HOR 25.05
Horizon — Urban Development
The HOR (Horizon) standard certifies the biodiversity strategy of urban development projects: planning zones, housing estates, eco-districts, and urban redevelopments. It operates at the site scale, not the building scale.
Scope of HOR 25.05
The HOR 25.05 standard is designed for urban development projects — planning zones, housing estates, eco-districts, brownfield redevelopments, operational urbanism — that structure a biodiversity strategy at the site scale. It replaces the AME20-001 (Development) standard from the 2020 edition, which became obsolete on 1 January 2026.
Unlike the NCO (new construction) and EVO (renovation) standards that focus on a single building, HOR assesses the ecological coherence of the entire development: green and blue networks, ecological corridors, public spaces, and interfaces between plots.
HOR 25.05 at a glance
- Target Urban development: planning zones, housing estates, eco-districts, brownfield redevelopments
- Scale Entire site (not individual buildings) — corridors, networks, public spaces
- Assessment Design phase (tender documents + final) + on-site inspection at handover
- Pricing From EUR 10,000 excl. VAT (up to 1 ha) + EUR 1,080/ha beyond
- Extension Compatible with the HVE (High Ecological Value) add-on
Biodiversity at the urban development scale
Urban development is the most powerful lever for biodiversity in real estate. It is at this scale that ecological corridors are drawn, ground-level areas are sized, and the balance between densification and nature is negotiated.
Green and blue networks: HOR assesses the contribution of the development to regional and municipal ecological networks. Planted corridors, landscape swales, connections to neighbouring natural areas — these elements are central to the assessment.
ZAN and land consumption: the Climate and Resilience Act sets a Zero Net Artificialisation target by 2050, with an interim milestone of a 50% reduction by 2031. HOR measures the development performance in terms of land consumption and de-sealing.
Public and shared spaces: parks, community gardens, breathing spaces — HOR assesses the ecological quality of these areas and their contribution to local biodiversity. Differentiated green space management is an assessed criterion.
Specifications for builders: a developer that obtains HOR certification has an enforceable framework for imposing biodiversity requirements on lot builders. HOR verifies that these requirements are formalised and communicated.
HOR and local authorities
Local authorities are the primary commissioning bodies for urban development. The HOR standard provides a contractual framework for integrating biodiversity into the projects they lead or delegate.
Article 35 of the Climate and Resilience Act (22 August 2021) makes the inclusion of environmental criteria mandatory in public procurement from 22 August 2026. HOR provides the enforceable metrics to meet this requirement in urban development projects.
Your sector: discover how IRICE certifications meet the obligations of local authorities. Dedicated local authority page →
HOR pricing
Certification cost:
EUR 10,000 excl. VAT
for areas up to 1 hectare
Beyond 1 hectare:
+ EUR 1,080/hectare
On-site inspection:
EUR 2,250 excl. VAT
Payment schedule: Registration 25% · Initial assessment 50% · Final assessment 25%. The on-site inspection (CCR) is invoiced separately.
Frequently asked questions — HOR
HOR 25.05 replaced AME20-001 (Development) on 1 January 2026. The 2025 edition strengthens requirements on ecological networks and introduces indicators linked to ZAN (Zero Net Artificialisation). Projects registered before 1 January 2026 under AME20-001 retain their original standard.
Yes. HOR covers greenfield developments as well as brownfield redevelopments and urban renewal projects. In such cases, the assessment recognises the ecological gain relative to the initial degraded state of the site.
HOR certifies the development at the site scale. Each building constructed within the perimeter can then be individually certified under NCO 25.05. The two levels are complementary: HOR sets the framework, NCO certifies each lot.
Yes. Effinature HOR certification provides enforceable award criteria within the meaning of Article 35 of the Climate and Resilience Act. Public procurement clauses →
Certify your urban development
Submit your HOR application online. No-commitment initial discussion, response within 48 hours.
Complement your approach
NCO — New Construction
Biodiversity certification for new residential projects.
En savoir plus →EVO — Renovation
Biodiversity certification for residential renovations.
En savoir plus →HVE — High Ecological Value
Add-on for projects reaching higher ecological thresholds.
En savoir plus →Local authority
Consolidated IRICE offering for local authorities.
En savoir plus →No-commitment initial discussion