In France, the target set by the “Grenelle de l’Environnement” was to use 23% of renewable energy sources by 2020.

New buildings (including individual houses/joined houses) that were to fall within the scope of the RT 2012 had to use, as a matter of principle, at least one renewable energy source and comply with different construction and technical rules set forth under the different decrees (“décrets”) and orders (“arrêtés”) implementing the RT 2012.

These decrees and orders also specified the performance requirements for dwellings in the case of replacing or installing renewable energy sources (e.g., wood-burning heaters, stoves, etc.). To promote this initiative, financial aid and tax reduction schemes were created.

France also created public regional entities, such as the Energy Info Spaces in 2001, with the purpose of advising private householders on energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.

Through the enactment of the “Loi de Transition Energétique” on 17 August 2015, France set up ambitious targets, namely (i) 40% less GHG emissions in 2030, compared to its 1990 levels, (ii) 30% less fossil fuel consumption in 2030, compared to 2012, (iii) an increase in the share of renewable energies to 32% of final energy consumption by 2030 and to 40% of electricity production, and (iv) a reduction in final energy consumption by 50% in 2050, compared to its 2012 levels.

More recently, the “Loi Climat et Résilience” requires certain buildings to incorporate energy production systems, green roofs or any other equivalent process into their roofs and requires certain outdoor car parks to have half of their surface area shaded by solar panels or green roofs.