2025, a turbulent 65th year, but CETIAT is actively preparing for 2026

With a 2025 turnover of €13,5 million, the year was marked by an unfavorable economic context.

CETIAT remains committed and is displaying its ambitions for 2026 through support for public policies on energy transition.

2025, a turbulent year

In 2025, CETIAT continues to operate in an unfavorable economic environment for the air handling and heating sector. The new construction market remained sluggish, with building starts at their lowest levels. The renovation market saw a slight rebound at the end of the year, despite weak real estate transactions in the existing housing market. For example, the air-to-water heat pump market continued its contraction, with approximately 180.000 units sold in 2025, compared to 355.000 in 2022.

According to Yves Fanton d'Andon, President of CETIAT: “In terms of public policy, the Ma Prime Rénov' grant has gone through 14 versions in two years. This instability creates a real difficulty in understanding for users and hinders investment decisions. Nevertheless, there is good news for the sector: the public authorities are considering redirecting the CEE incentive towards hydroelectric heat pumps.”

The technical center's turnover amounted to €13,5 million, down compared to 2024.

The collection of the earmarked tax (TFA) has stabilized at €4,7 million, a level equivalent to that of 2024. This stabilization is a reassuring sign after the 14% decrease recorded the previous year. €5 million worth of collaborative studies were conducted, in line with the objectives of the Performance and Objectives Contract (COP).

This level of commitment confirms CETIAT's ability to mobilize resources to serve the sector's strategic priorities. The technical center significantly exceeds the objectives set by the COP for the first two themes.

With €1,8 million dedicated to the Decarbonization, Energy Sobriety and Circular Economy axis, the center illustrates the impact of its model, oriented towards the production of collective value and the support of energy transformations for industry and buildings.

At the crossroads of energy performance and environmental impact reduction challenges in the collective housing and tertiary sectors, CETIAT is exploring the development of collective and hybrid heat pumps.

It analyzes current obstacles (costs, integration, sustainability) and identifies technical and organizational levers with its partners.

The technical center is working on alternative biofuel solutions (FAME-based liquids, biomethane, rDME biopropane). It characterizes their physicochemical properties and assesses their impact on equipment operation. It also examines their availability in France and identifies the technical and regulatory levers needed to facilitate deployment.

With €8,5 million in services rendered, CETIAT confirms the strength of its business despite contrasting dynamics depending on its areas of expertise:

• Calibration activities continue to progress, confirming CETIAT's reference position in metrology and its central role in the reliability of industrial measurements.
• Training activity has seen a significant decline of 33%. This drop is due to a decrease in training courses for installers seeking RGE certification. It is particularly significant for photovoltaic panel installers.
• Testing activities stabilized at €2,2 million, comparable to previous years.
• Studies are lagging mainly on the decarbonization of industrial processes, although the second half of the year allowed for a partial recovery, driven by a resumption of orders.

According to Pierre Claudel, Director General of CETIAT: "The decarbonization trajectory of industry has stalled. The economic context and geopolitical uncertainties have led many manufacturers to postpone their investment projects. We must nevertheless remain committed to supporting the energy transition of the sector."

Remarkable projects

The DECLYC project, conducted in conjunction with the AXELERA competitiveness cluster and the Vallée de la Chimie in Lyon, illustrates the technical center's involvement in structuring regional projects. It aims to optimize ventilation in industrial laboratories to reconcile employee safety with reduced energy consumption.

Furthermore, the technical center supports the energy sector in its transition to green fuels as alternatives to fossil fuels. Field trials of F100 biofuel in residential settings, a key step towards 100% bio-based solutions, have been conducted.

These projects illustrate CETIAT's contribution to structuring a sector in transition, at the crossroads of energy performance, technological innovation and decarbonization.

Investments to increase production capacity

In a constrained budgetary context, CETIAT has pursued a targeted investment policy of €900k in 2025 in order to consolidate its production capacities.

Securing test platforms dedicated to heat pumps using new flammable refrigerants has been a structuring focus, opening up the possibility of testing a very wide range of heat pump configurations.

Half of the investment was dedicated to the development and modernization of testing facilities: renewal of acoustic analyzers, new metrology standards, etc.

In 2026, CETIAT will support public policies for the energy transition

For 2026, CETIAT anticipates a turnover of €13,8 million. This is divided between collective actions (€4,9 million) and services (€8,9 million). Investment remains strong at €1 million. In 2026, CETIAT is actively engaged in promoting public policies with two key projects.

As part of the PRODICEE program, launched by the DGEC and managed by ADEME, the technical center will work with industrialists to evaluate Energy Savings Certificate (CEE) schemes in industry and propose recommendations for improving the scheme.

To promote the electrification objectives of building uses, CETIAT has partnered with AFPAC, Domofinance, EDF, Uniclima, to create CEPAC: a center of expertise dedicated to heat pumps.

This center's mission is to promote heat pumps throughout the industry, from design offices to installers. CETIAT will contribute its expertise in the thermal and acoustic performance of heat pump installations.

CETIAT's 2026 agenda

CETIAT will be present at the major industry events in 2026:

• The Interclima trade fair will take place from September 28th to October 1st in Paris (Porte de Versailles)
• The Fire congress will take place on September 22, 2026 in Lyon (Convention Centre)
• The Mesures Solutions Expo trade fair will take place on October 14th and 15th in Lyon (Convention Centre)
• The CETIAT Congress, an annual meeting with stakeholders in the industry.