"Blue" building projects with BOUYGUES BATIMENT NORD-EST

Bouygues Batiment Nord-Est's Executive Management is intent on studying the "Green Dwelling" approach adopted in Switzerland. After working on a number of experimental job sites, the company's leadership built a strategy in conjunction with Bouygues Europe: the label "Blue Building Project" was born; it consists of visibly and publicly rewarding both the construction crews and marketing teams able to meet all 13 of the approach's qualifying criteria. Expectations are high regarding the level of commitment to effectively complete the project, ensure its safety and respect the announced environmental constraints.

Bouygues Batiment Nord-Est is seeking to further extend its efforts on behalf of the well-being of construction crew members; its aim is to become the industry leader in the area of safety and health protection by incorporating risk awareness into daily management practices. A single objective: zero worksite accidents, for zero time off due to on-the-job injury.

Several actions have been implemented:

•  15-minute warm-up every morning prior to beginning work;
•   A weekly appointment scheduled to discuss project quality, health, and the environment, yielding a weekly job assessment;
•  Dissemination of memoranda to personnel; lunches held with supervisors and foremen as an opportunity to exchange on the working difficulties encountered and to circulate good ideas.

Bouygues Batiment Nord-Est would also like to develop the notion of "eco-gestures" via introduction of environmental standards and an evaluation grid for mitigating the impact of its professional activities. Innovative solutions provide many possibilities, among which: saving energy and raw materials, using "HQE" certified materials, proceeding with a selective sorting of waste, and confining hazardous substances to retention basins.

A number of actions devoted to coordination and outreach are conducted among the local population thanks to newspaper exposure and the organization of "open house" events.