The corporate energy audit, the process that's good for the planet... and your wallet!
Faced with 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 something that is greener, fairer and more sustainable 🌱.
The corporate energy audit is one of these imperatives. By enabling certain organisations to find out exactly what they consume, this process helps them to take the necessary measures... and ultimately, to make savings!
When is an energy audit compulsory? What is its scope? If you are concerned, how do you go about it?
🔎 Follow the guide.
What is a mandatory company energy audit?
Through the so-called DDADUE Act of 16 July 2013, and then the various successive decrees, the legislation provides for a compulsory energy audit to be carried out for companies with more than 250 employees. The aim of the audit? To put in place appropriate measures to reduce their energy consumption.
The law stipulates that the companies concerned 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.
It should also be noted that the audit report must be submitted on a special platform. Although this document is not published, the data it contains may nevertheless be used in statistical studies.
☝️ Warning! There are penalties for 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 quick vocabulary point to define some of the above concepts:
- European standard EN 16247 specifies the requirements and methodology to be followed in order to carry out an effective energy audit, covering all aspects of an organisation ;
- 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 company 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 is simply a way of identifying areas for improvement and activities where energy savings can be made.
According to AFNOR, the potential energy savings identified through the audit are between 20% and 30%. And according to the government, up to 50% of energy savings can be made on the building-related part of consumption.
So the audit is good for the environment... but it also helps to generate significant financial gains for the companies concerned! In fact, less expenditure on energy rhymes with less expenditure altogether. Interesting, isn't it 😀 ?
💡 What's more, many companies involved in this improvement process choose to carry out a carbon audit 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 that, for their last two financial years, had :
- 250 employees or more ;
- sales in excess of €50m and balance sheet total in excess of €43m.
This is why it is also referred to as a regulatory energy audit for large companies, as VSEs and SMEs are not affected.
🔎 Other rules to be aware of :
- Once an organisation 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 have to carry it out again in January 2027.
💡 As a reminder, organisations that can demonstrate compliance with the ISO 50001 standard on more than 80% of their invoices are not affected. In fact, they are quite 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 internal employee, as long as they have the required skills and qualifications.
More specifically, they must hold a quality mark issued by a COFRAC-accredited body authorised to carry out energy audits.
👉 This could be AFNOR or OPQIBI, for example.
💡 As part of the audit internalisation process, you obviously have the opportunity to take training. For example, AFNOR offers the following three training courses:
- Transport energy audit ;
- Building energy audit;
- Industrial energy audit.
What are the three main stages in an energy audit?
Stage 1: Data collection
To begin with, define the scope of the audit and its objective.
This is followed by the data collection phase, which is essential for understanding the company's energy context. This involves gathering detailed information on :
- energy consumption
- building characteristics
- the equipment used
- the processes in place.
💡 To do this work, base yourself on energy bills and consumption records, and at the same time carry out site visits to supplement the information gathered.
Stage 2: analysis and diagnosis
Once the data has been collected, it's time for the diagnosis!
Here, the auditor uses modelling tools and analysis methods to assess the energy performance of the company's installations and activities.
This will give rise to concrete areas for improvement, such as optimising 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, summarising the results of the analysis and the associated action plan for improving efficiency.
This report must be sent to the authorities, as we shall now see.
What platform can I use to submit my company's energy audit?
There is a platform for collecting company energy audits managed by ADEME.
☝️ 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 have any problems, don't 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 business, the cost of the audit can be as much as €10,000. For large groups or major industrial sites, this figure easily exceeds €50,000, or even reaches more than €100,000 in some very 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 organisations ;
- 60% for medium-sized companies ;
- 70% for VSEs and SMEs.
The total amount of aid is capped at €100,000.
What are the key points of a company energy audit?
A company energy audit is a legal requirement for many organisations. If you are 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 funding, there's help available too 😉.
We also recommend that you make this audit part of an overall improvement approach, and therefore plan for other analyses such as the carbon footprint (simplified thanks to dedicated software!). That way, you can be sure you're making the right choices in every respect, those of sustainability 🌏.
Article translated from French