Effinature, in-use phase
HVE 25.05: certifying biodiversity, High Ecological Value, over time
HVE 25.05 is the Effinature extension reserved for operations already certified under NCO, EVO or HOR. It proves that ecological performance holds up once the project is delivered and in use, through Recurring Conformity Checks. It is the highest level of recognition, issued by an independent accredited body.
Cofrac accreditation
No. 5-0655
ISO/IEC 17065
product certification
Field assessment
carried out by IRICE
Public registry
of certified operations
Who it is for
Who is HVE 25.05 for?
HVE 25.05 is aimed at project owners, managers and operators whose operation already holds an active Effinature certificate, obtained under NCO, EVO or HOR. Where the initial certification validates design and delivery, the High Ecological Value extension looks at the life of the site after it is put into service. It concerns landlords, real-estate funds, local authorities and property managers who want to demonstrate, with supporting evidence, that the ecological features they financed keep producing their effects year after year, and not only on the day of handover.
An extension, not a standalone certification
HVE 25.05 is never obtained on its own: it extends a parent project that is already certified and whose certificate is still valid. The standard takes over at the point where the initial guarantee might otherwise fade, namely during operation. Its purpose is to maintain and prove ecological performance over the long term, by checking that the biodiversity actually installed develops in line with the commitments made. This logic of continuity makes the extension the ultimate degree of recognition: it attests that the operation remains, in practice, of High Ecological Value.
Control over time
Recurring Conformity Checks (CCR)
The heart of HVE 25.05 is the Recurring Conformity Checks, or CCR: periodic on-site assessments carried out at defined intervals, replacing a single check with ongoing monitoring. At each visit, the assessor records the real state of the environments, measures any gaps against the certified situation and verifies that any corrective actions have been carried out:
- 1 Monitoring of installed biodiversity. The fauna and flora actually present, the recovery of plantings, the colonisation of habitats and the functionality of ecological continuities are observed, rather than the project's theoretical potential.
- 2 Control of ecological maintenance. The standard verifies that differentiated management, late mowing, the absence of inputs and the durability of the features are genuinely applied on the ground, over time.
What the standard assesses in use
The assessment focuses on the durability of ecological functions: soil health and soil life over time, the resilience of vegetation layers and the diversity of species, upkeep of swales and water-management devices, the maintenance of habitats favourable to ordinary wildlife and the continuity of green-and-blue networks. Differentiated management is examined closely, because a well-designed feature can lose all ecological value if it is maintained like a conventional green space. Each finding rests on field surveys and concrete evidence, never on mere declarations.
The key point
An independent, consistent assessment
As with the initial standards, the Recurring Conformity Checks are carried out by IRICE, the accredited body (Cofrac No. 5-0655). Assessment by the certification body itself ensures a consistent reading of the standard from one check to the next and from one site to another, an essential condition for the maintenance of High Ecological Value to be comparable and enforceable. A Biodiversity Partner may support you in managing and monitoring your features between two checks, but takes part neither in the assessment nor in the renewal decision.
Why certify
Why prove performance over time?
Regulatory and extra-financial pressure does not stop at delivery: the CSRD directive and ESRS E4 standard, Article 35 of the French Climate and Resilience Act, and the expectations of investors and local authorities now bear on durable results, not just design intentions. HVE 25.05 answers this requirement by turning a one-off commitment into renewed proof. It secures environmental claims across an asset's holding period and sets apart the managers who genuinely keep their promises. Effinature is part of a wider toolset run by the NORMAXIS group, from the pre-diagnostic through to in-use monitoring, alongside the certification body IRICE.
Choosing your standard
Discover the other standards
HVE 25.05 extends an initial certification. The parent project is certified under one of the standards below.
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 →The journey
How to obtain the HVE 25.05 extension
The starting point is a certified parent project whose certificate is active. You submit an extension application to IRICE, the certification body (Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655). Once the application is deemed admissible, a schedule of Recurring Conformity Checks is set and IRICE carries out the first on-site check. IRICE then decides to grant High Ecological Value, renewed at each due date as long as the findings confirm that performance is maintained, and the operation is listed in the public registry of certified operations.
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.
Go further
Download the HVE 25.05 standard for free, or submit your extension request.
Ready to prove the ecological performance of your operations over time?
Create your account and submit your certification request, or explore the standards suited to your operations first.
Training on this standard.
The training course « Biodiversity Partner Operation » covers the High Ecological Value addendum, the control protocol and post-handover monitoring indicators.
7 hours · Biodiversity Partner qualification required