In the French region of Centre-Val de Loire, a former brownfield site has been transformed, in accordance with environmental standards, into Agora, a centre for social outreach creating a link between the inhabitants of the town, all generations included.
- 17 December 2020
It was a major challenge, and we rose to it! The technical expertise of the participants made it possible to transform a former brownfield site into an energy efficient building. Agora can now work on social outreach and cohesion within the area.
It is a success not only on a technical level, but also in terms of the synergies put in place. Agora, the repurposed brownfield site, now offers a central hub for community services in Beaugency’s town centre. The works undertaken were focused on energy-saving and preserving natural resources through the use of geothermal energy and bio-based materials.
’One-stop shop’
Agora is now a completely public place. In one year, the factory and, to a greater extent, the Agora space, which also includes a centre dedicated to local cultural associations, have offered a multitude of new services and events open to all.
It is a socially cohesive and cross-disciplinary place of hope. The facility houses all the area’s social stakeholders under the same roof, and by establishing this ‘one-stop shop’, it is better able to guide its users in the right direction.
It is a platform for exchanges of know-how and intergenerational assistance, thanks in particular to the youth club and various retirement associations being grouped together in one place. It is also home to a space dedicated to creating individual and (professional/voluntary) group projects as well as social innovation.
Technical challenges
The project’s technical challenges were undertaken by specialists - an architecture firm, Beaugency's municipal services, and businesses. Ground source heat pumps made it possible to install underfloor heating. Bio-based materials were used, namely predominantly wood for the external and internal joinery, the timber frames and the roof; wood fibre was also used for the internal and external insulation.
The specialists also sought to ensure control of water and energy consumption by working on saving and re-using water, as well as limiting electricity consumption by using LED lamps, movement detectors and light dimmers.
In terms of the building itself, the project also deserves credit for preserving a vestige of the former site by leaving intact the Eiffel Tower-style metal frame structures.
Total investment and European funding
The ‘Repurposing of the Agora site (industrial complex) with geothermal energy and bio-based materials for the installation of a community services centre in Beaugency's town centre’ project received a total investment of EUR 2 858 057, with the European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 372 600 through the ‘ESF-ERDF Centre-Val de Loire cooperation programme’ for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the "Jobs, Growth, Investment" priority.