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
• 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
• Dommage-ouvrage insurance: the policy an owner must take out before a structural renovation or new build starts, so décennale-type damage gets repaired without waiting for a liability ruling
• 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

• 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
• 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
• Permis de construire: the full building permit, required once an extension passes 40 m² or the house goes past 150 m² of floor area

R

• RGE certification: the quality certification contractors need before you can claim most French energy subsidies

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

V

• VMC: Ventilation Mecanique Controlee; France's standard mechanical ventilation system