Payet

What Payet does

Payet is a privately held French environmental engineering and landscape design consultancy founded in 2003 by Laurent Payet (originally as DAUCHEZ PAYET with Arnaud Dauchez) and spun out as a standalone entity in 2020 under the éco initiatives® registered brand. The firm operates two integrated practice poles — Construction durable (sustainable construction consulting as AMO/BET HQE) and Agence de paysage (landscape architecture and ecological engineering) — supplemented by a smaller Design environnemental offering focused on environmental branding and user experience. It holds an unusually broad portfolio of accreditations covering BREEAM, HQE, WIREDSCORE, BiodiverCity, BDNA, EFFINATURE, and WELL frameworks, which it deploys as advisory and assessment services on French tertiary real estate projects.

The company serves enterprise property developers, foncières, logistics operators, owner-occupiers, and local authorities through a direct, project-based consulting engagement model. Named clients span COVIVIO, Groupama Immobilier, Crédit Agricole Immobilier, Legendre, QUARTUS, SEGRO, UPS, IKEA/Redman, Valeo, Biocoop, Orange, and various public bodies (Ville de Paris, Département de la Gironde, Région Nouvelle Aquitaine). Revenue mechanics are professional-services fees negotiated per project; pricing is not publicly disclosed and there are no recurring subscription revenue streams. Distribution is through direct senior-led enterprise sales and formal public procurement (marchés publics), with reputation and certification credentials as primary demand drivers rather than marketing campaigns.

Payet operates three offices (Paris headquarters, Bordeaux, Lyon) totaling approximately 12-15 staff, of which the leadership team (President Laurent Payet, Operations Director Jérémie Pouponnot, plus project directors across each office) carries recognized certifications including BREEAM Assessor (since 2012), HQE Référent, and BiodiverCity Ecologue Assesseur. The firm maintains a structured internship-to-hire pipeline with leading French engineering and landscape schools (Institut Mines-Télécom, AgroParistech, ENSP Versailles, ENSAP Bordeaux, UTC), which functions as its primary talent acquisition channel. The company is privately held with no external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries disclosed, and operates exclusively within France with no international expansion.

Name

Payet

Legal name

Payet

Website

https://www.payet.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Payet is a French environmental engineering and landscape design consultancy serving property developers, foncières, logistics operators, and public authorities with HQE/BREEAM/BiodiverCity certification advisory and ecological design across three offices in Paris, Bordeaux, and Lyon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Environmental engineering consulting
• Sustainable construction consulting
• Landscape architecture design
• HQE BREEAM certification
• Biodiversity consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. AMO (Assistance à Maîtrise d'Ouvrage) - HQE/BREEAM Consulting: Project-based consulting fees for assisting property owners and developers in achieving environmental certifications (HQE, BREEAM, BBCA, Effinergie) for construction and renovation projects. Services include environmental strategy, certification management, on-site quality monitoring, and technical studies.
2. Landscape and Ecological Design Services: Fees for landscape architectural design, ecological engineering, biodiversity diagnostics, and landscaping specifications for real estate development projects.
3. Environmental Design (Design Environnemental): Design services focused on user comfort, well-being, and environmental branding for buildings, including visual communication for investors and users, material reuse strategies, and lifecycle design.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Payet is a French environmental engineering and landscape design consultancy that provides AMO (Assistance à Maîtrise d'Ouvrage) sustainable construction consulting, BET HQE engineering, and landscape/ecological design services for tertiary real estate projects. The firm guides property developers, foncières, owner-occupiers, and public authorities through environmental certification processes (HQE, BREEAM, BBCA, Effinergie, BiodiverCity, WIREDSCORE, WELL) and delivers integrated landscape, biodiversity, and environmental design under the éco initiatives® brand.

Product overview

Payet is an environmental and landscape engineering consultancy operating under the eco initiatives® brand. The company offers two integrated poles of competence: Construction durable (sustainable construction consulting) and Agence de paysage (landscape architecture), supplemented by Design environnemental services. This multi-disciplinary approach allows Payet to provide comprehensive environmental engineering, landscape design, and ecological consulting from project conception through construction and operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• éco initiatives®: The registered brand name (deposée par Payet en 2009) that gathers the company's competencies in environmental performance engineering. The term 'Initiatives' reflects dynamism and perseverance for concrete results, while 'éco' refers to both ecology and economy.

Products and services

• Construction Durable (Sustainable Construction Consulting) AMO and BET HQE consulting for construction and renovation projects targeting high environmental quality. Services include project management, environmental certification consulting (HQE, BBCA, Effinergie, BREEAM), environmental performance studies, on-site quality monitoring, RSE strategy advisory for real estate investors, and due diligence environmental on acquisition projects. Serves property developers, foncières, asset managers, and owner-occupiers.
• Agence de Paysage (Landscape Architecture & Ecology) Landscape architecture and ecological engineering services as paysagiste concepteur and écologue ingénieur. Includes landscape diagnostics, technical and architectural design of vegetated spaces, biodiversity assessments, and management support for green space maintenance practices favoring biodiversity. Serves property developers and public authorities seeking integrated ecological and graphic landscape design.
• Design Environnemental (Environmental Design) Environmental design services focused on creating desirable and user-appropriable buildings. Combines designer, engineer, ecologist, and graphic designer competencies to enhance environmental performance communication and user well-being through environmental signatures conveying meaning and history. Includes material reuse strategies and lifecycle design for construction and deconstruction.
• éco initiatives® (Brand & Methodology) Registered brand and proprietary methodology that gathers Payet's competencies and know-how in environmental performance engineering. The brand embodies initiative, perseverance for concrete results, creativity for innovation, and combines ecology with economy in sustainable building approaches. Used as the umbrella identity under which the firm's three service lines (Construction Durable, Agence de Paysage, Design Environnemental) are delivered.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 documented projects completed across France, ranging from small urban courtyards to large logistics platforms and office campuses.

Named customers38 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• AFILOGminorOthersAFILOG is a French professional association for logistics real estate. Payet is a member, gaining visibility in the logistics and industrial real estate sector.
• BREcoreTechnology or IntegrationBuilding Research Establishment, the organization behind the BREEAM certification. Payet holds team accreditations (AP, Assessor, In Use Auditor) for BREEAM, enabling the firm to advise on and certify projects.
• CertivéacoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench certification body for HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale) buildings. Payet team members hold 'HQE Référent reconnu' accreditation by Certivéa.
• CIBI (Council for Biodiversity in Infrastructure)coreTechnology or IntegrationInternational council developing the BiodiverCity certification for biodiversity in real estate. Payet team members are accredited as BiodiverCity Ecologue assesseurs.
• IRICE | Certification Biodiversité EffinaturecoreTechnology or IntegrationIRICE is the certification body for Effinature, a biodiversity label for real estate projects. Payet holds 'EFFINATURE expert biodiversité' status.
• Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Bird Protection League. Payet collaborates with LPO on biodiversity integration in real estate projects, ensuring ecological expertise for wildlife-friendly building design.
• ODEYSmoderateTechnology or IntegrationSustainable construction cluster for Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Payet holds 'BDNA Accompagnateur reconnu' status through ODEYS for sustainable construction advisory in the region.
• Office National des Forêts (ONF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Forestry Office. Payet partners with ONF on projects involving tree conservation and urban forestry integration in real estate developments.
• Plante & CitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench technical institute for urban vegetation and plant sciences. Payet collaborates on landscape design and urban greening best practices.
• Ville & Aménagement durableminorOthersFrench network for sustainable cities and urban development. Payet participates as a member contributing expertise in environmental engineering and landscape architecture.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ARTELIA: Major French engineering consultancy with a dedicated sustainable building and HQE/BREEAM practice serving real estate developers across France and internationally. Comparable in HQE/BREEAM expertise but with vastly larger scale.
• Burgeap: Major French environmental engineering consultancy (subsidiary of EGIS) offering environmental site assessments, compliance, and biodiversity services at national scale. Comparable technical scope but materially larger footprint than Payet.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with a substantial French HQE/BREEAM assessor workforce. Overlaps with Payet in building certification advisory but as part of a much broader TIC services portfolio.

Direct peers

• Biotope: France's leading ecology and biodiversity consultancy, providing ecological assessments, biodiversity diagnostics, and BiodiverCity expertise for real estate and infrastructure. Direct peer for Payet's landscape/ecology pole, and former employer of Payet ecologist Lise Margat.
• OIKO: French environmental engineering firm specializing in sustainable building consulting (HQE, BREEAM, E+C-) for office, housing, and tertiary projects. Direct peer in the French certification consulting market.
• Elan: French environmental and sustainable construction consultancy providing AMO HQE, BREEAM, and biodiversity advisory for real estate developers and local authorities. Comparable in scale and service profile to Payet.
• G-ON: French environmental and sustainable development consultancy providing HQE, BREEAM, and biodiversity advisory to developers and local authorities. Comparable service mix, and former employer of Payet project manager Clémentine Fournier.
• Green Affaire: French sustainable real estate consultancy providing AMO HQE, BREEAM, and environmental certification services for developers and investors. Closely comparable to Payet in service mix (HQE/BREEAM consulting) and French market focus.
• Franck Boutté Consultants: French environmental engineering and urban metabolism consultancy, providing sustainable design and HQE/BREEAM expertise. Comparable service portfolio and client base in French environmental real estate consulting.
• Vizea: French sustainable construction and environmental engineering consultancy based in Nantes, delivering HQE, BREEAM, E+C-, and life-cycle assessments for real estate projects. Direct competitor with overlapping certification expertise and project-based delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Payet