Séché Environnement Inaugurates "Le Chêne," Its New Headquarters in Laval (France)

A long-standing economic and industrial player in the department of Mayenne, this family-owned group was founded in Changé more than 40 years ago. Deeply committed to its home region, Séché Environnement is now marking a new chapter in its local history by establishing its headquarters at Le Chêne, in the heart of the train station district of Laval (25, rue des trois Régiments).

Located on a former SNCF railway brownfield site, Le Chêne is breathing new life into an area that had already been developed. This project aligns with the objectives of Zero Net Land Take (ZAN), prioritizing urban renewal over the consumption of new natural spaces.

Designed to house all of Séché Environnement’s support functions, the building is located near major rail and road corridors to facilitate communication with all of the Group’s sites as well as with its customers, both in France and internationally.

This location also promotes more sustainable mobility for employees by encouraging the use of public transportation and low-carbon modes of travel.

A workspace designed for well-being and new ways of working

Designed with employees’ needs in mind, Le Chêne offers a high-quality, functional, and adaptable work environment. With a total area of 9,500 m², including 4,000 m² of office space, the building will accommodate nearly 280 employees.

A true living space, it opens onto more than 1,000 m² of outdoor areas and five terraces, fostering moments of socializing and relaxation.

The interior layout was designed to accommodate the diversity of work styles and the teams’ needs. Each floor thus offers spaces tailored to different times of the day, alternating between dynamic areas (to encourage interaction, creativity, and collaborative work) and quieter zones (dedicated to concentration and individual work).

Quality of life at work guided all architectural and technical decisions. The building prioritizes natural light through large windows and stairwells bathed in daylight. Numerous spaces for meeting and socializing round out the design. Thermal comfort was also a key focus, with performance optimized through dynamic simulations conducted as early as the design phase.

Finally, sustainable mobility is fully integrated into the project. The site features secure bicycle storage areas equipped with charging outlets, locker rooms with showers, and charging stations for electric vehicles, and benefits from convenient access to Laval’s rail and road networks, facilitating daily commutes while limiting their environmental impact.

A benchmark for low-carbon architecture in Mayenne

Designed by the firm Art & Build Architectes, Le Chêne embodies a contemporary and responsible vision of the workplace. The result of a collaborative approach bringing together architects, engineers, ecologists, employees, and the project owner, this project was designed around a shared ambition: to create a energy-efficient, comfortable, and vibrant building.

Le Chêne boasts remarkable environmental performance. Its primary energy consumption is more than 40% below the requirements set by the RE 2020 environmental regulations. Its carbon footprint associated with construction also allows it to meet the carbon threshold set by RE 2020 for future buildings starting in 2028, placing the building ahead of even the most ambitious regulatory targets.

Used in the structure, facades, interior finishes, and built-in furniture, wood is the project’s architectural signature. Beyond its aesthetic and comfort qualities, it contributes to carbon sequestration and helps reduce the building’s environmental impact.

Designed to minimize energy consumption, Le Chêne combines an energy-efficient building envelope with the use of renewable energy. A 31 kWp photovoltaic system installed on the roof generates nearly 33,000 kWh of electricity per year, covering approximately 40% of the building’s electricity needs.

Heating is provided by a wood-fired biomass boiler, which will cover nearly 47% of the building’s total energy consumption. Combined with high-performance insulation and exceptionally high airtightness, it helps to sustainably reduce energy needs while ensuring optimal thermal comfort in all seasons.

Conducted in accordance with the requirements of the low-impact construction site BREEAM® Excellent charter, the project was subject to rigorous waste management. Thanks to a construction waste collection center, 97% of the waste was recycled, exceeding the target of 85%.

A site designed to preserve and promote biodiversity

The preservation of biodiversity was integrated from the very beginning of the project’s design. The building was thus designed to limit its impact on ecosystems, notably through the reduction of light pollution, the absence of features that could act as traps for wildlife, and the use of natural or reused materials.

The outdoor spaces have been landscaped to serve as biodiversity refuges. Local and native plantings, nesting boxes for birds and bats, habitats for insects and hedgehogs, bumblebee hives, and feeders all help create an environment conducive to local flora and fauna. To ensure the long-term ecological quality of the site, regular monitoring of the developments is in place to guarantee the sustainability of the habitats created.

This initiative is part of the Group’s commitments to biodiversity, notably through its participation in the Act4nature International. Awareness-raising activities will also be offered to employees, in partnership with the association Les Abeilles Mayennaises, to raise awareness of the essential role of pollinators and the challenges related to preserving biodiversity.

Sustainable interior design, inspired by the local region

Designed in line with the Group’s environmental commitments, the interior design prioritizes sustainable materials, recyclable materials, and materials sourced from responsible supply chains. All of the furniture meets recognized environmental certifications, such as FSC® and PEFC™.

The project also highlights local craftsmanship: more than half of the furniture was manufactured in France—notably the workstations produced in Touraine—while the rest comes from European manufacturers selected for their commitment to quality and sustainability.

Innovation and the circular economy play a central role in the design choices. Some elements were thus designed using recycled and reused materials, such as table tops made from brewery waste and food packaging (Instead Mobilier, Nantes) or materials incorporating recycled seashells (Ostrea, Rennes).

The building’s identity draws inspiration from the Mayenne region and the history of the Changé site. Ochre and clay tones, natural materials, and the interplay of mineral and plant-based textures create a warm and soothing atmosphere.

Through its interior design, Le Chêne embodies Séché Environnement’s mission: to transform materials to give them new value, while providing employees with an inspiring work environment in harmony with nature.