Schneider Electric, Schneider Electric Foundation and La Varappe Group unveil sustainable and innovative social housing concept at the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014

• This fully modular one or two bedrooms type housing unit can accommodate a family and costs 40% less than a traditional home
• The project contributes to the development of the circular economy

Versailles, la Cité du Soleil,France, 11-7-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Schneider Electric, the Schneider Electric Foundation¹ and La Varappe Group are exclusively unveiling a sustainable and innovative social housing concept “Habitat pour tous face à l’urgence” (Emergency housing for all), at the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 taking place in Versailles (France) from June 28 to July 14, 2014.

The aim of the “Emergency housing for all” project is to show that today it is possible to offer comfortable, modular, transportable, inexpensive and energy efficient housing whilst also contributing to the development of the circular economy. By pooling the expertise of all the partners, “Emergency housing for all”has resulted in the creation of six housing units (one or two bedrooms), using end-of-life maritime containers, in a record time of three months. This was made possible thanks to the work of 10 people in job integration programs. Fully recyclable and made from bio-sourced materials, this housing is in accordance with the 2012 French thermal regulation and costs 40% less than a traditional home.

“Today fuel poverty is a major issue in our mature societies and we must offer quick, simple and sustainable solutions, said Gilles Vermot Desroches, Senior Vice President of Sustainable Development at Schneider Electric and Managing Director of the Schneider Electric Foundation. “With the ‘Emergency housing for all’ project, we are now demonstrating that the technology and know-how are in place to start tackling this while also effectively combating the housing crisis.”

“This project combines social integration, fighting against fuel poverty and technological innovation, whilst also fully engaging in the development of the circular economy,” adds Laurent Laik, Executive Vice-President of La Varappe. “It also shows that housing can be not only environmentally-friendly, but also less expensive and therefore accessible to a wider audience.”

Each partner has contributed their expertise and technologies to ensure the success of the project.  Schneider Electric has offered Wiser, its energy management solution for housing which can be installed in the building simply and in a minimally invasive manner, at limited installation costs and guaranteeing energy savings of up to 30%. To build the housing unit presented at Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, La Varappe Group, through its subsidiary LVD Energie, has worked to qualify and specialise people on job integration programs in trades with added value for housing. The Schneider Electric Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, has supported this innovative housing program financially which targets those most in need.

After Solar Decathlon Europe 2014, the modules will be dismantled and will be installed in Lyon to house families in difficulty currently housed by the association Habitat et Humanisme.

¹ Under the aegis of the Fondation de France

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in Utilities & Infrastructure, Industries & Machines Manufacturers, Non-residential Buildings, Data Centres & Networks and in Residential. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the Group’s 150,000 plus employees achieved sales of 24 billion euros in 2013, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations make the most of their energy.
www.schneider-electric.com

About the Schneider Electric Foundation
Created in 1998, the Schneider Electric Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, has worked together with its partners to put in place solutions to respond to the energy issues of the world’s most underprivileged people. In emerging economies, the Foundation supports professional training programs in energy-related trades, thereby contributing to the Schneider Electric energy access program, BipBop. In mature economies, the Foundation fights against fuel poverty by offering training/awareness-raising programs for the households concerned. In all its programs, the Schneider Electric Foundation pays special attention to the involvement of the company’s employees in all its actions.
www.fondation.schneider-electric.com

About the La Varappe Group
The La Varappe Group develops targeted integration services related to the environment and temporary work for major public and private players. It has two main areas of specialization, namely People and the Environment, and employs more than 1,500 people for 300 full-time positions on job integration programs and 150 permanent full-time positions. The core business of LVD Energie, a company of the La Varappe Group, is the manufacture of buildings in containers, offering inexpensive, comfortable, environmentally-friendly, transportable and modular housing units. Their manufacture is partly provided by staff on job integration programs.
www.groupelavarappe.fr

About Habitat et Humanisme
Habitat et Humanisme has worked for 29 years to promote housing and integration for families and those living alone in difficulty. The organization enables access to a decent home at a low rent, and supports people in achieving sustainable social integration. It contributes to social diversity in towns and cities by prioritizing housing situated in “balanced” districts, in the heart of urban areas. The Fédération Habitat et Humanisme, recognized as a public-interest foundation, incorporates 54 organizations covering 67 departments in France.
www.habitat-humanisme.org