The corporate energy audit, the process that's good for the planet... and your wallet!
In the face of climate disruption, professionals are increasingly subject to measures aimed at changing this paradigm. In particular, they are being urged to question their current ways of doing things, with the aim of producing greener, fairer, more sustainable 🌱.
The corporate energy audit is one of these imperatives. By enabling certain organizations to gain precise knowledge of their consumption, this process helps them to take the necessary measures... and in fine, to save money!
When is an energy audit mandatory? What is its scope? If you're concerned, how do you go about it?
🔎 Follow the guide.
What is a mandatory corporate energy audit?
Through the so-called DDADUE law of July 16, 2013, followed by various successive decrees, legislation provides for a mandatory energy audit to be carried out by companies with more than 250 employees. The aim? To subsequently implement relevant actions aimed at reducing their energy consumption.
The law stipulates that companies must :
- carry out the energy audit in accordance with the requirements of NF EN 16247 standards. In addition, the operation must cover at least 80% of energy bills;
- are ISO 50001 certified for at least 80% of their energy bills. In this case, the audit is not compulsory.
Please also note that the audit report must be filed on a dedicated platform. Although this document is not published, the data it contains may nevertheless be used in statistical studies.
☝️ Warning! Penalties apply in the event of non-compliance. They can amount to up to 2% of sales excluding VAT, and even up to 4% in the event of a repeat offence.
💡 A small vocabulary point to define some of the above notions:
- European standard EN 16247 specifies the requirements and methodology for an effective energy audit, covering all aspects of an organization;
- the international standard ISO 50001 provides a framework for establishing, maintaining and improving an energy management system within companies.
What is the purpose of a corporate energy audit?
The aim of this legislation is to encourage companies to adopt a sustainable development approach that consumes less energy. In this sense, an audit simply enables us to identify areas for improvement, and activities where energy savings can be made.
According to AFNOR, the energy-saving potential identified by the audit is between 20 and 30%. And for the French government, up to 50% of energy savings can be achieved for building-related consumption.
So, not only is the audit good for the environment... it also helps generate significant financial gains for the companies concerned! Indeed, less energy expenditure means less expenditure altogether. Interesting, isn't it 😀?
💡 In fact, many companies involved in this improvement process choose to carry out a carbon footprint at the same time, whether out of obligation or conviction. What's more, this approach has become particularly accessible thanks to the development of solutions such as Carbo, which simplify data collection and analysis, and then propose an appropriate action plan.
Who is affected by the mandatory energy audit?
This obligation applies to companies with :
- 250 employees or more ;
- sales and balance sheet in excess of €50 million and €43 million respectively .
This is why it's also referred to as a regulatory energy audit for large companies, since VSEs and SMEs are not concerned.
🔎 Other rules to know :
- Once an organization has exceeded one of the above thresholds, it has six months in which to carry out its energy audit.
- When a company has just been set up, it has the option of waiting for the first two financial years before starting the process.
- The energy audit must be renewed every four years. For example, if you carried it out in January 2023, you will need to carry out the operation again in January 2027.
💡 As a reminder, organizations that demonstrate ISO 50001 compliance on more than 80% of their invoices are not concerned. In fact, they are simply already in an improvement process.
Who can carry out an energy audit?
The energy audit can be carried out by an external service provider, or even by an in-house employee, as long as he or she has the required skills and qualifications.
More specifically, they must hold a quality mark issued by a COFRAC-accredited body authorized to carry out energy audits.
👉 Examples include AFNOR and OPQIBI.
💡 As part of the internalization of the audit, you obviously have the opportunity to train. By way of illustration, AFNOR delivers the following three training courses:
- Transport energy audit ;
- Building energy audit;
- Industrial energy audit.
What are the three main stages of an energy audit?
Stage 1: Data collection
To begin with, define the scope of the audit and its objective.
Then comes the data collection phase, essential to understanding the company's energy context. This involves gathering detailed information on :
- energy consumption;
- building characteristics;
- equipment used;
- processes in place.
💡 To do this work, base yourself on energy bills and consumption records, and carry out site visits in parallel to complete the information gathered.
Step 2: Analysis and diagnosis
Once the data has been collected, it's time for the diagnosis!
Here, the auditor uses modeling tools and analysis methods to assess the energy performance of the company's facilities and activities.
This will reveal concrete avenues for improvement, such as optimizing heating systems, improving insulation or upgrading equipment.
Stage 3: Drawing up the report
The final stage of the energy audit is the drafting of a detailed report, summarizing the results of the analysis and the associated action plan for improving efficiency.
This report must be forwarded to the authorities, as we shall now see.
Which platform can I use to submit my company's energy audit?
There is a platform managed by ADEME for collecting company energy audits.
☝️ You must use this platform to submit your report.
The file submitted must include a certain amount of information, as mentioned on the ADEME website. If you encounter any problems, please do not hesitate to contact support at support.audit-energie@ademe.fr.
How much does an energy audit cost?
The cost of an energy audit varies considerably depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the company, the complexity of the installations and the service provider chosen.
However, for a small or medium-sized company, the audit can cost up to €10,000. For large groups or industrial sites, this figure easily exceeds €50,000, and even reaches over €100,000 in some highly complex cases.
😀But the good news is that it is possible to obtain aid from ADEME, which then finances:
- 50% of the amount for large organizations ;
- 60% for medium-sized companies;
- 70% for VSEs and SMEs.
Total assistance is capped at €100,000.
What are the key points of a corporate energy audit?
For many companies, a corporate energy audit is a legal obligation. If you're one of them, make sure you keep to the rules, because if you don't, watch out for the penalties!
But don't worry, this nebulous process can be handled by experts. And when it comes to financing, there's help available too 😉.
We also recommend that you make this audit part of an overall improvement process, and therefore include other analyses such as a carbon footprint (simplified thanks to dedicated software!). In this way, you'll be sure to make the right choices in every respect, those of sustainability 🌏.
Article translated from French