The house must also become more virtuous! To offer quality services and controlled consumption, HQE certification - for High Environmental Quality - is a real source of energy savings.
Here are three letters that will now be used to label your house: "HQE" for high environmental quality. This certification attests to the fact that your home emits very little CO2 and provides the best energy performance. The HQE house has indeed changed the face of construction and renovation to the point of reshaping the real estate landscape in a sustainable way.
Proof of its innovative character, the choice of materials and equipment is a key element. HQE encourages the use of renewable energy, the quality of thermal insulation and the limitation of pollution. In this perspective, local productions must be favored.
Moreover, this HQE label must take into account the environment by favoring an optimal orientation for the building. Finally, this principle of eco-construction must offer the best possible quality of life to its occupants. This is based on air quality and the achievement of real energy performance. Indeed, the consumption must not exceed 50kWh per square meter per year. With these characteristics, the HQE certification is the engine of a more ecological architecture. Although it is not the result of any regulatory standard, it is based on four major targets aimed at making housing truly efficient and effective. Let's discover for each target the main criteria taken into account.
- THE HQE IN 4 TARGETS
- Detailed opposite, the HQE certification is based on four targets aimed at limiting the impact of the building on the external environment and promoting a comfortable interior space. In total, fourteen criteria must be met for a project to be certified "high environmental quality".
TARGET 1
THE HOUSE AT THE RATE OF ECO-BUILDING
In construction and renovation, some houses stand out for their limited impact on the environment. To pave the way for more virtuous construction sites, this HQE (High Environmental Quality) certification is accompanied by a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is based on a construction system that favors reduced implementation costs.
What are the eco-construction criteria?
- Harmonious relations between the building and its immediate environment. This is a recommendation that avoids the deployment of new networks and encourages the use of locally available transport, for example.
- The integrated choice of products and construction processes. At this stage, it is particularly important to adapt the construction systems to the desired life span and to facilitate access for building maintenance.
- A low-nuisance construction site. One of the challenges is to make the best possible use of waste in accordance with local channels while limiting acoustic and visual pollution...
- HQE CERTIFICATION ?
- This is an independent organization responsible for awarding high environmental quality construction labels.
TARGET 2
ENERGY SAVINGS IN CONSTRUCTION
Naturally, HQE is a leading certification for limiting the consumption of buildings. This is why construction or renovation sites emit little waste, noise or pollution. The building must be in harmony with its direct environment.
What are the eco-management criteria?
- In terms of energy, HQE improves the building's ability to reduce its heating and cooling needs, both in winter and summer.
- Water management is a strategic issue and must be optimized while promoting water retention and infiltration.
- Regarding waste from activities, HQE encourages sorting at the source while ensuring the sustainability of the recycling system.
- In terms of upkeep and maintenance, it is important to ensure that the performance of heating and cooling, ventilation, lighting and water management systems is maintained.
TARGET 3
REAL COMFORT IN LIVING
All the care given to the construction site is of course accompanied by quality services when the home is occupied. Whether in terms of visual, acoustic or hygrothermal comfort, the building meets all the criteria aimed at setting it apart from other constructions.
What are the comfort criteria?
- Regarding hygrothermal comfort, the HQE invites to take into account the characteristics of the site and to group the premises in a homogeneous way according to the desired temperatures in all seasons. On the one hand, it is necessary to evaluate the ability of the building to provide good conditions of comfort in summer and on the other hand, ensure constant degrees in winter.
- The consideration of acoustic constraints is particularly interested in the position of the premises in relation to external nuisances.
- What is more essential than good visual comfort? This is why the HQE optimizes exterior views from living rooms and recommends natural light in circulation spaces.
- As for the consideration of olfactory comfort, it focuses on the healthy distribution of clean air and the reduction of sources of bad odors.
TARGET 4
GOOD OCCUPATIONAL CONDITIONS
A quality building is also distinguished by the quality of the air and water distributed. In fact, spaces must offer good sanitary conditions in both construction and renovation.
What are the sanitary safety criteria?
- In terms of health, HQE is interested in keeping the level of electromagnetic fields as low as possible, for telecoms.
- Of course, the sanitary quality of the air is not forgotten since the HQE blocks possible sources of pollution.
- For water management, the main challenge is to separate the drinking water network from any rainwater networks. In addition to insulating the system, the domestic hot water must be maintained at an optimal temperature.
Christophe RAFFAILLAC