Vegecol : the low carbon asphalt that transforms urban development works
Vegecol : an innovative solution for more sustainable developments
Faced with climate challenges and the transformation of urban spaces, local authorities and developers are looking for solutions capable of combining technical performance, reduction of the carbon footprint and quality of life. Developed by Colas, Vegecol is a light-colored asphalt with a predominantly plant-based binder designed to meet these new needs.
Suitable for urban developments, gentle mobility routes and public spaces, it helps create infrastructures that are more sustainable, more comfortable and better integrated into their environment.
In Valdahon (Doubs), the Colas teams from the Franche-Comté Sud unit implemented this solution on the Parade Ground of the 13th Engineer Regiment, as part of a project distinguished by an environmental award from the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
A low-carbon asphalt designed for local areas
Urban infrastructures must today meet several challenges: limit heat islands, preserve natural resources, promote the infiltration of rainwater and reduce CO2 emissions linked to public works.
It is with this logic that Vegecol was designed.
Thanks to its predominantly bio-based binder and its innovative formulation, this light-colored asphalt makes it possible to reduce the carbon footprint by up to 70% compared to traditional solutions, while maintaining the expected performance for urban developments and gentle traffic routes.
Its light shade also helps to limit the warming of surfaces in summer, a key issue in the fight against urban heat islands.
The advantages of Vegecol for urban development works
Reduction of soil impermeabilization
Vegecol can be combined with draining structures promoting the natural infiltration of rainwater. This approach contributes to better water management and takes part in the de-impermeabilization of urban spaces.
A low carbon solution
The use of a mostly plant-based binder allows to significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions linked to the manufacture of the surfacing.
Better thermal comfort
Thanks to its light colour, Vegecol limits heat absorption and takes part in reducing surface temperatures in spaces strongly exposed to the sun.
Reinforced aesthetic integration
Its natural appearance and its light finish facilitate its integration into landscaped spaces, city centres, urban parks, or pedestrian areas.
Valdahon : an exemplary sustainable development project
The renovation of the Parade Ground of the 13th Engineer Regiment concretely illustrates Colas’s ability to support local areas in their environmental transition projects.
Beyond its technical dimension, this worksite also carries strong symbolic significance. The true heart of the regiment, the Parade Ground is a place of unity where troops gather during key moments of military life: the daily raising and lowering of the colors as a sign of attachment to the Nation, official ceremonies, commemorations, award presentations, and the proclamation of important orders by the Regimental Commander. The modernization of this space therefore had to meet functional, sustainable, and aesthetic requirements.
Thanks to the implementation of Vegecol and a suitable pavement structure, this project helps create a more resilient space that is more pleasant to use and better integrated into its surroundings.
This achievement, awarded an environmental prize by the Ministry of the Armed Forces, also highlights the commitment of field and technical teams mobilized to develop innovative solutions for local communities.
Discover our Vegecol coating
With solutions like Vegecol, Colas supports local authorities and public stakeholders in creating developments that balance mobility, climate resilience, and quality of life. Materials innovation, reducing environmental impact, and landscape integration are now at the heart of the sustainable development projects driven by the Group.
