Real estate and the energy crisis: how to adapt your property?

The current energy crisis, amplified by rising energy prices and concerns about climate change, has profoundly altered the way we think about housing. Faced with rising electricity and gas bills, as well as increasingly stringent environmental regulations, homeowners are now being encouraged to make their properties more energy-efficient. Adapting your home to meet energy challenges is not just a question of reducing costs, but also of enhancing the value of your heritage and making aecological commitment.

In this article, we'll look at solutions for improving the energy performance of your property, while exploring the economic and ecological benefits they bring.

1. Carry out an energy performance diagnosis (DPE)

The first step in adapting a property to the energy crisis is to understand its current energy consumption. The Energy Performance Diagnostic (DPE ) is an essential tool for assessing the situation. It classifies a property on a scale from A (very energy-efficient) to G (very energy-intensive). This diagnosis identifies the weak points of the property (insulation, heating, ventilation) and offers suggestions for improvement.

Not only is an ECD useful for guiding work, it is also becoming an increasingly important criterion for buyers and tenants. A better-rated property is more attractive, and its market value can be significantly higher.

2. Improving the building's thermal insulation

One of the main ways to reduce energy consumption is to improve thermal insulation. Poor insulation leads to heat loss, which increases heating consumption. According to the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), poor insulation can account for up to 30% of a home's heat loss.

Here are some solutions for improving thermal insulation:

- Attic insulation: Attics are often responsible for significant heat loss. Insulating this part of the building limits heat loss in winter and reduces overheating in summer.

- Insulating exterior and interior walls: Walls represent a large area of contact with the outside world. Opting for external insulation is particularly effective, but internal insulation can also deliver good results at lower cost.

- Replacing windows: Single-glazed windows let in a lot of cold. Replacing these old windows with double- or triple-glazed models considerably reduces heat loss.

Insulation work not only lowers energy bills, but also improves thermal and acoustic comfort.

3. Choosing an efficient, energy-saving heating system

Heating accounts for one of the largest shares of a household's energy consumption. Adapting your heating system to meet today's requirements is therefore crucial. Several more economical and ecological solutions can be considered:

- Heat pump (PAC): This device uses energy from the air or ground to heat your home, making it both an efficient and environmentally-friendly system. Heat pumps can cut your heating bill in half or in thirds, depending on the region and the configuration of your home.

- Condensing boiler: If you have a gas or oil-fired heating system, replacing an old boiler with a condensing boiler saves energy while emitting less CO₂.

- Solar heating: Solar energy is a sustainable, environmentally-friendly solution. While the initial installation of photovoltaic solar panels can represent a major investment, it can generate electricity and, in some cases, sell the surplus to the grid.

4. Opt for efficient ventilation

Ventilation is often a neglected aspect of energy-efficient property renovation. Yet good ventilation is essential to ensure optimum indoor air quality and avoid humidity problems.

Double-flow mechanical ventilation recovers heat from extracted air and heats incoming air, thus limiting energy loss. This system is particularly effective in well-insulated buildings.

5. Regulation and home automation: controlling consumption

Today's technologies enable us to better control and regulate our energy consumption. The installation of programmable or connected thermostats enables you to better control your heating, by automatically adjusting the temperature according to actual needs.

Home automation systems offer advanced solutions for managing energy consumption. For example, it's possible to program radiators or air-conditioning to come on remotely, or to adjust the temperature room by room according to the time of day. This avoids waste and optimizes energy costs.

6. Adopt renewable energies

Finally, one of the most sustainable responses to the energy crisis is to turn to renewable energies. Depending on geographical location and property type, several options are available:

- Photovoltaic panels: Generating your own electricity with solar panels is a solution that's winning over more and more households, especially with rising energy prices. What's more, the resale of unused electricity to the grid makes the installation profitable over the long term.

- Solar water heaters: Solar water heaters use solar energy to heat domestic water, reducing gas and electricity consumption.

- Wood or pellet stoves: Wood is a renewable energy, often less expensive than electricity or gas. Modern wood-burning stoves are highly efficient and can heat a home efficiently while being environmentally friendly.

7. Financial assistance for energy work

Adapting your property to the energy crisis represents an investment, but there are a number of financial aids available to help reduce the cost. Among the schemes available in France:

- MaPrimeRénov': Grant to encourage energy renovation work. Amount depends on household income and work carried out.

- Zero interest eco-loan (Eco-PTZ): Interest-free loan to finance energy renovation work, available to all homeowners, regardless of income.

- Energy saving certificates (CEE): Energy suppliers are required to finance energy-saving work on private homes, in the form of bonuses.

These grants make the work more affordable, while guaranteeing a significant improvement in the home's energy performance.

Conclusion

Faced with the energy crisis, making a property more energy-efficient is no longer a simple option, but a necessity. Whether it's to reduce bills, improve comfort or meet the challenges of climate change, every homeowner can adapt their property by choosing the right solutions. Whether it's insulation, heating, ventilation or the adoption of renewable energies, these measures are part of a sustainable energy transition, while increasing the value of your property.