Property and ecology: the key developments of 2021
Focus on the new ecological measures aimed at limiting pollution emitted by French housing in 2021.
Construction and property are areas at the heart of the government’s action to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Following the entry into force of the Ma Prime Rénov’ scheme in January, which we covered in a previous article, new measures aim to limit pollution emitted by French housing. Focus on those decided or in the process of being decided at the start of 2021.
With the RE 2020 standard, gas heating is on the way out
From next summer, gas heating will be banned in new-build properties. This is striking news given that currently, 75% of collective housing and 21% individual homes are fitted with gas boilers. Biogas will also be prohibited; another energy source will need to be chosen.
In existing properties, replacing a gas boiler may be done with the same energy. Fortunately so, as transforming the entire heating system would be a cost many householders could not bear.
Coming into force for building permits submitted from summer 2021, the measure nonetheless offers flexibility: the ban will only apply to collective housing in 2024. This leaves time to perfect alternative solutions for heating these large surface areas.
It should also be noted that the RE 2020 standard introduces the concept of the life cycle of materials, with bio-sourced materials (wood, hemp, cellulose, etc.) naturally taking centre stage. Thresholds will be set to limit carbon storage. Finally, properties will need to be better adapted to heatwave conditions.
A new DPE for summer
The ecological transition ministry wanted to make the energy performance diagnostic (DPE) more reliable, clear and enforceable! It will now indicate the energy consumption of the property, with an estimate of the related energy bill. Greenhouse gas emissions will be more concretely taken into account to correct certain injustices. Indeed, a highly emitting older property could previously receive the same rating as a recent property because it did not consume more energy, even though it polluted the atmosphere excessively.
Fossil fuels such as gas or oil will automatically be viewed less favourably, while wood and electric heating will move up the ranking. Incorrect, the DPE will be enforceable from 1st July 2021 like other mandatory diagnostics.
This more reliable DPE will allow better conduct of the national housing renovation policy. In particular, grants can be allocated with better knowledge of the situation.
No more rental for thermal sieves
On the rental side, and in the wake of the previous measures, properties that are too energy-inefficient will soon simply be banned from rental. France has 2 million “thermal sieves” falling into DPE categories F and G.
From 2023, properties rated G will no longer be able to be rented, but they represent only 90,000 properties, i.e. 4% of the stock targeted. The government wishes to proceed gently, with a second stage in 2025 setting new permitted thresholds (still under study) before banning all these properties from rental in 2028. This should encourage owners to plan genuine renovation works as soon as possible.
Social housing is modernising
A budget of 500 million euros will aim, this year and in 2022, to support energy renovation of social housing. Requests from housing associations must be submitted before 1st June 2021 to the competent authorities.
The average level of subsidy allocated for these renovations is set at £11,000 per property, and can reach £20,000 depending on the nature of the work. The aim is to remove these properties from DPE categories F and G and thus avoid the ban mentioned above.
The government intends to reach a total of 40,000 renovated properties, with half of them by 2021.
The RGE label is evolving
The “Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement” (Recognised Guarantor of the Environment) qualification, awarded to building companies under conditions, notably enables households carrying out renovation works to benefit from grants set up by the government.
To strengthen this label, company audits will be more stringent and reinforced with controls to detect fraud and defective workmanship. Audit grids are being made available so companies can prepare themselves.
Furthermore, 19 areas will be covered by the RGE qualification, compared to 12 previously. This allows more precise targeting of the skills needed for completion. Interior insulation and external insulation will be distinguished, for example.
A decisive step has been taken in our country, which aims to become a European model in terms of housing energy performance. For the moment, we are rather behind, as a subject published on capital.fr recently highlighted. Let us hope that the measures put in place will enable real ecological, but also economic and social progress.
