Energy renovation in Paris: upgrade your apartment's DPE rating

What is the DPE, and why does it matter for Paris property?

The DPE (diagnostic de performance énergétique) is France's mandatory energy performance certificate. It grades every home from A to G based on energy use and carbon emissions. You need a valid DPE to sell or let, and since a 2021 reform it is legally binding: buyers and tenants can rely on it, and it now decides whether you are allowed to let the property at all.

Much of Paris was built before 1948. Haussmann-era stone buildings with original single glazing and old electric heaters are exactly the apartments that tend to score F or G. Small studios and pieds-à-terre are hit hard too, because fixed loads such as hot water and ventilation are divided over very few square metres.

Landlords: the timeline for rental bans

Under France's 2021 Climate and Resilience Act, the least efficient homes are being phased out of the rental market. Below the threshold, a property no longer counts as "decent" housing. You cannot sign a new lease or renew an existing one, and a sitting tenant can demand that you bring it up to standard.

The dates below apply to mainland France. If you live abroad and let your Paris apartment, planning ahead lets you schedule the work between tenancies instead of under pressure.

1. Aug 2022Rent freeze on F and G homes: no increase on a new tenancy or a renewal.
2. 2025All G-rated homes are banned from new lettings.
3. 2028F-rated homes are banned as well.
4. 2034E-rated homes are banned from new lettings.

Owner-occupiers and investors: comfort, bills and resale value

Even if you never let, the energy label appears on every sales listing. Buyers factor it into their offer and price in the work themselves, so an F or G becomes a bargaining chip against you. Improving the rating before you sell takes that argument off the table.

Day to day, you notice the difference straight away: no cold draughts by the windows, even warmth from room to room, less condensation, and a cooler top-floor apartment in summer.

From F or G to D or C: the work that moves the needle

There is no one-size-fits-all fix. The order of works matters as much as the works themselves: insulate without ventilating and you get damp; upgrade the heating without insulating and you are heating the street. We start from your current DPE, find where you lose the most points, and propose a step-by-step plan.

• Internal insulation of external walls, using slim or bio-based materials suited to old buildings, with cornicing and mouldings reinstated
• Windows: high-performance double glazing in timber frames matching the original design, or restoration and secondary glazing of the existing ones
• Heating: efficient electric radiators with room-by-room controls, a heat pump or a connection, depending on what the building allows
• Ventilation: humidity-controlled mechanical ventilation that refreshes the air without wasting heat
• Hot water: replacing an inefficient tank with a heat-pump or properly sized water heater
• Top or ground floor: insulating the ceiling under the roof space or the floor above the cellar

Period buildings and co-ownership rules

Most Paris apartments sit in a copropriété (co-owned building), so not every decision is yours alone. Windows and the look of the façade fall under the co-ownership rules and usually need a planning declaration at the town hall. In protected areas, the Architecte des Bâtiments de France (the state heritage architect) must also approve. We prepare the paperwork for the building manager (syndic) and the owners' general meeting.

Inside, every centimetre counts. We choose solutions that keep your floor area, parquet and period details intact, and the site follows the building's working hours and noise rules, with the common parts and the lift protected.

How we work, from your current DPE to a new one

One team and one point of contact, from the first visit to handover. That makes it easy to manage even if you are not in Paris.

1. 1Review of your current DPE (or energy audit, if you have one) and an on-site technical visit
2. 2A prioritised plan and a line-by-line quote, free and sent within 24 working hours
3. 3Applications to the co-ownership and the town hall where required
4. 4Works carried out by our own teams, with every trade coordinated
5. 5A new DPE issued by an independent certified assessor of your choice

Grants and subsidies: check before you sign

French schemes such as MaPrimeRénov', energy-saving certificates (CEE) and the zero-interest eco-loan (éco-PTZ) can reduce the cost of the work. Their rules change often, eligibility can depend on your residence and tax status, and most require a contractor holding the RGE label for the relevant works. Ask us before signing whether your project can qualify with us, and check your entitlement on the official France Rénov' website. We will never promise you a grant we cannot guarantee.