Cécile Imbert fern paris

Why we exist

Fern- was created in Paris in 2018 by Cécile Imbert.

After 15 years in finance and as a mutual fund manager, Cécile realised that the linear mode of production was not sustainable. 

Passionate about the circular economy, she understood that the major challenge for companies was to get the financial and extra-financial sectors to work together to create sustainable value.

Driven by a personal desire to lead a more meaningful life, and inspired by the notion of second life that she applied to herself, Cécile developed a company specialising in circular design to help mitigate climate change.

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Manifesto

Today, 50% of the world's economy depends on the so-called "free" services provided by nature.

Source: CDC biodiversity

This is the direct consequence of our economic model, which is based on linear industries whose production tool was designed on the so-called "free" services provided by nature, and the overexploitation of raw materials perceived as inexhaustible...

The scarcity of raw materials is a real issue that goes far beyond the current tensions that many sectors are experiencing as a result of the imbalances that the Covid crisis has created in global supply and demand.

Without anticipating and taking account of these developments,
some companies run the risk of disappearing.

The challenges of the 21st century: climate, biodiversity, raw materials, find part of the answer in the transformation of the so-called linear industry into a circular industry.

Even if many economic actors are aware of the concept and understand that the circular economy is a more sober and efficient economy in the use of resources, the transformation of the concept into operational solutions for industry is more delicate...

The construction industry, the main industry in the production of waste, the consumption of raw materials, and the destruction of biodiversity, has understood that the future of its industry will be circular or not.

It is preparing for this and has begun its transformation, because the ambitions of environmental regulations are great: the AGEC law, RE 2020, which aims to reduce the sector's CO2 emissions by at least 30% in ten years, and halving land artificialisation by 2030, with the aim of achieving "zero net artificialisation" (ZAN) by 2050. Here again, we have to admit that we have fallen behind!

So what do the real estate and construction sectors need to do to meet the ambitions of environmental regulations?

#1

The resource challenge
The strain on resources puts companies at risk.

30% of natural resources extracted each year for the needs of the construction sector

The construction industry will have to become more raw material and waste efficient.

The leaders of tomorrow will be those who rise to this challenge.

#2

Sober land use
The climatic, environmental and social challenges are challenging the way we design cities.

The business models of the real estate and construction sectors will have to be transformed and based on 2 principles:

1- Land sobriety

2- Renovate rather than deconstruct

#3

Circular design and selection of eco-designed materials.
There is an urgent need to develop business models that go beyond operational carbon calculations. Circular design based on the selection of eco-designed materials can reduce on-board carbon.

56% of a building's CO2 emissions come from materials.

The carbon footprint of a building is X2 due to renovations over its entire life cycle.

#4

Circular design and life cycle assessment
Measuring environmental impacts is a fundamental prerequisite for any circular designapproach.

Level, the new European framework for sustainable and circular buildings allows for the measurement of impacts throughout the life cycle of a building.

#5

The creation of reuse channels
Reuse of buildingmaterials must become the norm.

Reuse represents only 1% of the materials used on building sites.

The RE2020 states that the impacts related to the reuse of materials are zero in the context of the life cycle analysis of a building.

#6

Creating circularity ecosystems





The transformation of our linear production model into a circular industry must be seen as a

societal project

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To achieve this, it will require : 1- More dialogue and cooperation between economic actors 2- Develop training in the circular economy, 3- Train more engineers and designers in circular design, 4- Train elected officials
Finally, the transformation of the construction industry into a circular industry is a collective challenge that requires greater collaboration between economic actors, both private and public.
renovation graphic circular fern paris

From a linear industry to a circular industry with less raw materials and waste, Fern' s mission is to provide solutions to contribute to the circular transformation of the economy.

Our services contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Fern's expertise transforms the principles of thecircular economy into operational solutions for thereal estate and construction sectors.

12 responsible consumption and production fern paris
12 responsible consumption and production fern paris
12 responsible consumption and production fern paris
12 responsible consumption and production fern paris