Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) 2026: a technical reform that will reshape the housing landscape in France

To fix an inconsistency that had lasted for too long

For years, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reflected a technical convention more than energy reality. By mechanically penalizing homes heated with electricity, it pushed hundreds of thousands of properties into categories F and G, creating a disconnect between regulatory theory and the reality of the French energy mix, where electricity is among the least carbon-intensive energy sources.

The adjustment planned for 2026 is not a favor granted to any particular sector; it is a return to consistency. It will finally allow the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to better reflect the true carbon footprint of electric homes, restoring a degree of fairness in performance assessment.

Immediate effects on the housing stock

According to available estimates, several hundred thousand homes could automatically be removed from the "energy inefficient" category. This would be achieved not through renovations, but through a recalculation that corrects an existing discrepancy. This simple change could reopen the possibility of renting or selling certain properties, stabilize the property value of downgraded homes, and, more broadly, restore fluidity to the market.

The reform also brings to light an often-forgotten truth: the energy label is not a single measure of comfort or housing quality. It is an indicator, certainly essential, but one that must remain a tool, not a judgment.

A simplified implementation, but one that must not distract from the essential subject

The revision will be automatic for recent Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs): a simple certificate provided by the authorities will be sufficient to update the data. This represents progress in terms of administrative simplicity.

But this development shouldn't obscure the reality: adjusting a coefficient doesn't improve a wall's insulation, a home's ventilation, or energy bills. The reform eases the pressure on homeowners, but it doesn't replace the essential renovation effort that awaits the French housing stock.

The risk of a misunderstanding

An improved energy rating could be wrongly interpreted as proof that a dwelling is now energy efficient. However, a dwelling previously rated F and upgraded to E simply by readjustment remains energy-inefficient and uncomfortable for its occupants.

This is where the challenge lies: supporting a fair and necessary reform without giving the impression that it solves everything. It corrects a mistake, but it does not eliminate the need for work, nor the energy emergency.

An opportunity to clean up the debate

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must return to what it should never have ceased to be: a reliable, clear, and consistent tool for guiding decisions. Its 2026 reform is a step in this direction. It opens a more balanced phase, where electricity is no longer artificially inflated and where the energy transition can be based on fairer foundations.

Housing never benefits from being assessed through approximate filters. By readjusting a key parameter, the State corrects a bias and restores the conditions for a calmer, and above all, more rational debate.

Tribune by Eric Houdet, Founder of Homapi (LinkedIn).