The problem is not the why. The building sector represents 44% of the energy consumed in France, more than the transport sector at 31.3%, and it emits more than 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, i.e. almost a quarter of national emissions of CO2. These data from the Ministry of Ecological Transition easily justify the current energy renovation policy, which promises to put an end to thermal sieves, at the rate of 700,000 homes renovated per year for five years.
The problem is the how: the investigation carried out by journalist Nolwenn Le Fustec is in this respect overwhelming, at all levels. Starting with the telephone canvassing, carried out by so-called technicians from the departmental design office, who are in fact salesmen of heat pumps, responsible for finding the “big pigeon” who will pay 25,000 euros for what may find on the market at 9,000 euros. Continuing with the installers, who accumulate poor workmanship, while their company is labeled “recognized guarantor of the environment” – a “guarantee of quality”, according to the ministerial site.
Contrary to appearances, the survey does not only concern potential buyers of heat pumps, but all citizens, since it is public money which, in the examples cited, is misused. Thus the attribution of MaPrimeRénov’ can turn out to be grotesque, as the IT portal accumulates bugs – its design was entrusted to the large Parisian consulting firm Capgemini.
Number policy
At all levels, the policy of numbers is favored to the detriment of quality. At the National Housing Agency, the director general, Valérie Mancret-Taylor, assumes in front of the journalist as to the installation of heat pumps, including in thermal strainers and frauds: “It happens. (…) This is not our subject. Our subject is to make campaigns “to encourage the French to renovate en masse. As for MaPrimeRénov ‘, “the platform works”, she assures.
Same satisfaction at the top of the State, while, officially, 679,000 homes benefited from an energy renovation in 2021. Except that, according to France Strategy, a structure dependent on the Prime Minister, specifies Nolwenn Le Fustec, 83% of renovations are too partial.
However, the policy of figures has its victims – individuals, who find themselves in debt or without heating. Thus customers of this company which installed a heat pump incorrectly, in Alsace: it will not be prosecuted, it has shut down and disappeared.
“Are we looking for what is most effective or what is most symbolic? asks François de Rugy in front of the camera. “Unfortunately, the most symbolic far outweighs the most effective,” concludes the former minister (2018-2019) for ecological transition.
