Reference
French home energy terms explained in plain English
Contractors write their quotes in French. Official subsidy forms use abbreviations. Inspectors quote regulations by number. If you're an English speaker trying to understand what's actually being proposed, this glossary is a reference you can come back to. Each entry explains what the term means, why it matters, and what to do about it.
A
- 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' and other housing improvement programmes
- Audit énergétique: a detailed energy assessment, deeper than a DPE; required when selling F or G-rated properties and for MaPrimeRénov' parcours accompagné
- Auto-consommation: self-consumption of solar electricity; what it means and how the French system works
C
- CEE: Certificats d'Economies d'Energie; the energy supplier subsidy scheme that runs alongside MaPrimeRenov'
- CONSUEL: the body that inspects electrical installations in France; the attestation de conformité it issues is required before Enedis connects the supply
- 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
D
- Déclaration préalable de travaux: the planning notification required before fitting AC units, solar panels, or heat pump outdoor units in visible locations
- Devis: the written quote that is legally binding once you sign it
- DPE: Diagnostic de Performance Energetique; France's energy performance certificate for properties
E
- Éco-PTZ: the zero-interest loan for energy renovation; no income conditions, up to 50,000 EUR, combinable with MaPrimeRenov'
- 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
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: Installateur de Recharge pour Véhicules Électriques; the certification required for EV charging installers and ADVENIR subsidy access
M
- MaPrimeRenov': the French government's main grant for energy-efficiency renovations
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 converts DC from panels into usable AC; types include string, microinverter, and hybrid; typically the first component in a solar system to need replacement
P
- PAC (Pompe a chaleur): the French term for heat pump; what it covers and how the technology works
- PAC hybride: a hybrid system combining a heat pump with a gas boiler under a single control unit
R
- RGE certification: the quality certification contractors need before you can claim most French energy subsidies
V
- VMC: Ventilation Mecanique Controlee; France's standard mechanical ventilation system
More entries are being added. If there's a term you've come across that you'd like explained, send it to us and we'll add it.