Energy renovation : we explain each step

Energy renovation is both an economical and eco-friendly option in France, whether renovating an old or modern house or an apartment. It encompasses numerous operations, such as insulation work, the installation of new heating systems, the installation of solar panels, as well as the renovation of doors and windows .

This renovation approach is particularly popular in France right now, as it offers tangible benefits for both homeowners and the environment.

Homeowners who undergo energy renovations benefit from a cool and comfortable indoor temperature year-round, regardless of the season. Additionally, a renovated property increases its value, which can have a positive impact on the local and national economy.

Energy-efficient home renovations are part of efforts to promote the ecological transition by reducing energy consumption and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, while also stimulating the economy through energy saving certificates (CEE) and programs from the French National Housing Agency (ANAH). To learn more about the details of energy renovation work, consult this article.

What is energy renovation?

Simply put, energy renovation is all the work that aims to improve the energy performance of a home. It’s one of the best ways to combat energy poverty. In fact, homes account for 30% of energy consumption. Therefore, this project aims to:

• – Reduce heating bills by making homes less energy-intensive;
• – Reduce the carbon footprint by releasing less CO2 into the environment.

In short, it is an ecological and economical gesture .

Since the 1970s, French public authorities have been seeking to encourage building renovations to reduce their energy consumption and contribute to the ecological transition.

With this in mind, the government has implemented regulations and laws aimed at defining specific energy-saving objectives. In fact, two types of renovation work are distinguished: comprehensive renovation, which aims to achieve more satisfactory levels of energy performance, and partial renovation, which involves carrying out work in batches.

To determine the degree of renovation required for your home, it’s essential to understand its energy performance. To do this, you can opt for an Energy Performance Diagnosis (EPD), which, while not mandatory, is highly recommended. This diagnosis assesses your home’s energy consumption and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Another option is an energy audit, which goes further than the EPD by helping you identify priority work to improve your property’s energy efficiency, as well as areas of heat loss that need to be addressed.

These initiatives are part of national efforts to reduce energy consumption and combat greenhouse gas emissions. They also stimulate the economy through energy saving certificates (CEE) and programs from the National Housing Agency (ANAH). They are also dedicated to renovating housing in favor of the ecological transition.

What work is included in energy renovation?

Generally, energy renovation encompasses three types of work, all aimed at improving occupant comfort. Insulation, heating, and ventilation are all designed to sustainably improve the energy performance of your homes.

Insulation work

Whether it’s thermal or sound insulation, whether it’s in the attic, inside, or outside, insulation is one of the key aspects of energy renovation in France. Its goal is to limit heat loss and gain in homes, which must be carried out according to a clearly defined order of priority.

According to ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), approximately 25 to 30% of energy losses in a property come from roofs and walls. Therefore, attic and roof insulation should be carried out first. By taking this step, you can reduce your electricity bill by up to 60% and achieve significant energy savings .

In addition, properly carried out insulation improves the comfort in your house or apartment. These initiatives, in line with each plan and law aimed at promoting the ecological transition, make it possible to transform homes into “eco” buildings and contribute to reducing the number of “energy sieves”, while stimulating the national economy.

The second step is wall insulation, which accounts for 20 to 25% of energy loss. It can be done internally (ITI) or externally (ITE). Easy to implement, internal wall insulation involves lining existing walls with insulating panels. External wall insulation allows you to renovate the facade of the home while wrapping it with insulating materials.

With 7 to 10% energy loss, lower floors are also a priority for energy renovations. Insulating the lowest floor of your home helps you reduce your heating costs and improve your comfort underfoot. Note that this work requires the intervention of a specialist since it is more complex to carry out.

Installing a heating system

Once your home is well insulated, you can then consider installing a new heating system. The latter depends largely on the size of your home and its geographic location. However, with the energy transition , homeowners are turning to environmentally friendly and more economical models. The most popular are:

• – The heat pump (PAC): promotes energy savings, this pump uses renewable energies (water, air, geothermal) to generate heat inside a home;
• – Wood heating: an efficient and economical heating source, it is the least expensive solution, with several options such as the wood stove or the biomass boiler;
• – The solar water heater: it does not produce any greenhouse gases and uses the sun’s energy to provide households with hot water.

There are also gas or wood pellet condensing boilers that also offer excellent heating comfort. Their role is to generate hot water and redistribute it throughout the heating network (pipes, radiators). Thanks to technological advances, it is now possible to install a heating regulator or programmer.

This maintains the temperature according to the setpoint adapted to your lifestyle (day/night, weekday/weekend, vacation). This configuration also allows you to save up to 15% in energy.

Ventilation

For energy renovations in France to be a complete success, it is essential to improve the quality of the ambient air in your home, particularly since a well-insulated home allows less outside air to circulate. To achieve this, it is recommended to combine your renovation work with ventilation work. The latter ensures air renewal and moisture removal.

You can opt for the installation of Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) or Distributed Mechanical Ventilation (DMV). This choice helps limit indoor pollution while reducing your electricity bill. At the same time, don’t forget to pay attention to the doors and windows of your house or apartment. Double- or triple-glazed windows provide excellent thermal and sound insulation, while installing shutters enhances energy conservation in the home.

These improvements in air quality, insulation, and ventilation are essential to ensure the success of your energy renovation projects, in line with the ecological transition. They also help you save on your water, gas, and electricity bills, while stimulating the construction sector’s economy.

What about the prices?

Before discussing prices, be aware that when it comes to energy renovations, you should turn to professionals with RGE (Recognized Environmental Guarantor) certification. This label indicates that the company you’ve hired meets the government’s requirements for carrying out your work.

These specialists can be numerous, such as masons, roofers, facade specialists, waterproofers, carpenters, plasterers, plumbers, heating engineers, and many others. They will provide you with plenty of advice, particularly on choosing the right materials for your renovation.

Regarding the cost of energy renovation work in France, it depends on various criteria, including:

• – The labor costs of the professionals responsible for carrying out the work;
• – The precise condition of the accommodation to be renovated, in particular its current state in terms of energy efficiency;
• – Specific constraints linked to the location of the accommodation;
• – The materials used and the surface to be insulated or improved;
• – The level of energy improvement targeted by the owners.

Therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine the total cost of a home renovation project.

However, it is possible to estimate an average. According to experts, the cost of this work generally falls within a range of 200 euros to 450 euros per square meter. It is important to note that for an older home requiring a more in-depth energy renovation, the cost may be higher.

On the other hand, for a property with better energy performance and lower consumption, the renovation price will tend to be between 400 euros and 450 euros per square meter. This work is often supported by various government aids , such as energy saving certificates (CEE), aimed at encouraging the ecological transition and stimulating the economy in the construction sector.

For routine work, such as attic and roof insulation, the cost ranges from €80 to €120 per square meter. A condensing boiler has an installation cost of between €4,000 and €8,000 including all taxes.

For a heat pump, the average cost depends on the type of installation, including air-to-air heat pumps (€6,600), air-to-water heat pumps (€12,700), and geothermal heat pumps (€15,000). As for the ventilation system, prepare an average budget of €900 for a mechanical ventilation system and €4,500 for a mechanical ventilation system.

What assistance and subsidies are available for energy renovation?

To ensure homeowners successfully complete their energy renovation projects in France, the government provides various financial aid programs. Whether you’re an owner-occupier, landlord, tenant, or rent-free occupant, there are sure to be grants and incentives available to encourage you to undertake this work. These government initiatives aim to support the ecological transition, reduce energy consumption in homes, and stimulate the construction sector. This will be made possible through energy saving certificates (CEE) and other plans and laws dedicated to home renovation.

MaPrimeRénov 

Replacing the Energy Transition Tax Credit (CITE) and the National Housing Agency (ANAH) grants, MaPrimeRénov’ is the central grant . It is open to all owners and condominium associations. However, the homes concerned are those built more than 15 years ago. This grant aims to target the most energy-intensive houses and apartments classified as labels E, F and G in the DPE. The amount obtained from MaPrimeRénov’ depends on household income and the ecological gain from the work. It is paid after the renovation work is completed by bank transfer.

The zero-interest eco-loan

The zero-interest eco-loan, or eco-PTZ, is a loan available to all homeowners wishing to renovate their homes. The amount can be up to €30,000 over 15 years, with the interest covered by the government. All households can therefore benefit from a zero-interest rate. To benefit from this scheme, simply apply to banks that have signed an agreement with the government. Most national banks have entered into this partnership (BNP Paribas, Banque Postale, Crédit Agricole). Homeowners can apply for the zero-interest eco-loan to insulate their homes, replace windows, or install efficient heating.

The Advance Renovation Loan (PAR)

Offered in partnership with La Banque Postale and Crédit Mutuel, the Advance Renovation Loan is specifically aimed at low-income households living in homes classified as “thermal sieves.” It complements financial aid available for energy renovation work.

The goal of this program is to finance the remaining expenses for households that do not have access to conventional loans. It is important to note that the Advance Renovation Loan benefits from a 75% government guarantee.

As for the loan amount, it generally starts at €3,500, but the precise ceiling is set in agreement with the bank, depending on the applicant’s needs and financial situation.

These measures were put in place to encourage energy renovation of homes, support the ecological transition, and reduce energy consumption. This also stimulates the economy, in line with the plan and law dedicated to the construction sector in France.

The energy bonus

The energy bonus, also known as the CEE bonus (Energy Savings Certificates), is issued directly by energy supply companies. It is financial assistance for the energy transition, designed to enable individuals to carry out energy-saving work at a lower cost.

However, this scheme can only be granted if the insulation work is carried out by an RGE professional. It can be combined with the MaPrimeRénov’ grant, the tax credit, and the reduced VAT. The amounts depend on the type of work to be carried out, the geographic area, and household income.

The Denormandie tax reduction

The Denormandie tax reduction is available to all individuals who have purchased a home requiring renovation in a “city center” neighborhood. It allows them to benefit from an income tax reduction. The cost of energy renovation work must represent at least 25% of the purchase price of the home. Note that to apply for this aid, you must carry out energy efficiency work.

There are also other financial aids, such as reduced VAT rates, energy checks, the “insulation boost” bonus (attics, lower floors, roofs) and the “heating boost” bonus (heat pumps, boilers, solar water heaters), property tax exemption, MaPrimeRénov’ Sérénité, and many others. Some of these aids can be combined, while others can be supplemented by aid in the form of loans.

What are the benefits of energy renovation?

Energy renovation work in France brings nothing but benefits. It’s a highly profitable investment that improves and enhances the energy efficiency of your home.

You can say goodbye to heat loss, drafts, and the feeling of cold or heat when you touch the floor or wall. In short, you gain invaluable comfort while contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the ecological transition, and lowering your energy consumption.

This will allow you to make substantial savings on your water, gas, and electricity bills. This work also allows you to transform homes into “eco-friendly” housing, preventing them from remaining “energy sieves,” which has a positive impact on the economy and the environment. To carry out these projects, various financial aids are available to support you in your energy renovation process.

Most renovation projects also reduce energy consumption.

They guarantee long-term energy savings of 25 to 30%. In other words, the cost of the electricity bill decreases, so even the most modest households can save a few euros per year. Likewise, by carrying out this action with RGE professionals, you will benefit from tailored advice.

Aside from energy savings, renovation is also one of the best ways to protect the environment. The ecological footprint of homes is reduced because they favor less energy-intensive equipment. If all buildings are renovated, France could significantly reduce its carbon emissions.