Energy Efficiency Certificates (CEE) Programs: OSCAR reviews 4 years of concrete and sustainable actions in support of energy renovation

On November 26, in Paris, the OSCAR program took stock of the actions carried out since its creation in 2022, within the framework of the energy savings certificates (CEE) scheme.

This was an opportunity for all partners of the Programme to look back on the highlights of this collective adventure and to outline ways to extend it.

OSCAR, an innovative program

In 2022, within the framework of the Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) scheme, the OSCAR program was created. Its purpose: to facilitate the understanding of public and private financial aid by tradespeople and companies in the energy renovation sector, to facilitate their access to it, its adoption, its integration into their offering and thus, its use.

To achieve this, the OSCAR program is organized around 2 main axes:

• The training of Renovation Assistance Referents (RAR), recruited from distributors, federations, professional organizations and within the France Rénov' network of advisors.
• The multiplication of their knowledge by the RARs among craftsmen and renovation companies.

The Program quickly distinguished itself through 3 specific features:

• Its strong collaborative dimension, centered around a common goal: OSCAR is led by ATEE, in partnership with the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, ADEME, ANAH, CAPEB, FFB, and the federations of building materials and equipment distributors (FDMC, Coédis). Their stakes, target audiences, and operational structures differ. Yet, within the framework of the Program, they all work collectively towards the same objective.
• Its field-based and proximity-based approach, embodied by the RARs, direct interlocutors of professionals, perfectly aware of their needs and constraints.
• Its varied, turnkey educational tools are adapted to field practices and expectations.

A prolific program, useful actions

Four years after its launch, the OSCAR program has a substantial track record, marked by concrete actions that precisely meet the expectations of artisans and companies in the energy renovation sector.

Dynamic and responsive RARs…:

• A network of 4.190 RARs recruited and trained by OSCAR throughout France, as well as in Corsica, to inform, advise, and support building professionals in their procedures related to renovation aid.
• Among them, at least 1 CAPEB RAR and 1 FFB RAR per department, and staff trained by most French businesses.
• Overall, these RARs have carried out more than 3.815 awareness-raising actions, provided 502 days of training, reaching nearly 35.600 artisans or companies.

Whatever the question or need, OSCAR has the answer:

• 83 free resources and tools developed for professionals. Two of them in particular are heavily used by RARs:
• The database of products eligible for Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) currently contains 12,000 references. Its mission: to reduce administrative processing time.
• The Interactive Directory of Renovation Grants lists over 3,000 national and local grants with their eligibility criteria. Its mission: to centralize information as much as possible.
• Beyond that, many other tools quickly found their place: the chatbot dedicated to aid, the OSCAR MOOC, numerous practical guides, craft workshops allowing to hear and relay the voice, feedback and expectations of the main stakeholders.

From step-by-step guidance to autonomy

The OSCAR program conducted a field experiment, "Professional Supporter" in collaboration with CAPEB and FFB: a step-by-step operational support, provided by the RARs, allowing direct assistance to the craftsman or company in their first CEE applications, from the initiation of files to their submission, including their preparation.

Conceived as a stepping stone towards total autonomy in the use of aid, this system has enabled more than 900 applications to be validated and has contributed to a clear improvement in the quality and processing times.

Towards a renewal of the OSCAR program?

The overwhelmingly positive results of the OSCAR program demonstrate the broad support of the sector, embodied by partners, regional energy efficiency networks (RARs), and, above all, energy renovation tradespeople and companies. A collective momentum has been generated. The ambition now is to ensure its continuation beyond December 31, 2025, the program's closing date in its current form.

It is in this context that the industry, through its professional federations in particular, has expressed its desire to see the OSCAR program renewed in order to:

• Strengthen existing tools;
• To support and increase the growth of the RAR network;
• Consolidate, strengthen and ensure the long-term viability of the installed system.

Thus, the OSCAR program could continue to contribute, on its own scale, to:

• Simplify the CEE scheme;
• Fight against fraud;
• To meet the specific needs of craftsmen.

Discussions are ongoing and a decision is expected in the coming weeks.