Arkenor — Beyond Compliance

Beyond compliance. — Environmental consulting — Aix-en-Provence, France

Environmental consulting — Aix-en-Provence, France

The consulting-and-compliance subsidiary of the NORMAXIS group. Environmental consulting covering all reference frameworks (residential, tertiary, regional), fauna-flora ecological surveys with the ERC sequence, regulatory measurements and diagnostics. Operations across Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Nice, Toulon and the whole Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

Contact us See our practices

2009

Group founded

500 +

Operations supported

All
frameworks

Residential · Tertiary · Regional

PACA

Operating region

Positioning

Environmental consulting that knows all three markets.

Environmental certifications are not chosen à la carte — they are imposed by the market segment, the programme typology and the expectations of the investor or public authority backing the operation. ARKENOR advises clients on the full set of national and regional reference frameworks, with the experience that separates a rejected file from a certification obtained at the right moment.

Our work covers upstream decision-making (which framework, at which level, with which strategy) and structured execution (framing, documentary production, audit coordination, delivery file). We are independent of the certification bodies — environmental consulting does not certify, it advises the client in obtaining the certification. Our deliverables are designed as court-admissible evidence: every assertion is tied to its source and to its method, auditable at every point by the third-party certifier.

Three practices

Environmental consulting, ecology, measurements.

Environmental consulting

All residential certifications (NF Habitat HQE, BEE+), tertiary (HQE BD, BREEAM) and regional (BDM/QDM, BDO/QDO, Envirobat). Single consulting team, from framing to delivery.

Ecological surveys

Fauna-flora four-season surveys, environmental impact studies, protected-species files (L.411-1), Natura 2000 (L.414-1), ERC sequence (Avoid-Reduce-Compensate).

Measurements & diagnostics

Acoustic acceptance measurements, air-tightness tests, indoor air quality (IAQ), DPE (energy performance certificates), and aerial drone inspection (DGAC-licensed pilot — STRATOGLIDE service). Compliance attestations issued.

What we bring

The value of environmental consulting.

  • Upstream regulatory framing: identification of the site's environmental obligations (L.411-1 protected species, Natura 2000, ERC sequence, ICPE classified installations, wetlands, PLU zoning).
  • Framework selection based on programme, site constraints and client strategy. Performance-level arbitration (Pass / Good / Very Good / Excellent / Outstanding).
  • Production of documentary evidence compliant with the auditors' requirements at certification bodies (Cerqual, Certivéa, BRE, Prestaterre).
  • Environmental construction-site monitoring, coordination with stakeholders, acceptance of measurements, build-up of the delivery file.
  • Coordination with technical inspection offices, external ecologists and independent certifiers — respecting the separation of roles.

Framework benchmarks

The structuring frames of environmental compliance.

14 targets

HQE Bâtiment Durable framework

Certivéa — 4 themes (energy, environment, health, comfort)

5 levels

BREEAM: Pass → Outstanding

BRE Global (UK) — recognised by international investors

Pass → Gold

BDM / BD2M: 4 regional levels

envirobat Méditerranée — PACA & Monaco

L.411-1

Strict protection of species

French Environmental Code — derogation = CNPN file (L.411-2)

Operating zone

Environmental consulting based in Aix-en-Provence, mobilised across the whole Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

Our detailed knowledge of the regional frameworks BDM / QDM / BD2M (envirobat Méditerranée) and of Mediterranean biodiversity regulations (protected species, SRCE ecological corridors) makes the difference on local operations.

Aix-en-Provence
Marseille
Nice
Toulon

FAQ — environmental consulting

Frequently asked questions on environmental consulting and certifications.

Environmental consulting acts on behalf of the client — it frames, produces documentary evidence and coordinates the audits. The certifier (Cerqual, Certivéa, BRE, Prestaterre, IRICE for Effinature) issues the certificate after a third-party audit. The separation of roles is an impartiality requirement — the same party cannot be both consultant and certifier on the same project without invalidating the certification.
Before the framework is chosen — ideally during the programming or sketch phase. The requirements of some frameworks (HQE Bâtiment Durable, BREEAM, BDM Gold level) drive structural architectural choices (compactness, orientation, biosourced materials, rainwater harvesting) that can no longer be modified after preliminary design without significant cost or schedule impact.
Yes, this is common: NF Habitat HQE + Effinature on residential, HQE BD + BREEAM + BDM on tertiary in Marseille when targeting BOTH an international investor AND local public procurement. We arbitrate the cost-versus-value trade-off upstream to pool documentary evidence and avoid audit redundancies.
We prioritise PACA operations for operational proximity (site visits, construction-site coordination, direct contact with design and contractors). We do occasionally operate elsewhere in France for repeat clients or multi-region operations, particularly on the equivalent regional frameworks (BDO/QDO Occitanie, BDNA Nouvelle-Aquitaine, BDF Franche-Comté).
From programming to building delivery — typically 24 to 48 months depending on the size and complexity of the project (residential vs tertiary, single building vs urban ensemble, combination of frameworks). Billing is staged by milestone: programming, preliminary design, detailed design, contract documents, construction, delivery, final audit, issue of the certificate.
HQE BD if the investor / tenant target is French (French REITs, public authorities, large national companies). BREEAM if the asset targets international investors (Anglo-Saxon funds, listed REITs, multinationals, capital-export targets). On a multi-target project, we combine the two — heavier on the documentary side but often the right answer to secure marketing.
Yes. ARKENOR covers the three disciplines in an integrated way: environmental consulting on certifications, ecological surveys (fauna-flora inventories, ERC sequence, CNPN / Natura 2000 files) and acceptance measurements (QUALIBAT 8711 air-tightness, NF EN ISO 16283 acoustics, QUALIBAT 8741 ventilation, energy performance certificates). This integration avoids multiplying providers and secures coherence between design and delivery.
Yes — this is the standard configuration. Our environmental-consulting studies dovetail with the thermal and MEP studies of ARKEMEP (RE2020 thermal, dynamic simulation, carbon LCA) that feed the energy targets of HQE / BREEAM. For biodiversity certifications, we coordinate with IRICE (Effinature, BPS) in strict respect of the ISO 17065 Chinese wall. See the NORMAXIS ecosystem block below for direct links.

The NORMAXIS ecosystem

Environmental consulting is supported by technical disciplines.

Arkemep

MEP engineering — energy & fluids

The energy targets of HQE / BREEAM / BDM are fed by our RE2020 thermal studies and dynamic simulations.

Découvrir

Irice

Third-party biodiversity certification

Independent third-party certification body — Effinature, BPS, Efficarbone. ISO 17065 separation from the consulting role.

Découvrir

Irice

irice-certification.com

Dedicated certification site — accreditation page, standards, registry of certified operations.

Découvrir

A certification to frame, a fauna-flora survey to launch?

Our environmental-consulting teams engage from the preliminary studies phase. Reply within 48 working hours.

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