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Tertiary sector decree: a lever for optimizing your offices and reducing your energy bills

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Johanna

14/10/2024

Workspaces

Tertiary sector decree: a lever for optimizing your offices and reducing your energy bills

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The tertiary sector decree, also known as the Dispositif Éco Energie Tertiaire (DEET), is a French regulation designed to reduce the energy consumption of tertiary buildings. The tertiary sector accounts for 16% of France's energy consumption in 2021(1), and 7% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions in 2016(2).

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The guiding principle of the tertiary sector decree: to reduce energy consumption by 60% by 2050 - ah, still... Sound unattainable? Don't panic! We've deciphered DEET for you, and given you the keys to turning it into a lever for optimization.

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An overview of the requirements for reducing energy consumption in the tertiary sector decree

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What are the aims of DEET?

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The tertiary decree is officially called "Decree no. 2019-771 of July 23, 2019 on obligations to take action to reduce energy consumption in tertiary buildings" - a bit long to say without catching your breath. The aim of this regulation is to set companies on the path to energy sobriety. This is logical, given that the tertiary sector accounted for 972 million square meters of buildings in 2016, 23% of which were office buildings(2).

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Are your buildings affected?

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This decree applies to tertiary buildings, i.e. offices and shops, as well as buildings used for teaching and health services, for example. Your building must be larger than 1,000 m² to be concerned. This applies to both public and private buildings, whether new or older. It's also important to note that mixed-use buildings, integrating both tertiary activities and other uses, are also subject to these obligations, as long as the tertiary portion exceeds 1,000 m²(3).

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And who is responsible for this? It's up to the owners and occupants of these buildings to get to grips with the issue and gradually reduce their energy consumption.

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So, do the math... are you concerned? If so, here are a few figures to help you get a better idea of what you're aiming for.

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What are the expected reductions in energy consumption?

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The tertiary sector decree sets ambitious reduction targets, to be implemented gradually. The plan is spread over several decades - phew!

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And of course, you won't have the same targets as your neighbor. These are measured as a percentage reduction in energy consumption compared to a reference year (between 2010 and 2019) for your organization. This is laid down in Article 175 of the Elan(4) law. Companies must comply by achieving the following reduction tiers: 40% by 2030, 50% by 2040 and 60% by 2050.

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These objectives can be achieved :

a relative reduction (as a percentage of the reference year)
by reaching an absolute consumption threshold (kWh/m²/year) defined according to the type of building

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Achieving these ambitious targets is not only a challenge, it's also a legal obligation that you can't escape.

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Is the tertiary sector decree an obligation?

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To comply with the decree, companies must lay their cards on the table and declare their energy consumption every year on the OPERAT platform, managed byADEME. OPERAT is like a coach for your energy efficiency efforts. It keeps a close eye on your progress, and makes sure you're on track to meet your targets.

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No cheating! If you don't play by the rules, ADEME will put you back on the right track by imposing sanctions, and not the least of which: hefty fines, or even worse, your name displayed in large letters on the "bad pupils" board. In other words, no one wants to get caught out, do they?

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How does the tertiary sector decree fit in?

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So one might ask: why do businesses and professionals always have to make the effort? In fact, the tertiary decree is part of a broader framework to combat climate change. In France, the building sector accounts for almost 44% of energy consumption and 123 million tonnes of CO₂ emitted every year(5). You'll agree, that's quite a field of action to protect the planet!

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Reducing this energy footprint by public and private establishments is therefore crucial to achieving the carbon neutrality targets set by the 2019 Energy and Climate Law(6).

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You now know the key figures. Let's move on to implementation.

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Actionable ideas for reducing your energy consumption

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You're probably wondering how to integrate these ambitious goals while managing your hybrid workspaces? Here are a few practical ideas to help you get there, without breaking a sweat or spending too much money!

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Start with an energy audit

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The first essential step is to carry out a complete check-up of your building. This energy audit will identify the areas where you are wasting energy unnecessarily. You may even discover that your current energy installation is flawed in terms of heating, air conditioning, lighting and insulation.

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Once you've identified these gaps, you can prioritize the investments that will really save you money in the long term - and get back on the ADEME's radar.

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A considerable bonus: by carrying out this work, you also improve the comfort of your spaces, and your employees will no longer complain that they're hot in summer and cold in winter. Now that's motivation!

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Analyze how your workspaces are used

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If you have a hybrid organization, or are in the process of becoming one, it's crucial to understand how your office space is used: who occupies which spaces, and in what proportions.

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This will reduce the amount of space you need to heat, light or air-condition unnecessarily, saving you money while keeping your energy resources under control. By adapting your real estate strategy to energy issues, you get the double kiss cool effect: greater energy efficiency and optimized use of your premises.

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Train your employees and raise their awareness of energy issues in the workplace

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Your employees are key allies in this quest for energy reduction, as the commitment of the building's occupants is essential. Training your employees and raising their awareness of good energy practices is essential. Organize workshops or awareness-raising campaigns to encourage responsible behavior: turn off lights and equipment not in use, reduce data storage, adapt the office temperature according to the season... These small, practical and pragmatic actions carried out by everyone and accumulated can have a significant impact on overall energy consumption. We are all responsible for taking action in the face of the climate crisis!

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Complying with the tertiary sector decree is not simply a legal obligation. It's an opportunity for companies to boost their energy efficiency, cut costs and strengthen their brand image in terms of sustainable development.

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At Worklib, we firmly believe in the power of this triptych: energy efficiency, flexibility and employee commitment. Now it's your turn!

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Nos sources

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(1) https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/edition-numerique/chiffres-cles-energie-2022/partie2-production-consommation-energie-france-et-monde

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(2) https://www.notre-environnement.gouv.fr/themes/climat/les-emissions-de-gaz-a-effet-de-serre-et-l-empreinte-carbone-ressources/article/les-emissions-des-gaz-a-effet-de-serre-du-secteur-tertiaire

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(3) https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000038812251