In force since 2006, the Energy Performance Diagnostic (DPE) will undergo a thorough overhaul this summer to make it even more informative and effective.
Mandatory when selling or renting out a property, the Energy Performance Diagnostic (DPE) provides information on the property's energy consumption and environmental impact. Launched almost two years ago, the DPE reform comes into force on July1.
More comprehensive real estate ads
The DPE provides two important pieces of information
- an estimate of the property's annual energy consumption, with a rating from A to G ;
- greenhouse gas emissions, with an A to G rating.
On July1, 2021, the reference scale used to classify buildings will include not only lighting, but also heating, cooling, ventilation and domestic hot water auxiliaries. Consumption will be expressed in primary energy rather than final energy.
Real estate advertisements will have to display, legibly and in color, the energy class and the climate class. The latter will take account of the property's climate zone and altitude.
The new DPE will indicate to the owner the priority energy renovation work to be carried out, and an estimate of the cost of the work. The aim is to encourage homeowners to renovate their properties, notably through the MaPrimeRénov' scheme.
Enhanced value
At present, the DPE is only used for information purposes, but things are changing this summer. From July1, it will be enforceable against third parties. In concrete terms, this means that the tenant or purchaser of the property will be able to take legal action against the real estate diagnostician in the event of a significant discrepancy between the performance observed in use and the DPE assessment. This is the first step towards the obligation to carry out an energy audit before selling a "thermal sieve" (classified F or G) as of January1, 2022.
A variable validity period
The DPE is valid for 10 years. However, this period will be reserved for diagnostics carried out from July1, 2021. Those carried out between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 are now valid until December 31, 2022. For ECDs dated between January1, 2018 and June 30, 2021, the deadline is December 31, 2024.
New energy classes
As of July1, the new way of calculating the DPE changes the energy classes:
- class A: less than 70 kWh/m²/year and 6 kg CO2/m²/year ;
- class B: from 70 to 110 kWh/m²/year and from 6 to 11 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class C: 110 to 180 kWh/m²/year and 11 to 30 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class D: 180 to 250 kWh/m²/year and 30 to 50 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class E: 250 to 330 kWh/m²/year and 50 to 70 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class F: 330 to 420 kWh/m²/year and 70 to 100 kg CO2/m²/year;
- class G: over 420 kWh/m²/year and over 100 kg CO2/m²/year.
Marie-Christine Ménoire