Our innovation approach

ECT's innovation approach aims to expand and enrich the value proposition proposed to our stakeholders.  It aims to strengthen the company's position as a player in the environmental transition. And also to optimize our work processes by integrating new technologies.

An open innovation approach

• In 2021, ECT set up an open innovation approach aimed at identifying all the innovative ideas in the ECT ecosystem (more than 150 projects analyzed). We will then select the most relevant ideas, test them and implement them operationally on a large scale.

• This approach is part of a collaborative logic whose success is based on the involvement of ECT Group employees and on the building of partnerships with innovation specialists such as Paris&Co.

• To give this approach a boost, ECT has set up an Innovative Projects Steering Committee. This committee creates a regular meeting dedicated to innovation, and pilots the projects initiated, from the analysis of their feasibility to the testing in real conditions on our sites.

Innovative projects implemented

The approach has led to the implementation of fifteen POCs, piloted by a community of employees mobilized to support these innovative subjects.  Some examples : 

ECT Evaluation of the environmental and societal performance of ECT projects

• In order to structure its CSR approach, ECT sought to evaluate the quality of its developments through a global indicator. No existing evaluation system could cover all the dimensions addressed by ECT's development model.
• ECT therefore built a tool to evaluate the environmental and societal performance of its projects. This approach led to the creation of a rating system that allows each project to be evaluated on these two themes through 15 criteria.
• ECT has worked with experts in each of the selected criteria (biodiversity, CO2, recreational quality, sporting interest, etc.) to define, in collaboration with EY, rating methods that qualify the quality and relevance of the proposed service.
• This tool enables ECT to monitor the environmental and social performance of its activity, to evaluate its involvement with its stakeholders and to implement a continuous improvement process for the quality of its services.
• Today, each ECT development is rated at the time of its design, its administrative authorization and its delivery.

Alternative transport, double freight

• One of the key issues for ECT's excavated soil business is the decarbonization of transportation. ECT is committed to identifying alternatives to the transportation of soil by the thermal trucks of its customers.
• In partnership with Carrières de l'Ouest, a solution has been developed to optimize the transport of materials by train: from a quarry located in Mayenne, materials are transported by train to construction sites in the Paris region. The train is then reloaded with excavated earth that is used to fill in the quarry.
• Specific containers, adapted to the transport of soil and optimized loading operations have been developed specifically for this project.
• This solution reduces CO2 emissions and limits empty train journeys.

Innovation initiatives in progress

• Soil fertility and reforestation - in partnership with the MNHN, ECT is analyzing the state of the art on plant growth and reforestation on reworked soils
• Biodegradation of hydrocarbons - in partnership with the University of Technology of Compiègne, ECT studies the optimization of the treatment of hydrocarbon impacted soils
• Decarbonation of the fleet vehicles - ECT is analyzing and testing alternative solutions to the transport of excavated soil by thermal engine trucks (electric, hydrogen...)

Injection of poured earth

• In order to diversify the valorization approach of excavated soil, ECT wished to develop a solution allowing to use the soil for the filling of underground cavities.
• In this context, ECT has partnered with Sefi-Intrafor to identify the formulation for grouting. Tests were carried out on ECT sites in order to develop the right formulation and process to perform these injections.
• This process is now operational and used in the framework of cavity filling contracts.