The challenges of energy renovation of low-rental housing to achieve their carbon neutrality

In the introduction, he recalled that the building and housing sector in France is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases (with 28% of emissions) after that of transport.

Social landlords, leaders in carbon neutrality

While he spoke of a challenge common to all players in the housing sector in terms of renovations, Alain Grandjean highlighted the favorable position occupied by low-cost housing organizations in the pursuit of this objective, with social landlords having to double the number of renovation operations when private landlords must multiply it by at least five: “You, social landlords, are the best, able to act both on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and on social issues, with access to decent, comfortable and affordable housing. You are of interest to project managers and construction companies, who are more motivated by significant operations such as those carried out by your offices. You represent 330 million m², or 10% of the built surface (housing and tertiary buildings), or as much as all public buildings. In addition, the economic stake is better identified and professionalized in you than in other housing players ”.

Double the number of renovations

Alain Grandjean recalled that for the period 2015-2030, the objective was to reach 4,5 million renovations, but that in view of the measures in progress, he unfortunately considered more realistic to count on a figure of 2,7 millions. He pointed to the need, in order to be able to hope to double the number of renovations, to benefit from more funding. "Despite appearances, the macroeconomic context seems rather favorable to me, because the State has an interest, in a period of health crisis such as the one we are experiencing, in continuing to carry out productive investments which will have positive social repercussions over time," with in particular a drop in tenant charges ”.

For full transparency in the use of funds from the recovery plan

Alain Grandjean called for perfect transparency regarding the use of funds from the recovery plan: “We are asking the Government for great transparency of the actual disbursement of the recovery plan. We must exert pressure on the public authorities in this direction ”.

Position shared by Marcel Rogemont, president of the National Federation of Public Housing Offices, who pleaded for decentralization of the mechanisms for allocating funding within the framework of the 450 million of the recovery plan: "Decisions must be able to be taken at the level of communities", he said. “Let the CRHH take care of granting the most energy-intensive housing. Finally, let us recall once again that the financial effort of the State and of Europe is not sufficient to achieve the carbon neutrality objectives in 2050, objectives set by the Government. "