What is light industrial?
Light industrial refers to a new generation of versatile commercial premises, designed to accommodate manufacturing businesses, skilled trades and technology companies close to the communities they serve.
These buildings combine production space and light logistics facilities with offices. Their adaptable layouts allow businesses to share services and make more efficient use of land.
As communities seek to rebuild industrial capacity, use land more efficiently and reduce carbon emissions, light industrial developments provide a practical solution for bringing production back to local areas and strengthening their economic appeal.
At GA Smart Building, we design and deliver these next-generation industrial parks through an integrated model that covers property development and design, followed by off-site construction and building operation.
Light industrial supports reindustrialisation and strengthens local economies
Industrial parks play an essential role in bringing production back to local areas and sustaining industrial employment.
They support economic development by accommodating a diverse range of businesses. This encourages different activities to coexist, creates opportunities for local collaboration and supports jobs rooted in the local economy.
France has more than 3,700 industrial parks, with occupancy rates exceeding 85%. Each hectare supports an average of 50 to 100 jobs, highlighting their contribution to local economic development.
GA Smart Building contributes to this approach by unlocking the potential of existing land and regenerating former industrial sites to develop sustainable premises for businesses.
These projects support the environmental transition and responsible reindustrialisation, placing space for productive activities at the heart of local planning strategies.
GA Smart Building’s industrial parks deliver lasting value
Through its integrated model, GA Smart Building controls the entire value chain for light industrial property, from development and design through off-site construction to building operation.
This approach provides partners with consistent quality and reliable delivery schedules, supported by measurable performance throughout the buildings’ lifecycle.
Our industrial parks meet ambitious environmental goals
Like all GA Smart Building property projects, the Group’s industrial parks pursue ambitious environmental goals.
Off-site construction reduces CO₂ emissions by an average of 30% compared with conventional construction.
The buildings incorporate low-carbon materials and systems that enhance occupant comfort, including the Smart Active System and Leaf air handling modules. They also make use of reused materials and equipment.
Our buildings adapt as businesses grow
Designed to support business growth, the buildings provide units that can be subdivided from 250 m², with column-free spaces and adaptable floor layouts.
This flexibility makes it easier to accommodate changing uses over time. It allows production and logistics activities to coexist with offices, while helping optimise operating costs.
Architectural quality enhances everyday comfort
Architecture plays a central role in GA Smart Building’s approach. The design gives careful consideration to natural light and ceiling heights, alongside landscape integration and the quality of outdoor spaces.
These choices contribute to occupant wellbeing and help businesses based in the parks attract employees.
Each industrial park provides a sustainable place to work and spend time, encouraging social interaction and active travel while integrating into its urban surroundings.
Our industrial approach controls costs and delivery schedules
Industrialising the construction process helps control costs and delivery schedules while maintaining high quality standards.
Integrated technical and energy systems provide users with low energy consumption and simpler building operation.
Every industrial park delivered by GA Smart Building aims to strengthen economic appeal while using land efficiently and achieving exemplary environmental performance.
Three light industrial park formats respond to different settings
GA Smart Building’s industrial parks adapt to different urban settings, site conditions and economic needs.
Whether single-level “Light” parks, multi-storey “Up” developments or fully bespoke “Bold” projects, they share the same ambition: to provide businesses with efficient, adaptable premises that deliver low-carbon performance.
Light parks accommodate businesses on a single level
Developed on the outskirts of towns and cities or within existing industrial areas, these parks meet the needs of SMEs, skilled trades and regional businesses seeking functional premises that can be subdivided and brought into use quickly.
They offer straightforward operation and modular layouts, alongside strong environmental performance.
Off-site construction ensures consistent workmanship, shortens delivery schedules and provides close control over costs.
Buildings can be subdivided into units from 250 m² and systematically incorporate low-carbon solutions while providing a high standard of occupant comfort.
For example, the Émile Henry facility in Marcigny, Saône-et-Loire was designed specifically to support the industrial growth of an established French ceramic cookware manufacturer.
Up parks bring light industrial activity into multi-storey buildings
Designed to use land efficiently and increase urban density, multi-storey industrial parks bring space for productive activities into the heart of cities.
They accommodate production and urban logistics alongside offices, while reducing the amount of land taken up by development.
Their design incorporates access ramps and goods lifts, together with shared parking and communal service areas.
These developments reflect a vision of urban industrial property that supports productive activity within cities.
For example, Innovespace in Fresnes, Val-de-Marne, demonstrates how carefully planned densification can work alongside shared energy systems.
Bold projects provide bespoke light industrial solutions
Some sites require a tailored approach, including former industrial sites undergoing regeneration, industrial sites with demanding environmental constraints and complex mixed-use developments.
GA Smart Building designs bespoke projects that draw on engineering expertise to deliver high performance and integrate into their urban surroundings.
Each project is developed in close collaboration with investors, local authorities and partner architects to create buildings that make a significant contribution to the local area and meet demanding low-carbon standards.
For example, Sogaris’ Les Ardoines urban logistics hub in Vitry-sur-Seine showcases low-carbon urban industrial property, combining technical performance with sustainable logistics and architectural quality.
A dynamic market supports a pipeline of high-value light industrial developments
GA Smart Building is rolling out a nationwide offering of industrial parks, working with investors, land developers and local authorities committed to reindustrialisation and the low-carbon transition.
These developments reflect the diverse settings in which the Group operates, encompassing new development, regeneration, conversion and urban densification. They demonstrate its ability to deliver bespoke premises that meet businesses’ operational needs and can be brought into use quickly.
Projects under development
Massy (Essonne)
In the Atlantis district, GA Smart Building is developing a next-generation urban industrial park combining workshops and offices with shared spaces. The 12,000 m² gross floor area development, located close to a multimodal transport hub, targets BREEAM Excellent certification.
Villaroche (Seine-et-Marne)
Within the aviation cluster south of Paris, the Group is delivering an industrial park designed for SMEs specialising in mechanical engineering, maintenance and aviation. Buildings can be subdivided into units ranging from 500 to 2,000 m² and incorporate photovoltaic panels and geothermal energy, alongside the Smart Active System.
Carré Sénart (Seine-et-Marne)
In partnership with Grand Paris Sud, GA is designing a 15,000 m² mixed-use development combining offices with space for productive activities. Its off-site timber-and-concrete structure supports flexible use and shared energy systems. Delivery is scheduled for 2027.
Colmar (Haut-Rhin)
In the Erlen area, GA is regenerating a former logistics site into a low-carbon industrial park. The project brings workshops and laboratories together with office space in an energy-positive building, designed to meet the 2028 threshold of France’s RE2020 environmental regulations.
Plaisir (Yvelines)
Within the Gâtines industrial park, GA is developing a multi-occupier scheme on a three-hectare site for local SMEs. Its modular, adaptable single-level format encourages shared use of outdoor spaces. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026.
Reims (Marne)
In the Farman Nord area, GA is transforming an industrial site into an industrial park with high energy performance. The project incorporates reused materials and low-carbon equipment supplied through the Group’s manufacturing network. Delivery is expected in 2027.
Our nationwide rollout supports local economies
Beyond these flagship developments, GA Smart Building is pursuing a nationwide strategy for light industrial parks that supports the return of industrial production to local areas and businesses’ environmental transition.
Each project responds to its local context and aims to:
- Support the local business base, including SMEs, mid-sized companies, skilled trades and industrial start-ups.
- Make better use of existing land rather than develop previously undeveloped sites.
- Strengthen local economic and energy independence.
This pipeline reflects a firm conviction: industry can once again attract investment and create jobs, provided it has premises that match its ambitions.
We share an ambition to build tomorrow’s spaces for productive activity
At GA Smart Building, we design industrial parks as places where production and innovation form part of everyday working life.
They embody a low-carbon approach to industrial property that serves businesses and local communities while addressing environmental challenges.
Our industrial approach combines environmental performance with high architectural standards to create spaces that adapt as users’ needs evolve. These developments support reindustrialisation and strengthen local competitiveness.
Every project reflects a shared ambition to build better and more sustainably through collaboration, helping the French economy move towards a more responsible future.
