilitating the reuse of materials from deconstruction sites, saving resources and reducing CO₂ emissions as a result. This partnership will also offer project owners the possibility to maintain a local dimension by choosing reused materials.”

Vincent Doyet, Director of ITEM and Groupe Coopératif Innov, describes his enthusiasm for taking part in the creation of this reuse workshop in partnership with Cycle Up, Eiffage Construction and Demcy: “This project represents a unique opportunity to combine sustainable development and social engagement, which are both fundamental values for ITEM and Groupe Coopératif Innov. Our role in this workshop is to capitalise on our expertise in social employment projects to transform deconstructed materials into high-quality reusable products. As well as prolonging the life of these materials, ITEM is creating jobs for people facing exclusion from employment, giving them the chance to reintegrate professionally and socially.”

Workshop visits will be available from September 2024 onward.