French home energy terms explained in plain English

A

• ABF: Architecte des Bâtiments de France, the state architect who reviews building work near listed monuments and can make planning approval binding on the mairie (town hall)
• ADVENIR: the EV charging subsidy programme for collective housing and public locations; does not apply to individual houses
• ANAH: Agence Nationale de l'Habitat; the public body that administers MaPrimeRénov' (the state renovation grant) and other housing improvement programmes
• Audit énergétique: a detailed energy assessment, deeper than a DPE (energy performance certificate); required when selling an E, F or G-rated house and for MaPrimeRénov' rénovation d'ampleur
• Auto-consommation: self-consumption of solar electricity; what it means and how the French system works

C

• CEE: Certificats d'Économies d'Énergie; the energy supplier subsidy scheme, open to second homes, that runs alongside MaPrimeRénov'
• CESI: chauffe-eau solaire individuel, a solar water heater; the Côte d'Azur gets the highest CEE band for it, and MaPrimeRénov' now funds it only inside a whole-house renovation
• CONSUEL: the body that inspects electrical installations in France; its attestation is required for a new installation, a full rewire or solar panels before Enedis (the grid operator) connects them
• COP / SCOP: heat pump efficiency ratings; COP is the instantaneous ratio of heat output to electricity input, SCOP is the seasonal average used to estimate annual running costs
• Copropriété: shared ownership of a building or estate; what the syndic (the building's managing agent) and the yearly AG (the owners' general meeting) decide, and which work needs an owners' vote

D

• Déclaration préalable de travaux: the planning declaration for visible exterior work: facade colours, windows, pools, small extensions, and AC, heat pump or solar units
• Devis: the written quote that is legally binding once you sign it
• Dommage-ouvrage insurance: the policy an owner must take out before a structural renovation or new build starts, so décennale-type (ten-year insurance) damage gets repaired without waiting for a liability ruling
• DPE: Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique; France's A to G energy rating, needed for every sale and rental

E

• Éco-PTZ: the zero-interest loan for energy renovation; no income conditions, up to 50,000 EUR, principal residence only
• EDF OA: the 20-year contract under which EDF buys the solar electricity you don't use; the rate for new contracts fell to 1.1 c EUR/kWh in June 2026
• Enedis: France's electricity distribution network operator; handles grid connections for solar installations, new meters, and EV charging activation

F

• Fluide frigorigène: the refrigerant in heat pumps and AC systems; the type (R32, R410A, R290) appears on every quote and matters for environmental impact and long-term repairability
• France Rénov': the free public renovation advice service, and the website where MaPrimeRénov' applications are now made

G

• Garantie décennale: the 10-year builders liability insurance every French contractor must hold; what it covers and how to check a quote

I

• IRVE: Infrastructure de Recharge pour Véhicules Électriques; the qualification an installer legally needs for a home charger over 3.7 kW, and the key to 5.5% TVA (French VAT)

M

• Maître d'oeuvre: the person or firm who designs, tenders and supervises a renovation on the owner's behalf; distinct from the maître d'ouvrage (the owner), and must be an architect above 150 m²
• MaPrimeRénov': the French government's main grant for energy-efficiency renovations, for principal residences only
• Mon Accompagnateur Rénov': the approved adviser you must use for a MaPrimeRénov' whole-house grant; the grant pays 20% to 100% of the fee

N

• NF C 15-100: the French standard governing residential electrical installations; referenced on all CONSUEL certificates and relevant to any new circuit for heat pumps, EV chargers, or solar

O

• Onduleur: the solar inverter that turns panel output into power the house can use; string, micro or hybrid; usually the first part of a solar system to need replacing

P

• PAC (pompe à chaleur, heat pump): the French term for heat pump; air-air vs air-eau, and what a PAC quote should show
• PAC hybride: a heat pump paired with a gas boiler under one controller; 20% TVA and no MaPrimeRénov'
• Permis de construire: the full building permit for larger extensions and new builds; above 150 m² an architect must sign the plans
• PLU: Plan Local d'Urbanisme, your commune's planning rulebook for colours, roofs, pools and outdoor units; how to read it

R

• Réception des travaux: the signed handover that starts the 1-year, 2-year and 10-year guarantees; what to list and test before you sign
• Rénovation d'ampleur: the whole-house MaPrimeRénov' route for E, F and G-rated homes that gain at least two energy classes; principal residence only
• RGE certification: the label a contractor needs for MaPrimeRénov' and most CEE grants; not needed for CEE on an air-air split

S

• SIRET: the 14-digit number every French business has, and the quickest way to check that a contractor exists and is still trading

T

• Taxe d'aménagement: the one-off French tax on new building work and pools, calculated from a flat value per m² plus communal and departmental rates
• TVA: French VAT on home work; 5.5%, 10% or 20% depending on the work, the same whether it's your main or second home

V

• VMC: Ventilation Mécanique Contrôlée; France's standard mechanical ventilation, compulsory in new builds