Air Liquide lays the foundation stone for its future Paris-Saclay Research Center

Today, Air Liquide laid the foundation stone for its future research & development center in Paris-Saclay.

Covering 15 000 square meters, the new center will replace the existing one and bring together its 350 researchers and experts who will have access to equipment and lab facilities enabling the exploration of new applications and the development of technologies linked to energy and the environmental transition, as well as health and digital.

From the early design phase of the project onward, Air Liquide has used collaborative tools such as BIM (Building Information Modeling) for the construction of the building and the co-creation of workspaces and laboratories with researchers. The building’s architecture, layout and furnishing were designed to facilitate informal meetings, to ensure crossfertilisation and encourage interdisciplinary dialogue.

With regard to energy and the environment, the center will implement innovations emerging from R&D projects, with more than 50% involving renewable energy sources like solar power and biogas. The installation of a fuel cell powered by hydrogen offering 100 kW electric power and a thermal output of 125 kW is a premiere in France in the provision of heat, cold and electricity. The center should get a rating of “Very good” from BREEAM, the British environmental standard used in over 70 countries.

Consolidating its position at the heart of scientific and technological ecosystem of Paris-Saclay, the center strengthens the Group’s open innovation approach and accelerates the development of new solutions with public academic partners, private partners, SMEs, and start-ups. The Paris-Saclay Research Center, which is the Group’s main R&D center, features a diversity of competencies that combine science, technologies and the understanding of customers and patients’ usages, contributing to Air Liquide’s growth.