Centr’Azur, first shopping center to eliminate gas using geothermal energy
Centr’Azur has taken a major step in its ecological transition by adopting geothermal energy to permanently eliminate gas.
It is a small energy revolution taking place in the Var commercial landscape. Indeed, the Centr’Azur shopping center formalized, on March 2, the completion of a major project that began in September 2025. The objective is as ambitious as it is necessary, as it involves eliminating the use of fossil fuels for heating and air conditioning at the site. Thanks to the deployment of a low-temperature geothermal solution, managed by the company Accenta, the shopping center has freed itself from its gas boiler, marking a turning point in its decarbonization strategy. “Geothermal energy constitutes a solution particularly suited to shopping centers, where heating and cooling needs are significant and continuous,” explained Philippe Joron, Commercial Real Estate Development Director at Accenta. He added: “At Centr’Azur, alongside the Eurocommercial teams, we designed a tailor-made solution allowing the elimination of gas while improving thermal comfort and securing energy performance in the long term.”
TECHNOLOGICAL FEAT
The project, which required several months of work, relies on an invisible but efficient infrastructure. Technical teams proceeded with the installation of 600 linear meters of vertical geothermal probes. These devices were installed down to a depth of 200 meters under the site, an area where the ground temperature remains stable throughout the year, fluctuating between 13 and 16°C. This system makes it possible to exploit the thermal inertia of the earth. During winter, the calories present in the ground are captured and transferred to the buildings via a heat pump to provide heating. This method, which takes advantage of a local and inexhaustible resource, guarantees energy availability 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, thus combining technical performance and sobriety. The innovation does not stop at heating. The deployed solution integrates “geocooling” technology for the summer period, a considerable asset in a region like Var exposed to high heat. Unlike traditional air conditioning systems, which are often criticized for being energy-intensive and emitting hot air that contributes to urban heat islands, geocooling uses the natural coolness of the subsoil to temper indoor spaces. This process allows shopping arcades and shops to be cooled without relying on energy-intensive electrical compressors.