The Tertiary Decree (or Éco Énergie Tertiaire scheme, a French energy-reduction regulation) requires a progressive reduction in the energy consumption of commercial buildings over 1,000 m². The deadlines are ambitious: -40% by 2030, -50% by 2040 and -60% by 2050 compared with a reference year.
Who is affected?
- • All commercial buildings > 1,000 m²: offices, retail, hotels, hospitals, education, etc.
- • Owners AND tenants are jointly responsible for reporting on the OPERAT platform.
- • New buildings delivered after 2020 must achieve an absolute threshold (Cabs) in kWh/m²/year.
The most effective HVAC actions
- • Re-commissioning: restoring systems to their original performance level (10 to 20% savings without major investment).
- • Control optimisation: adjusting setpoints, time schedules and heating curves.
- • Replacing boilers with heat pumps: an immediate gain on Cep thanks to the primary energy conversion factor.
- • Installing a class B BMS: smart control, weather anticipation, peak shaving.
- • Improving ventilation: heat recovery, free cooling, EC (Electronically Commutated) fans.
- • Zone metering: identifying the biggest consumers and targeting reduction measures.
The OPERAT platform
OPERAT is the ADEME platform where obligated parties report their annual energy consumption. It tracks progress towards the targets and awards the Éco Énergie Tertiaire rating (from 'green leaf' to 'grey leaf'). The first declaration was due by 30 September 2022.
Re-commissioning is often the most cost-effective action: it only costs the commissioning engineer's fee and delivers immediate savings. It is the first thing to do before investing in new equipment.