Defence office fit-out: sovereignty, security and asset value

The Defence sector in France brings together more than 4000 companies in the Defence Technological and Industrial Base, including 9 major prime contractors and a network of subcontracting mid-cap companies and SMEs. Commercial fit-out here responds to 4 structuring challenges:

• PPST: protection of the nation’s scientific and technical potential, articles R.413-1 et seq. of the Criminal Code.
• IGI 1300 zoning: reserved zones (ZR) and restricted-regime zones (ZRR), with traced access control.
• ANSSI SecNumCloud: compliance of sensitive infrastructure and digital exchange of plans.
• Resilience: business continuity in the face of cyber and physical risks, ISO 27001 as the reference standard.

For a 2000 m² site hosting 150 cleared employees, the share dedicated to controlled zones represents a significantly higher fraction than in conventional commercial premises, depending on the nature of clearances and the PPST scope adopted. From the programme phase onward, Kytom integrates TEMPEST constraints on sensitive rooms, as well as the regulatory obligations regarding ergonomics and air quality of workspaces.

For the business decision-maker: the trade-off is not technical, it is patrimonial. Industry conventional wisdom treats IGI 1300 as a top-down compliance constraint. Our reading differs: the sensitive zones / non-classified zones ratio determines a major share of the 5-year total cost (CAPEX + OPEX), far more than the level of environmental certification or the quality of the furniture. Under-sizing non-sensitive zones to save a few percentage points of floor area degrades the HR appeal for cleared engineers, whose replacement cost remains high in a tight market. The internal target therefore combines security management, IT department, HR department and real estate management at the same decision-making level.

Secure design and build method in 5 auditable steps over 12 weeks

The Kytom method is structured in 5 traceable steps, calibrated for the Defence sector:

1. Security scoping (W1-W2): analysis of classification, cross-reading of IGI 1300 and the site’s security policy, vetting of contributors with the security officer.
2. Programming (W2-W4): functional zoning, sizing of protected-measure rooms (SMP), flow simulations for 100 to 300 workstations depending on the operations.
3. Design (W4-W7): plans, technical packages, selection of Qualibat-compliant materials, integration of complementary environmental profiles (Low Carbon, Circular Economy, Air Quality, Biodiversity), or use of an international environmental reference standard when the asset warrants it.
4. Construction (W7-W11): cleared teams, traced access, fire safety coordination, weekly checks.
5. Handover and DOE (W12): delivery of the as-built file, RGAA certificates for the digital reception interfaces, occupant training.

The documentary standard remains identical across all agencies, in mainland France as in Spain, with a dedicated project team per operation and probative archiving compliant with NF Z42-013 kept for 10 years.

When this method is not the right approach. Kytom’s secure design and build ceases to be relevant below 300 m² or for purely TEMPEST operations without a commercial component: the share of fixed costs linked to vetting, enhanced DOE and security coordination becomes disproportionate relative to the works budget on these small operations. Likewise, on a site already classified SECRET with a PSE in place and purely cosmetic works (painting, furniture), a separate-lots contract managed by the security officer remains more economical. Contrary to the widespread practice that pushes for systematic design and build on every sensitive site, Kytom recommends in these cases a one-off programming support rather than a full assignment: contractual simplicity takes precedence over integration.

Measured benefits on security, the lump sum and asset value

Defence operations delivered by Kytom produce measurable effects on three axes: security, with a significant reduction in residual non-conformities at delivery thanks to the single responsibility of design and build; financial control, with adherence to the lump sum and a contained deviation from the initial budget; and patrimonial value, with a valuation premium linked to an operational environmental certification covering exclusively the non-classified part of the site. The single responsibility of design and build removes contractual interfaces, the leading factor of non-conformity on sensitive operations.

For real estate management and the CFO: asset value is decided on the non-sensitive zones. In practice, on Kytom Defence operations, the valuation premium linked to an operational environmental certification covers exclusively the non-classified part of the site. A DTIB site certified on its commercial zones can be sold at a multiple close to a prime commercial asset, while the risk premium applied remains implicit. Hybrid work now concerns a significant share of managers at least one day per week. Kytom sizes the non-sensitive zones to absorb a variable presence rate, without degrading the containment of the IGI zones. Usage quality initiatives on non-classified spaces strengthen HR appeal, a decisive argument for recruiting cleared engineers.

Points requiring attention: clearance at 3-6 months, phasing and high-volume DOE

Three points structure Defence operations and must be anticipated at the scoping stage.

• Clearance of contributors: the timeline reaches 3 to 6 months for Confidentiel Défense and Secret (reference IGI 1300 v2021, procedure section), to be initiated before the start of the works. Kytom draws on a pool of teams already vetted across its agencies to reduce this lead time to 4 to 8 weeks for already-cleared profiles.
• Phasing on an occupied site: the majority of DTIB operations take place on a partially occupied site, with a breakdown into 3 to 5 phases to preserve business continuity.
• High-volume DOE: the as-built file on a classified site represents 4 to 7 times the documentary volume of a commercial project, with NF Z42-013 archiving over 10 years and traceability of site access.

Method

1. Eligibility audit
   Site diagnosis: overlooking, access, zoning capacity, high/low-voltage compliance. Deliverable in 2 weeks.
2. Security file
   Definition of IGI 1300 zoning, ANSSI master plan, validation with the target security officer.
3. Clearance of contributors
   Launch of DGSI investigations on project managers and critical subcontractors.
4. Works under control
   Execution with traceability of site access, acoustic and electromagnetic quality control.
5. Handover file
   Compilation of the accreditation file ready to transmit to the future tenant.