NEWS - Altran

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altran eneRGY cOnsumptiOn
RENOVATING BUILDINGS,
REDUCING ENERGY NEEDS
Altran Europe’s RESTART business unit in Belgium has
embraced a global approach to tackling renewable energy
concerns such as cost reduction, increased comfort, and
alternative energies. The consultants have created a three-fold
approach to deal with these issues:
• reduction in need: initial audit followed by a more in-depth
audit that will lead to a 10-30% reduction in energy bills
• self-generated energy: wind, photovoltaic, geothermal, etc.
• implementation of a continually improving process
The consultants also worked on developing a calculator that
allows each person to estimate his/her annual carbon output.
Once the person has calculated his/her expenditure, he/she is
invited to sponsor a tree in the village of Ibi-Batéké in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, home to a carbon sink. The
Ibi-Batéké Carbon Sink Project (PCI-B) is a major component
of an integrated rural development forest program that has
been around since 1998. Its goal is to link primary production
to agri-industrial production in order to provide supplemental
ARchitectuRe
MY MINI ME HOUSE
Small, high-tech houses that consume less
energy are all the rage in the US, a trend
known as “mini me”. A great example of this is
Turbulence House in New Mexico, which has
been copied by a second version in Italy.
Covered in aluminium panels, it incorporates
ground-source heating and a rainwater cistern.
So-called “biotic” houses (see photo), made
from wood and equipped with solar panels,
exist in France.
Castro M./Urba Images Server
revenue to the people involved in the process, and to retain a
major and stable CO 2 reserve in the forest.
More information at http://www.ibi-village.cd
38 YeARs AGO
ALREADY TALK
OF SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
In 1970, scientists, economists, businessmen
and public representative members of the Club
of Rome NGO published a report called “Limits
to Growth”, which drew attention to the havoc
wreaked on our natural resource supply by
unchecked growth. This was a turning point
in the awareness of the need to protect the
environment and emphasise socio-economic
action. From the idea of quantitative growth
sprang a gradual progression from awareness
of social and cultural factors to awareness of
environmental factors, resulting in the sustainable
development that we know today.
Graphic Obsession
AltRAn pR[Í]me
altran pR[Í]me
ECO-DESIGN, NATURALLY
At Altran, Pr[í]me is part of the international IMD (Innovation Management & Development) practise.
In order to help its clients (the Executive Board, and the Marketing and R&D Management Boards) bring
their ideas to the market, Pr[í]me systematically applies an environmental approach. Eco-design should follow
naturally. At Pr[í]me, sustainable development isn’t a market, it’s a paradigm.
mODulAR cOnstRuctiOn
E-SPACE+, AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT IN MODULAR CONSTRUCTION
How do you release onto
the market a new range of so-called
“modular” construction units
in less than a year? These spaces
must be at once unique, personalised,
scalable, and energy conserving,
while also meeting the needs
of diverse sectors such as industry,
services, local governments
and construction.
Modular construction units launched
in the market in under a year is the
challenge set by Touax. The third
largest European leader in the rental of
modular constructions market, Touax
was able to answer this challenge with
the help of Altran Pr[í]me.
They received the 2007 Janus Industry
Prize for their E-space+ product,
which also received the 2008
Observeur du Design Seal of Approval.
This concept will revolutionise the
modular construction market in seven
ways: price, installation rapidity,
respect for standards, turnkey
solutions, flexibility, personalisation
and design.
Altran Pr[í]me’s role was to inject a
design into the heart of the project that
blends function, attractiveness and
ergonomics, all while adhering to
expectations set by Touax and its
clients. Sustainable development has
been inextricably woven into the
process, via the aim to improve energy
performance by mastering the global
energy situation and managing
operating costs.
A group of over thirty different
consultants brought together by Altran
Pr[í]me introduced new technologies
while mastering existing ones: design,
eco-design, structural calculations,
equipment, buying, industrial
processes, standards and regulations,
etc. Despite a tight time table, this
synergy of skills enabled Altran Pr[í]me
to fulfil all of Touax Solutions
Modulaires’ demands, proving itself a
Price, rapid
installation, respect
for standards,
turnkey solutions,
flexibility,
personalisation, etc.
key partner in the co-creation and
development of innovative solutions.
Contact : olivier.picard@altran.com
E-space+ received
the 2007 Janus
Industry Prize and
the 2008 Observeur
du Design Seal of
Approval
10 Altitude n°13 / april 2008 Altitude n°13 /april 2008 11
E-space+
revolutionises
the design
of modular
construction.