**What is an ecodistrict?** An ecodistrict is a residential area, a university campus, or a commercial, hospital or business complex with ecological features such as a local energy supply or short waste treatment circuits.

Smarter, more pleasant, greener, the ecodistrict centers on the sustainable management of resources. These innovative neighborhoods are real life-size laboratories, testing solutions for the tomorrow’s city.

- **Renewable energy and water management**

Energy in an ecodistrict comes mainly from renewable energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, [biomass](/en/solutions/biomass-valorization "Biomass valorization") or wind power, or from [recovery of waste](/en/resources/household-waste/collecting-sorting-recycling-and-recovering-waste "Collecting, sorting, recycling and recovering waste"), heat from [wastewater](/en/solutions/managing-wastewater-networks-collection-treatment "Managing wastewater networks: from collection to treatment") and data centers, [cogeneration](/en/solutions/cogeneration-and-environmental-performance "Cogeneration and environmental performance"), etc.

Compared to centralized networks, these energy sources are autonomous and therefore more resilient.  
Ecodistricts also opt for alternative and integrated water management (rainwater and spring water) and [ecological wastewater treatment](/en/solutions/treating-wastewate-with-plants "Treating wastewater with plants") to protect the water table.

- **Waste as a resource for a new economy**

Selective sorting is mandatory in ecodistricts. Reducing and recovering waste production requires the use of a meticulous and diversified local structure: composting organic waste for use in gardens and green spaces, [recycling construction waste](/en/industries/construction-reduce-environmental-footprint-buildings-and-construction-sites "Construction: Reduce the environmental footprint of buildings and construction sites"), reusing resources for refurbishment projects, etc.



 

 

 



   ![Écoquartiers : les laboratoires de la ville du futur](/sites/g/files/dvc4206/files/styles/media/public/image/2023/03/ecoquartiers-laboratoires-ville-futur-779.jpg.webp?h=0008e280&itok=vwVfHlYz)   





 

 





 

 

  
In 2012, the French government introduced its EcoQuartier label. The label has four stages which recognize the vision, commitment and action of the local authorities supporting an ecodistrict project. By 2021, 287 neighborhoods had been awarded stage four label recognition.



 

 

 



 

 

 

 





## Our complete and integrated solutions for ecodistricts

- **[We optimize waste collection](/en/solutions/optimizing-waste-collection "Optimizing waste collection").** We design and implement smart, high-performance solutions that are based on new technologies.  
     In this way, we help to reduce the environmental footprint of a neighborhood while conserving the quality of life of its residents.
- **[We collect and recover biomass](/en/solutions/biomass-valorization "Biomass valorization") to produce energy**. We generate electricity for cities from agriculture and the food and paper industry waste.
- [**We maximize the energy efficiency of the entire water cycle**](/en/resources/water-cycle/energy-efficiency-managing-water-cycle "Energy efficiency for managing the water cycle "). We ensure optimum efficiency in plant operation and produce energy from wastewater.
- **[With our Hubgrade services](< smart monitoring from Veolia>), we help communities to optimize their resource management**. We collect large amounts of data and use it to visualize, evaluate and optimize water, energy and waste management.