Energy consumption by buildings is one of the major expenses of households and businesses, but also one of the major sources of pollution. To reduce the energy bill and the impact of a building on the environment, it is possible to carry out an energy audit in order to better target energy renovation work.
What is an energy audit?
The energy audit of a building is the study of its characteristics concerning its energy consumption for various uses such as heating, hot water, air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, etc.
The audit can be carried out by an architect, prime contractor, or contractor and can be of four different types.
The short on-site audit is carried out during a short visit during which the professional identifies elements that can be improved at a lower cost to achieve substantial and immediate energy savings.
The audit with energy cost analysis is more thorough and analyzes the operating costs of equipment and facilities using energy data from several years. This type of audit identifies consumption peaks and establishes a consumption profile to set up a home rehabilitation plan.
The energy audit with measurements defines an energy consumption benchmark that makes it possible to evaluate the possible savings. This audit is carried out with the use of measuring instruments for various variables such as temperatures, air velocities, or combustion fume analysis.
The detailed energy audit is more comprehensive and is based on measurement techniques over a long period of time.
Why do an energy audit?
The energy audit is useful for energy renovation work on homes, it makes it possible to better target the improvements to be made, but also to obtain aid. The audit is also mandatory in certain cases, especially for companies and condominiums.
To optimize energy renovation work
The energy audit is a prerequisite for all energy renovation work. It makes it possible to know the defects and strengths of the building, to identify the most greedy and least efficient equipment from an energy point of view, and to know the habits of the occupants of the house.
With this information, it is possible to implement targeted works and improvements that correct the weak points and energy failures of the house, without altering its strengths. Thanks to the audit, the work is more efficient and allows to obtain a greater reduction in energy consumption while improving the comfort of the house and making it more adapted to the habits of its residents.
To obtain assistance
Energy renovation works are encouraged and assisted by the State. However, to obtain this aid, an energy audit must be carried out beforehand. This makes it possible to objectively measure the level of improvement brought about by the work.
Some aid is subject to minimum energy performance conditions. This is particularly the case for the zero-interest eco-loan or eco-PTZ, MaPrimeRénov' for a global renovation or the EEC aid Global Renovation or Energy Saving Certificates.
Because it is mandatory in some cases
From September 2022, the completion of an energy audit will be mandatory for any sale of a home whose energy performance diagnosis or DPE is of class D, E, F, or G, that is to say, considered to be a thermal sieve.
The energy audit is also mandatory in all condominiums with more than 50 lots, which were built before 2001 and are equipped with a collective heating or cooling system. The energy audit is valid for ten years and aims to establish the energy classification of the building and to make suggestions for work to be carried out to improve its performance.
Since 2012, large companies with more than 250 employees or an annual turnover of more than €50 million are also required to carry out energy audits for their buildings. These audits are valid for four years, after which they must be renewed.
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