“As you know, our construction sector in France is facing many challenges: sustainability, the circular economy, the limited availability of building land, and the industrialization of construction,” begins Arnaud Porte. „All these issues make me think about innovation. I love taking up these strategic challenges and that’s why I’ve decided to take an active part for this activity in France“. He is also passionate about protecting the environment: his four-year-old son has a long future ahead of him. Arnaud wants to make a positive contribution.
 
After working as a young engineer in France and Switzerland, Arnaud Porte has now been with Xella for the last nine years. He is now Technical and Development Director for France. He is also responsible for the technical part, strategic marketing, and innovation. “I am very motivated to be part of Xella’s most important solutions for tomorrow. This is why his team works closely with colleagues at Xella Technologie- und Forschungsgesellschaft (T&F) on research projects. They develop building materials, systems and services that meet the needs of the market."

Political pressure as an opportunity

The political pressure on the construction industry in France is enormous, and sustainability represents a very important and significant project. ”In 2022, thermal regulations have changed and the total CO2 impact of a construction project must be considered. This includes also all the energy used in the building for heating, lighting, and ventilation for 50 years,” he explains. But the building industry is not only required to analyze the life cycle of its products. It must also reduce its CO2 consumption every three years. ” says Arnaud Porte, taking a deep breath, “By 2031, this should result in a 31% reduction in CO2 compared to 2022 emissions. It’s a real challenge, and it’s right in line with Xella’s ESG strategy.”

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is not yet widely used in France. Only concrete walls, concrete blocks and clay bricks have a long tradition in the country. Arnaud Porte describes the situation as follows: “It's really difficult to change traditions”. For Xella, Paris’ strict requirements are a great opportunity to position AAC as an alternative to traditional building materials. There has never been a greater demand for sustainability and the recycling of building materials than now.

„I'm very attentive to the development of emerging construction solutions for the future“, he says.  Tomorrow, construction in France will change, moving from single-product solutions to buildings using a mix of materials to meet the challenges of sustainability. We therefore need to consider collaborating with other industries - particularly off-site - to contribute to tomorrow's construction by making the most of the exceptional properties of our materials like fire resistance or thermal insulation. His exciting question is: what useful materials have not yet been thought of in this context? Where are interesting new markets that Xella has not yet targeted? It's about thinking outside the box, a core skill of all innovative people.

BIM still rare in France

Arnaud Porte and his team do more than just optimize projects. He is also responsible for training colleagues at Xella who advise construction companies and on-site personnel. The Frenchman is therefore very interested in how his international Xella colleagues use and develop BIM (Building Information Modeling). French architects and builders are not yet familiar with the digital twin of a building. If they are, it is only for stadiums, airports, or international projects. “But we at Xella France will soon be introducing BIM into our processes,” says Arnaud Porte. “And it’s really good to know that we’ll be able to benefit from the experience of our international group.”

He benefits from a core competency that he believes all colleagues should have, both with the BIM experts and with his own team: “Without communication, innovation is not possible. It’s all about sharing and listening.” His team takes note of all the ideas they come across and decides which ones to take forward in a kind of innovation steering committee. In France, too, budget planning and corporate strategies demand patience from the innovative colleagues. For some good ideas, the time is not yet right. “If a product is too sensitive, too difficult to implement or too expensive, there is no place for it on the market,” says Arnaud Porte matter-of-factly.

Quality of life

Currently, Porte’s team is particularly proud of a new strategy aimed at the technical optimization of structures or buildings. “This allows us to offer our customers affordable solutions for a highly innovative product, enabling them to comply with the new French regulations.” He is convinced that innovation is based on an active discussion with everyone in the company, as well as feedback from customers. “Can you innovate on your own? I don’t think so. So, we also talk to a lot of our customers to get a better understanding of how we can help them with their projects.” Because there is always a solution, Arnaud Porte is convinced. “I’m an optimist by nature and I know that our products contribute to making the world a better place: for the environment, for the well-being of those who work on site and for the quality of life of those who live in the buildings we build.”