A report on anticipating the effects of +4°C warming reaffirms the need for housing adaptation

In its latest report entitled “Anticipating the effects of +4°C warming: what are the costs of adaptation?”, the I4CE affirms that it is necessary to go further on the questions of adaptation and that it is now necessary to systematically take into account the future climate and summer comfort in the criteria for aid for renovation and the standards for new constructions.

The position defended by the I4CE joins the arguments defended by the Actibaie group, a professional union affiliated to the French Building Federation which brings together all the doors, gates, shutters and blinds trades.

For Vivian Depoues and Guillaume Dolques of I4CE: “If reacting and repairing can sometimes seem simpler than anticipating and affordable in the short term, it is important to keep in mind that without structural adaptation, these expenses incurred will continue to increase. »

This is why the I4CE calls for systematically taking into account the future climate and summer comfort in the criteria for aid for renovation and the standards for new constructions, even proposing an estimate of the costs.

It is from this perspective that the I4CE formulates 5 conclusions:

There are costing elements for certain sectors including construction, but no single cost of adaptation in France
Without a more ambitious adaptation policy, the spontaneous reactions that are observed often prove to be the most costly for public finances and already represent several billion euros per year.
Anticipation options are well identified and could be better deployed. For example, this involves favoring sober construction methods and appropriate architectural choices for buildings that are comfortable in summer, even without air conditioning.
Among the anticipation options, some produce enough economic co-benefits to be intrinsically profitable, but this is not the case for all. This observation invites us to open a debate on the internalization of climate risk in economic models and the assumption of responsibility for adaptation costs.
In all cases, to ensure the best possible efficiency and distribution of expenses, adaptation must be integrated into existing planning approaches.

A position supported by the Actibaie Group

The conclusions and arguments defended by the I4CE are in line with the positions defended by the Actibaie group for many years. Indeed, in addition to the public health issue raised by reducing the temperature in buildings for better summer comfort, solar protection represents a virtuous solution to the use of air conditioning and must be favored in this approach. adaptation of housing.

The authors of the I4CE report also cite solar protection as an example, estimating that “not asking the question of climate change when making investments means taking the risk of missing out on actions that could have been be carried out at the same time or dimensioned differently (e.g. the installation of solar protection or a change in the type of insulation). This can lead to poorly performing situations with regard to summer comfort or even counterproductive situations”

The use of solar protection (passive solutions) is even one of the best solutions to improve summer comfort without having an impact on a building's energy consumption and its greenhouse gas emissions. .

For Hervé LAMY, general delegate of the Actibaie Group: “The majority of buildings have not been designed to cope with climate change, but we cannot deny that we already see the consequences every year. This is why it is urgent to anticipate the effects and adapt buildings, whether new or to be renovated, by favoring passive solutions such as solar protection. »

However, today, the implementation of these solutions which make it possible to avoid overheating of buildings is very poorly recognized in the renovation aid schemes (MaPrimeReno, CEE, EcoPTZ) and in the work areas to be studied. for an efficient and comprehensive energy renovation. This is why the Actibaie Group is calling for the implementation of simple measures to effectively support the adaptation of buildings to global warming:

Support the massification of efficient housing adaptation solutions by making the installation of isolated solar protection eligible for MaPrimeRénov.
Reduce the VAT rate to 5,5% for the purchase and installation of solar protection.
Facilitate the financing of the remainder by integrating shutters and blinds into the renovation financing programs supported by the State.
Unlock the Energy Saving Certificates system so that it takes into account work related to the adaptation of buildings to climate change.
Enforce thermal regulations according to which mobile solar protection systems must be installed before installing an air conditioning system.

For Hervé LAMY: “There is still today nonsense which slows down the use and access of all to energy efficient solutions such as blinds and shutters which are nevertheless the first defenses to limit the rise in temperatures inside buildings and enough comfort for the occupants. »

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.