Bouygues Construction inaugurates Scale One, a full-scale innovation platform for the construction sector

Bridging the gap between research and construction sites  

Scale One has officially opened its 2,500 m² facility dedicated to innovation, located at the Bouygues Construction Matériel technical centre in Chilly-Mazarin, 30 minutes from Paris. It provides a vital solution to a key need felt throughout the construction sector: the ability to test and approve new materials, equipment, construction methods and technologies under real-world conditions. The platform is organised into several complementary areas: 

• Two zones that recreate a construction site environment: one specifically for new-build projects and the other for renovation 
• A FabLab dedicated to rapid prototyping for construction site accessories 
• A dedicated 3D printing facility specialising in concrete 
• A training area for robotics 
• An open and flexible reception area, also designed for co-working. 

Pierre-Éric Saint-André, Chief Executive Officer of Bouygues Construction, said: “Accelerating the innovation process will speed up the transformation of our sector. Scale One allows us to create the conditions for testing solutions that the sector needs in real-world settings, ensuring their reliability at an earlier stage and rolling them out more widely. Our clear ambition is to reduce the time between an idea and its effective implementation in the field.”

Scale One makes it possible to assess solutions in real-world conditions, gather feedback from Bouygues Construction site managers and site workers, collect reliable data through full-scale trials, and bring innovations to market more quickly.

Some of the innovations undergoing trials at Scale One: 

• Akhantas, an AI-based solution to improve waste management 
• A 3D concrete printer, developed to optimise the quantity of concrete needed to build structures 
• Constructing with voids, to reduce the amount of material needed for construction  
• B-Slicer, a new procedure for structural works at EPR nuclear power plants, designed to facilitate assembly by prefabricating concrete walls  
• Roby2, a drilling robot which reduces physical strain and the risk of musculoskeletal disorders for site workers, while improving the quality of the work 
• Stack™ by Woodoo, an innovative structural solution based on augmented wood. Developed in partnership with Bouygues Construction, this material rivals reinforced concrete and steel in terms of mechanical strength and also has a lower carbon footprint 
• BIPV photovoltaic cladding by Saint-Gobain, which integrates solar modules directly into the building skin to generate electricity

A service suited to every need  

Scale One is available to all stakeholders in the sector. It offers flexible support, ranging from innovation consultancy to assistance with prototyping, ergonomic evaluations and access to testing facilities. 

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¹ A call for projects organised by the French government and the Ile-de-France region to support the development of strategic economic sectors across the region.