LGCgE

What LGCgE does

LGCgE (Laboratoire de Génie Civil et géoEnvironnement) is a French public academic research laboratory (Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMR) conducting multidisciplinary research at the intersection of civil engineering, materials science, thermal engineering, and ecological systems. The lab is structurally integrated with four partner institutions in the Hauts-de-France region — Université d'Artois, Université de Lille, Junia, and IMT Nord Europe — operating across four geographic sites (Béthune, Lille, Douai) with a multipolar organization under Director Ali Zaoui and three deputy directors representing each partner institution. Its scientific activity is organized into five research teams (ER1–ER5) covering multi-scale modeling of coupled problems, innovative and bio-based materials, concrete and composites, terrestrial ecosystem functioning, and energy efficiency in buildings and smart-city habitats.

The lab's core technology and research portfolio spans multi-scale characterization of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical phenomena, hygrothermal transfer analysis, phase change materials (PCM) for thermal energy storage, geopolymer and nano-composites, bio-sourced insulation, recycled aggregates, contaminated site remediation, and instrumentation of urban networks (water, sanitation, heating, electricity) for smart-city applications. Demonstrable technical outcomes include a 20% reduction in heating energy demand in PCM-integrated Trombe wall configurations and up to 68% heating demand reduction in favorable climates using solar walls. Active research projects include NanoGP, ABIOBAT, BIOGRAFIC, ODESSA, and AEROSITAN, supported by funding from ADEME, Région Hauts-de-France, Interreg (TEXACOV, SmartWater4Europe), and industrial partners (EDF, Enedis, Dalkia, CTMNC, EQIOM, MATERIA NOVA).

LGCgE does not operate a commercial revenue model. Funding is sourced from public research grants, institutional support from the four parent universities, and industry contracts for collaborative projects. The lab serves academic researchers and PhD students (3 doctoral schools, 7 Master specializations, 3 Mastère programs), industry partners in construction and materials manufacturing, and government/regional authorities seeking smart-city and sustainable-infrastructure expertise. Outputs are disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, theses, and scientific events rather than commercial channels.

Name

LGCgE

Legal name

LGCgE – Laboratoire de Génie Civil et géoEnvironnement

Website

https://lgcge.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LGCgE is a French academic research laboratory (UMR) conducting multidisciplinary civil engineering and geo-environment research across four partner institutions in Hauts-de-France, covering materials science, thermal energy storage, ecosystem functioning, and smart-city infrastructure for academic, industry, and government partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Béthune

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LGCgE is a French university research laboratory (Unité Mixte de Recherche) that conducts multidisciplinary research in civil engineering, geo-environmental sciences, sustainable construction materials, building energy efficiency, contaminated site management, and smart city infrastructure. The laboratory organizes its work around five research teams (ER1–ER5) and delivers research services, doctoral and Master-level training, and collaborative R&D projects to industry partners and public authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LGCgE Multidisciplinary Research Services Applied and fundamental research services in civil engineering, sustainable construction, building energy efficiency, environmental protection, contaminated site management, and geo-environmental topics, organized across five research teams (ER1 Multi-scale modeling, ER2 Innovative materials, ER3 Concrete and composites, ER4 Terrestrial ecosystem functioning, ER5 Energy efficiency and habitat) and delivered to industry partners, public authorities, and academic collaborators.
• Academic Training Programs Graduate-level training including seven Master specializations in civil engineering, sustainable construction, and environmental sciences; three Mastère programs (Créacity, Génie de l'eau, Produit pour l'industrie du Béton — PPIB); and three doctoral schools (ED 585 at Université d'Artois, ED 632 ENGSYS, ED 104 SMRE at Université de Lille) for graduate students and engineering candidates.
• International Scientific Events Organization Organization and hosting of international scientific conferences, workshops, and seminars — including the 2018 International RILEM Workshop on Rheological Measurements of Cement-based Materials with 60+ researchers — that bring together academic and industrial participants to advance civil engineering and materials science.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% reduction in heating energy demand demonstrated in PCM-integrated Trombe wall configurations
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CTMNC – Centre Technique des Matériaux Naturels de ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Villa YFS project for studying thermal performance of natural stone buildings. CTMNC provides industry expertise and access to technical resources for natural construction materials research.
• MATERIA NOVAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian research center (Mons) collaborating on TEXACOV project for developing photocatalytic textiles for indoor air depollution.
• KULeuven campus de Kortrijk (KULAK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian university partner in TEXACOV Interreg project for photocatalytic textile development and air purification research.
• GEMTEXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in TESTE project for developing phase change material-integrated textiles for building thermal insulation applications.
• Up-texminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetitiveness cluster partner in TESTE project supporting textile innovation for building applications.
• EnediscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench electricity distribution network operator partnering in SoMEL SoConnected smart grid demonstrator project on the Vauban campus.
• EDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company partner in SoMEL SoConnected project for photovoltaic production and energy management research.
• DalkiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict heating operator partner in smart city projects including SoMEL SoConnected and SunRise Smart City initiatives.
• ADEMEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Environment and Energy Management Agency funding partner for energy efficiency and sustainable building research projects.
• Région Hauts de FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government providing financial and strategic support for smart city demonstrator projects and innovation initiatives.
• Communauté Urbaine de Lille (Métropole Européenne de Lille)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban community partner in SunRise Smart City project providing infrastructure access and urban data for smart city research.
• W-Smart AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational association on water security coordinating smart water networks research with partners from Europe and USA.
• EQIOMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner providing concrete compositions for international rheological measurements comparison campaign organized with RILEM.
• SmartWater4EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project (2014-2017) on smart water networks that used the SunRise campus demonstrator as a showcase.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP): Germany's leading applied research institute for building physics, energy efficiency, hygrothermal performance, and phase-change materials — direct topical overlap with LGCgE's ER1 and ER5 teams.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières): France's geological survey with strong applied research in contaminated-site management, geo-environmental sciences, and natural resources — directly overlapping LGCgE's ER4 ecosystem and ODESSA-type projects.
• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment): France's leading building-science research center, covering construction materials, energy performance, and sustainable building. Directly comparable as a French applied-research institution serving construction-industry partners, though with a national rather than regional scope.
• Université Gustave Eiffel (formerly IFSTTAR): Major French university combining civil engineering, materials, and transportation research. Comparable to LGCgE's geo-environment and infrastructure safety portfolio but with broader national scope and larger scale.
• Ecole des Ponts ParisTech — Laboratoire Navier: Top-tier French civil-engineering research lab covering materials, geomechanics, and sustainable construction. Comparable research focus on innovative construction materials and multi-scale modeling.
• Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss applied-research institute covering sustainable construction materials, energy-efficient buildings, and nanotech-enhanced composites — comparable to LGCgE's ER2 and ER3 innovative-materials research.

Regional players

• KU Leuven — Department of Civil Engineering: Belgian university with strong civil engineering and building-physics research. Already a direct collaborator via TEXACOV (KULeuven campus Kortrijk), comparable in research areas and doctoral training capacity.

Direct peers

• Institut Jean Lamour (CNRS / Université de Lorraine): French CNRS-affiliated materials-science lab covering functional materials, geopolymer/nano-composites, and sustainable construction. Comparable in materials innovation scope and CNRS-style UMR operating model.
• INSA Lyon — LAMCOS / MATEIS: INSA Lyon hosts multiple civil-engineering and materials-science labs (LAMCOS for mechanical, MATEIS for materials). Closely matches LGCgE's mix of materials innovation, concrete/composite research, and doctoral training.
• Laboratoire de Génie Civil (LGC, Université de Toulouse / ENSAT): Peer French university civil-engineering lab covering materials, structures, and environmental impacts. Directly comparable as another regional French UMR with similar academic and applied-research mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LGCgE_labo
• Facebookfacebook.com/LGCgE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lgcge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LGCgE