Does the energy retrofit actually continue during the reconfinement?

In the field, all the players in the chain are mobilizing to make this continuation of the activity a reality. Among them, Hellio, a specialist in energy saving work for the home, from advice to construction, including obtaining aid, is doing everything possible to keep construction work at a normal pace. A stake which is of all importance since energy renovation work is placed at the heart of the recovery plan.

The period could be favorable: confined to their homes, the French can appreciate the importance of comfortable housing, especially as winter approaches when heating bills are likely to soar! But what is it really? Are work requests exploding during this period or, on the contrary, are they slowing down? Do individuals agree this time to open their doors to artisans to insulate their attics or change their heating, unlike the first confinement which had aroused a lot of mistrust and concern?

To answer all these questions, Hellio took the temperature in the field with its partner construction companies across France.

Almost normal activity for the individual residential sector but concerns for the coming months

Unlike the first confinement, the construction companies, whether specialists in insulation or heating, have not suffered any sudden stop in their activity. Authorized to work, they have perfectly integrated the health protocol which is now part of their habits, as well as their protective and safety equipment.

As for the projects already scheduled, they are almost all going normally, even if some companies have nevertheless experienced a slight drop of around 10%, mainly at the start of the reconfinement or for customers of people at risk.

"When the reconfinement was announced, we had a few meetings canceled at the request of individuals who prefer to wait for the end of the confinement to carry out their work", indicates Pierre Le Mouhaer Marty, manager of the Breton Habitat company (35).

“We are not in the same situation as the first time because we have the right to work. Customers are less closed, we get to work. We are nevertheless recording a few postponements of construction sites among the elderly, at the request of their children who forbid us to intervene, ”testifies Joël Maizel, manager of Isoltoit 2EF and Chauff & Vous (61).

The situation is therefore very different from the first confinement which had seen many companies forced to put their staff on short-time work. This time, individuals do not refuse interventions, including when they involve entering the home to replace a boiler, for example.

Some companies even note that this period is more conducive to carrying out energy renovation work through teleworking.

“Customers have more availability because they are teleworking. People take the opportunity to be at home to think about their work, ”says Amaury Du Tertre, manager of Logic Energy (63).

On the other hand, several craftsmen express their concerns for the coming months because on the technical visits side, the situation is not so idyllic.

“I am a little more worried about the future because many individuals are asking for the postponement of technical visits after confinement. My technical visitor is not at full capacity at the moment ”, tempers Mehdi Kraiem, manager of the company Isopro Nord Est (51).

“We are currently paying for the first containment, the current volume of business barely allows us to run the business, but is not enough. The commercial activity that cannot be carried out with the cancellation of trade fairs, for example, will have repercussions on the sites at the start of 2021 ”, worries Laurent Garrido, CEO of DER Développement et Énergies Renouvelables (16) .

"For individuals, it is almost easier to intervene because they are at home", notes Alexis Delacommune, director of ERTI - Studies Realizations of Insulation Works (75).

Declining activity for collective housing

On the other hand, the collective housing sector faces more difficulties.

Most general meetings in condominiums do not take place face-to-face due to the containment linked to COVID-19 and the digital format is not perceived as an effective replacement solution. These postponements thus prevent the decision to be made to carry out work. Over the months of September to December, Hellio notes that the number of sites accepted has been halved, whereas this should be a period of recovery and decision-making on insulation sites. This trend should be reversed very quickly as soon as the resumption of face-to-face general meetings is made possible.

A measured impact of the latest government announcements concerning MaPrimeRénov '

All the artisans are unanimous in declaring that it is still too early to assess the impact of the latest government announcements, which are not yet anchored in people's minds. Companies need time to take ownership of the new terms of the MaPrimeRénov 'system; and individuals to assimilate information before embarking on the work.

What is certain is that professionals feel a need from their clients to take charge of these long and time-consuming steps.

“People call on our group because we take care of all the paperwork. If customers had to manage requests for MaPrimeRénov 'and Energy Saving Certificates themselves, they would not. Our goal is to provide turnkey solutions ”, emphasizes Fabrice Genet, director of the insulation and screed service at Groupe Vinet (86).

“The opening of MaPrimeRénov 'to all households is a real lever, but the whole stake rests on our know-how and our ability to support the client in the assembly and management of files, from registration to good reception of aid, and ideally advance premiums to prevent the private individual from advancing costs, ”adds Christophe Lhomet, manager of the company Isol & Moi (37).

"We realize that a partnership with a proactive, available and reachable agent like Hellio is essential for the responsiveness of creating turnkey offers for our customers", concludes Amaury Du Tertre.