Results of the Enedis CSA 2022 Barometer: "The French, mayors and energy sobriety in their municipality"

At a time when the French are called upon to make efforts to reduce their gas and electricity consumption and on the occasion of the Mayors and Local Authorities Fair which was held a few days ago, a real consciousness seems to have taken place in the territories.

A survey conducted by the CSA Research Institute for Enedis thus reveals that a large majority of citizens and local elected officials are now in favor of energy sobriety measures in their municipality to deal with the soaring prices of electricity. energy.

Energy sobriety is the top priority of mayors

First lesson from the survey "The French, the mayors and energy sobriety in their municipality": energy sobriety is considered to be THE major concern of elected officials for their municipality (except in Ile-de-France where the subject of public transport continues to prevail), it is seen as the 4th priority for the French.

89% of the mayors questioned consider that the implementation of energy sobriety measures in their municipality is an important objective.
88% of French people questioned believe that energy sobriety should now be an important objective for their mayor.

The French and elected officials are unanimous in turning off the lights

To reduce energy consumption, the reduction of night lighting is a consensus.

72% of French people questioned approve of switching off public lighting after 22 p.m.
68% of mayors surveyed say they have already implemented this measure.

Rural areas and small towns are at the forefront of the movement. In municipalities with less than 10.000 inhabitants, switching off public lighting after 22 p.m. is one of the first measures implemented by these town halls to reduce their energy consumption. According to ADEME [1], 37% of local authorities' electricity expenditure is based on public lighting.

The French nevertheless expect other additional measures from their elected representatives, in particular concerning the extinction of municipal signs (86%) or shop windows (85%).

As the end of year celebrations approach, the Enedis-CSA Barometer reveals that only 43% of French people are ready to give up Christmas lights in their town.

Acting on heating, an emergency for the French

The issue of heating is central to the approach of winter. A large majority of households (86%) would also like their town hall to put in place measures to promote the renovation of energy-intensive housing.

33% of French people surveyed say they have the feeling of living in a thermal sieve.
28% of mayors have already launched this type of initiative.

In towns with more than 30.000 inhabitants, the thermal renovation of housing ranks second among the priorities expressed by the inhabitants, just after the reduction of heating in public buildings.

The reduction in heating in public buildings (gymnasiums, administrative premises, etc.) is widely agreed upon.

72% of French people are in favor of this measure to support energy sobriety.
47% of mayors have already implemented such actions.

On the other hand, less than one in three French people supports the closure of sports facilities or cultural places to meet the challenges of sobriety.

The issue of electricity and gas bills is especially sensitive in municipalities with 10.000 to 30.000 inhabitants where more than one in two mayors (57%) see this as their main concern, as well as in smaller towns with 2.000 to 10.000 inhabitants (49%) and in the municipalities of the North-West (56%) of France.

For mayors, a need for support and practical tools

Turn off the public lighting in one street rather than another, reduce the heating in the village hall or the gymnasium? How can you be sure that the choices are the right ones?

While 71% of mayors have measured the effects of switching off public lighting after 22 p.m., 60% of them are asking for tools to better diagnose and define the energy sobriety actions to be implemented, this proportion reaching 76% in towns with 2000 to 10.000 inhabitants.
Two out of three mayors (67%) are looking for appropriate management tools to measure the impact of their actions and optimize their electricity consumption.

The perception of the French of the measures already taken by elected officials vs the measures to be taken to promote energy sobriety

About the CSA barometer methodology for Enedis:

This qualitative and quantitative barometer was carried out on three representative samples:

By telephone from September 27 to October 19, 2022 with 500 mayors or deputy mayors in charge of energy, including 263 mayors of municipalities with less than 2.000 inhabitants, 165 mayors of municipalities with 2.000 to 10.000 inhabitants, 43 mayors of municipalities of 10.000 to 30.000 inhabitants and 29 mayors of municipalities with more than 30.000 inhabitants.
Online on panel from September 27 to 29, 2022 with 1.012 French people, aged 18 and over (method representative of quotas).
10 individual interviews carried out by telephone with mayors of municipalities in France, lasting 45 minutes. Interviews conducted between October 18 and 26, 2022.

[1] Source: https://expertises.ademe.fr/collectivites-secteur-public/patrimoine-communes-comment-passer-a-laction/eclairage-public-gisement-deconomies-denergie