Improving private housing in Paris

In 2009, Paris had 1.35 million housing units, about 60,000 of which were private apartment buildings. The residential sector consumed 14,200 GWh and emitted 2.64 teqCO2. The reduction targets in terms of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Paris Climate Plan and the regular increases in energy costs imposing increasingly steep expenditure are serious arguments in favour of thermal renovation and insulation of dwellings.

In addition to facilitating the award of aid by the Agence National de l’Habitat (ANAH) for works to improve private dwellings, the City of Paris has made home renovation a priority and has integrated a powerful environmental approach aimed at promoting energy saving in all operational measures and combating fuel poverty via programmed operations to improve dwellings (OPAH) and general interest programmes (PIG).

The Co-ownership: Climate Goal! measure launched in 2008 helps to subsidise and support co-owners in the works they undertake. The Paris Climate Agency also provides advice to private individuals. Another tool, the Sustainable Living logbooks provided on the City of Paris site present technical solutions and possible aid for conducting renovation work. Some of these logbooks are accompanied by sheets with examples of good practice.

With the Paris Climate Plan goals for 2020, operators are asked to provide additional skills in terms of energy improvements, with the possibility of auditing buildings presenting considerable potential for improvement. Having conducted work in limited areas, Paris is now engaging in ambitious renovation programmes targeted to the larger scale of the neighbourhood or even the arrondissement.

Focus

Operation for the thermal improvement of buildings in the 13th arrondissement: OPATB 13e

The first experimental housing improvement OPAH with a thermal component, OPATB 13e was launched at the end of 2009 and is due to be completed early in 2015. The 13th arrondissement has the largest number of poorly energy-efficient buildings with collective heating constructed between 1940 and 1981. The operation has targeted 330 private residential buildings and aims to reduce their energy consumption and combat energy poverty.

Late in 2013, 151 free thermal diagnostics were conducted and 51 co-ownership properties were engaged in a thermal renovation project, 28 of which had works voted in. City of Paris aid was granted for external thermal insulation and should concern a total of 50% of the buildings that envision a works programme.

OPATB 13 should generate about €85 M of renovation work. If one third of the co-ownership properties commit to this programme, annual energy savings of 30 GWh and 6,000 teqCO2 are expected.

Experiment on old buildings: OPAH 2D2E

At the end of 2012, the City of Paris launched a new pilot operation around the idea of sustainable development and energy saving in old buildings. The operation encompasses the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements around the Place de la République, with 600 mainly individually heated private buildings constructed before the Second World War.

This operation offers the co-owners in the district support in reducing their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It also enables them to improve the quality of life (e.g. reduced mobility access, bicycle parking facilities) and the environmental quality (e.g. planting, selective waste sorting, rainwater recovery) of their dwellings.

The mobilisation of co-owners is based on two successive calls for applications, one and a half years apart, in order to focus the support of the City of Paris on the most motivated co-owners. The idea is to offer them a free in-depth environment and energy study and technical and financial support for conducting works. In July 2013, 28 coownership properties were selected.

Experiment on the scale of an arrondissement: OPATB 19e

Early in 2014, OPATB 19e was launched for the whole 19th arrondissement. The operation, which prefigures largescale action for the Paris area, concerns all private residences in the arrondissement, one which is very heterogeneous from an architectural viewpoint and where collective heating predominates. The largest French programme to encourage thermal rehabilitation in private buildings of all types, OPATB 19e potentially concerns 55,000 dwellings. The PACT will offer free support to owners for 6 years.