In France, five million individual dwellings are considered thermal sieves. To put an end to this energy loss, the government is revising its aid for energy renovation upwards with an increase of 45%, or 455 million. But it is still far from enough for many co-owners for whom the rest to be paid is still too heavy. The banks therefore have an appointment with the Ministry of the Economy on Thursday, February 16, to find loan solutions.
Like the other 400 apartments in his condominium in the 18th arrondissement in Paris, Jean-Marie Guérout’s accommodation has always been bright but not very comfortable. “One of my colleagues from the union council is on the top floor, he called his apartment ‘the Transibérien express’ in winter”, says the owner. An energy audit confirms what residents feel. “As soon as we approached the windows, it was cold, as soon as we approached the walls, it was cold”, adds Jean-Marie Guérout. “A few years ago, the town hall of Paris had exhibited thermal photos seen from the sky, he continues, and our building really stood out in red. We heated the outside, it was single glazing.”
“These are reinforced concrete buildings, where the cold in winter and the heat in summer spread fairly quickly through the apartments. There was a subject of comfort in addition to heat loss.”
Jean-Marie Guérout, owner of an apartment in the 18th arrondissement of Parisat franceinfo
Overly complex aids
After many debates, the co-owners end up voting for major energy renovation work on the roof, facade, windows, ventilation. The bill amounts to 9.5 million euros, reduced to six million thanks to a series of collective aids. A sum still too large for each co-owner according to the trustee. “It’s complex, there are multiple sources of helpunderlines Eric Barbarit, agent at Nexity. You are obliged to have recourse to project management assistance, if you want the co-ownership to benefit from aid. It is mandatory. Y including determining the rest to be borne, everything relating to individual aid, according to the profile of the different owners to build the financing plan, that is to say bank loans, zero-rate loans.
“What I call for is a simplification, because it is of colossal administrative complexity.”
Eric Barbarit, agent at Nexityat franceinfo
Time is running out for the largest condominiums with more than 200 dwellings, since since January 2023, they have had the obligation to establish at least the schedule of their work.