Laurent Fer (Grupo Fer): Keeping the notion of sustainability alive - Enterprise Journal - Alsas

How do you evaluate concrete, this material that has been "strengthening" your family for over 60 years? The first thing to do is to use it where you really need it, which, by the way, applies to all materials. Concrete is a fantastic material for an efficient and, above all, sustainable environmental transition. One cubic meter of concrete contains 10% cement. This 10% represents 98% of the CO2 emissions from a full cubic meter of concrete. There are many ways to work on cement decarbonization with our suppliers, which is very positive and is already being implemented. A combination of materials can also be interesting. You can create connected structures using raw earth or straw using simple and affordable materials. By developing bio-derived materials to replace insulation, we tend to use them as carbon equilibrium factors. This, in my opinion, makes no sense as it encourages the use of wood where it is not needed. We need to focus on using the right material in the right place and maximizing the life of the products.

Your group was selected at the third edition of Made in France at the Elysee Palace for your Précoffré® TH Green low carbon façade wall, what does this mean?

This is the best wall that can be produced in Europe in terms of carbon and sustainability. We have worked for several years in research and development with the challenge of creating the lowest carbon wall in line with our rural ethos. We used 100% recycled materials, construction waste, wood fibers and biomass to replace petroleum-based insulation. It's all done with aesthetics and durability in mind, with finishes that will last more than 100 years, with the participation of the French Passive Building Federation, which has trained ten of our engineers to build the buildings of the future.

Tell us about the startups Moebius and Fogo, in which your group is a shareholder?

There are a lot of ideas. Moebius represents the fight against concrete wastage with a connected machine that optimizes the delivery of concrete mixers. Fogo manufactures inertia radiators that are designer, simple, durable and efficient. These are ideas that have emerged from our R&D work and are now being developed by entrepreneurs.

Notably, Fogo won the January 2023 Innovation Award at CES in Las Vegas. The Group is committed to the concept of an open innovation process.

What investments are you planning?

We aim to create the lowest carbon line in France, and maybe in Europe, at our facility in Bischwilleres (Haut-Rhin).

In recent times, there has been a growing political controversy in the French political class over the government's eco-transition. As an executive, how are you positioned?

The sector I know best is construction. I believe we need to create an evolution, not a revolution. We need to improve the way we build, make it more efficient and not lose sight of the fact that everything we do in development has to be economically viable, otherwise it doesn't make sense. If it's only for the elite, it's useless. The word "sustainability" is often missing from speeches. We need to be mindful of this concept, rather than immerse ourselves in rampant real estate consumption.

What could be the consequences for your group from the growing housing crisis?

This will be a difficult and long-term crisis. Companies have to adapt. You need to keep your roots and continue to build better, more efficiently and more sustainably. I repeat these words because it's common sense. It's a crisis like my parents and my grandparents experienced in the past. Every crisis is an opportunity to grow and improve, we need to stay the course. We want the state to fulfill its role because we need to get people into housing. Especially with the help of more efficient thermal buildings. So despite the crisis, we want to continue to build well.