Four questions on changes in energy performance assessment calculations for small areas

The change in DPE will allow 140,000 housing units of less than 40 m² to move out of F and G categories, the government announced.

Christophe Bechu promises that ““The Shock of Housing Simplification”. The Minister of Ecological Transition announced, in the column of Monday 12 February Parisian, recalculation of energy performance diagnosis (DPE) for small-area housing. A measure that aims to remove these houses from the range of thermal sieves.

How many homes are affected? Why did the government take this decision? We explain to you what this move will change, which is not unanimous among housing sector stakeholders.

1 What facilities are affected by this announcement?

DPE classifies housing from A to G depending on their energy consumption and their impact on the climate. “More than 27% of very small goods” is “Regarded as a Sieve” Energy and labeled F or G, says Minister of Ecological Transition. A classification “ which does not reflect reality” According to him.

To answer this, Christoph Bechu announced the upcoming publication of a decree modifying the calculation of DPE. It will let out 140,000 houses of less than 40 m² “From the Series of Energy Strainers”. These residences will therefore no longer be subject to the rent restriction that will apply to all properties classified G from January 1, 2025, and to those classified E from January 1, 2028. As a reminder, the most energy-consuming housing, labeled G+. , is already affected by this ban from January 1, 2023.

Online simulators will be available, the minister added, for DPE already installed housing “Starting this week” On the Ecological Transition Agency website. It will make it possible to check the energy class of the property and “To obtain a certificate equivalent to the new label in the event of a changeover”.

2 How does the government justify this decision?

The Minister of Ecological Transition is fined by judges or small areas “A calculation bias” of DPE. “We realized that the smaller the surface area of ​​the house, the higher the volume of domestic hot water,” which, among other things, depends on the size of the balloon, “Pese on its classification, without any real link to the number of inhabitants”., supports Christophe Bechu. Hence a weighting coefficient will be introduced on hot water production.

In the context of the housing crisis, this measure is intended to be made “A flurry of offers to help unblock the situation on the rental supply market”, requested the housing minister on RTL on Monday. “OWe’ll be working to make things as smooth as possible in the coming weeks and months.”Guillaume Kasbarian commits.

3 Will the rent ban on all G-rated housing be deferred from January 1, 2025?

No. The executive assures that he does not want to “Touch(r) Not for calendars and ambitions.” On the ban on rental of energy strainers, adds the Ecological Transition Minister.

The government will introduce a series of amendments to the co-ownership bill scrutinized in the Senate at the end of February. They will make it clear “The requirement to re-hire the G-Class thermal strainer will only apply at the time of renewal of the lease, either by tacit renewal or upon change of tenant”Christophe Bechu announced.

therefore, “There isNo tenant shall be forcibly removed from his dwelling because he is a sieve”, The minister promises. In the event of indefinite renewal of lease, “Refusal by tenant to move out of G-rated accommodation during renovation thereof” will form “Work Exemption Clause for Employer”. This will also apply to flexibility “Co-owners who voted for the work, but who do not have time to do it”, adds Guillaume Kasbarian. In this situation, the The ban on rent shall be suspended for two years from the date of voting in the General Assembly.

4 How do players in the field react?

The establishment of a weighted DPE for small areas was a request from the Chamber of Real Estate Diagnosticians and the Interprofessional Federation of Real Estate Diagnostics. In a joint press release with the Interprofessional Real Estate Diagnostic Union, all three organizations “Congratulations” of this decision. “The axing of the rent ban is at least a year away, which will allow this essential operation to take place in a more realistic time frame”They write.

“This change will allow the apartment to be re-rented”For his part, the president of the French Building Federation, Olivier Celeron, greeted AFP. “Even if the government could change the DPE calculation for electricity-heated homes, this would be beneficial, compared to gas being penalized”, adds Loïc Cantin, President of the National Real Estate Federation. Such a change is also desired by the Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Maire, but government arbitration on the subject has not yet been finalised.

On the association side, the reactions are reversed. At franceinfo, president of The National Housing Confederation, the first association of HLM tenants, sees this “ little hand” And one “Great gift to give owners” WHO “Will not solve housing quality problems”. “Given the current situation in the rental market”, The Droit Housing Association also anticipates difficulties for tenants in finding additional housing solutions during the period of renovation work.

“We’re only deferring to the desire to insulate buildings better, while maintaining profitability for homeowners.”

Jean-Baptiste Ayraud, spokesperson for the Right to Housing Association

at franceinfo

“It will be necessary to check that the time given to employers is not a loophole for non-working”insists the Abe Pierre Foundation’s director of studies. “The usual thing is to make adjustments after consultation, the worrying thing is to make them over time by manipulating the press, and that can give donors the impression that ‘they’re going to get it for nothing.’gives a warning Manuel Domergue with the AFP.