Effinature, property development
Certify the biodiversity of your real estate projects
Effinature enables property developers to have the ecological performance of their programmes certified by an independent accredited body. A third-party, enforceable proof that adds value to your housing and office projects, secures your environmental claims and sets you apart in a market where biodiversity is becoming a decisive criterion.
Cofrac accreditation
No. 5-0655
ISO/IEC 17065
product certification
Field assessment
carried out by IRICE
Public registry
of certified operations
What certification brings you
Three reasons to certify your programmes
Commercial differentiation
A clear reference point for buyers and local authorities, in the same way as an energy rating. Your programme stands out from the consultation stage right through to the sales phase.
Regulatory safety
CSRD and ESRS E4, Article 35 of the French Climate Act: communicating about nature without proof is becoming a risk. Third-party certification documents your commitments and reduces your exposure to greenwashing.
Asset value
For an institutional investor, the certificate feeds the asset's extra-financial reporting and supports its long-term value, from land acquisition through to operation.
Why a developer certifies its biodiversity
The ecological quality of a project has become a leading commercial argument. Buyers, both private individuals and investors, compare programmes on their living environment, the presence of greenery, summer comfort and urban nature. Local authorities, for their part, increasingly factor biodiversity into the award criteria of their consultations and building permits. In this context, an accredited certification turns a brochure claim into verifiable proof, measured on site and recognised by a third party independent of the developer.
The difference from a self-declaration is decisive. A developer can claim that it adds vegetation, preserves soils or creates ecological continuity: without external verification, these commitments remain unprovable and expose the company to accusations of greenwashing. Effinature certification, by contrast, rests on a documented assessment and a decision made by an accredited body, which gives it enforceable value with lenders, buyers and public authorities. Effinature is part of the wider toolset run by the NORMAXIS group, from the pre-diagnostic through to a signed certification.
Commercial differentiation and asset value
A certified operation stands out at every stage of its marketing. Upstream, the biodiversity commitment strengthens the case presented to local authorities and land developers during consultations. During the sales phase, the certificate becomes a clear reference point for buyers, in the same way as an energy rating. For an institutional investor, it feeds the asset's extra-financial reporting and supports its long-term value. Certification is not a cosmetic cost: it is an asset that follows the programme from land acquisition through to operation.
Securing your environmental claims
Regulatory and extra-financial pressure is accelerating: the CSRD directive and ESRS E4 standard on biodiversity, Article 35 of the French Climate and Resilience Act which frames environmental claims, and the growing expectations of local authorities and investors. Communicating about nature without proof is becoming a legal and reputational risk. By relying on third-party certification, you document your commitments with verifiable evidence and reduce your exposure.
The right standard
Which standard for which operation?
The right choice depends on the type of project and its stage of progress.
NCO 25.05
New construction
New housing, offices or mixed-use: ecological performance assessed from design to delivery.
Learn more →EVO 25.05
Renovation
Renovation or refurbishment: biodiversity gains delivered on the existing building.
Learn more →HOR 25.05
Development
Development and outdoor spaces at neighbourhood or plot scale.
Learn more →HVE 25.05
In use
Biodiversity maintained over time once the project is delivered and occupied (recurring checks).
Learn more →Not sure which standard suits your operation? Browse the standards page to download the details, or contact our teams for guidance.
The role of the Biodiversity Partner and IRICE
The assessment of your operation is never carried out by the developer, nor by anyone who has advised it: this is what guarantees its independence. On site, it is conducted by IRICE, the certification body accredited by Cofrac under number 5-0655, which applies the standard in a consistent and objective way, based on concrete evidence: studies, plans, site surveys, and which then takes the certification decision. Beforehand, you may be supported by a Biodiversity Partner, a professional qualified by IRICE who advises you and prepares your file. Whoever advises never assesses: this rule is the key to the certificate's credibility. To learn more about the body and its accreditation, visit the IRICE website.
The pathway
How to start a certification
The path is straightforward: you create your account, submit an application to IRICE, and once the application is deemed admissible, IRICE assesses your operation against the chosen standard. IRICE then makes its decision independently and issues the certificate, which is listed in the public registry of certified operations. You then hold a recognised proof, ready to use from the moment your programme goes to market.
Create your account
Online sign-up, free, in a few minutes.
Submit your request
Describe the operation and the target standard. IRICE reviews admissibility.
Field assessment
IRICE assesses your operation on site against the standard.
Decision and certificate
IRICE decides independently and issues the certificate, listed in the public registry.
Ready to add value to the biodiversity of your programmes?
Create your account and submit your certification request, or explore the standards suited to your operations first.
Training your teams.
A one-day course allows your in-house teams to understand what biodiversity changes in a project, to know what to ask an ecologist for, and to check what they are given.
7 hours · No prerequisite