The Vouillé-Brancion Residence, a comprehensive energy renovation of a condominium
About this good practice
In the heart of the Parisian metropolis, in the 15th district, a condominium comprising two buildings (133 units) has been renovated. This project involved both a thermal renovation and an energy-producing experiment. The Paris Climate Agency has supported this project from its earliest beginnings right through to completion.
The thermal renovation included the insulation of the external envelope (roofs, facades and balconies) and the internal heating infrastructures. Concerning the energy-producing experiment, work has been carried out on the roofs, planting part of them and installing photovoltaic panels on the other part.
The Paris Climate Agency has been helping co-owners with their energy renovation project. The co-owners then commissioned a design engineer and an architect:
• Assistant to the project owner: ReeZOME;
• Architect: Groupe A&M;
to provide the best possible framework for this project.
The installation of photovoltaic panels on this condominium is a real success. With 164 modules spread over 272 m², the project makes the most of a plot of land that was previously unused.
The installed capacity (47kWp) will produce between 45 MWh and 55 MWh per year, equivalent to the average annual consumption of around fifty representative households.
Finally, it took time and dedication from the co-owners of the condominium. The energy audit started in April 2012 and the final delivery was in October 2017, more than five years after the project began.
Resources needed
Regarding the financial aspect of the project, some figures to keep in mind:
• 22 900 euros/unit;
• In total, the project cost more than 3 052 000 euros, of which 699 000 euros were covered by subsidies.
Taken together, these efforts have resulted in a €50,000 reduction in energy costs.
Evidence of success
With a significant reduction in energy consumption, from 169 kWhPE/m².an to 76 kWhPE/m².an, the building enters the classification Low-Energy Building which is a massive step towards energy conservation. Therefore, the greenhouse gas emissions have been divided by 2.5.
This building has since been awarded:
- Special Award from the Trophées Coach Copro 2019;
- Grand Prize Sustainable Renovation from Green Solutions Awards 2019.
Potential for learning or transfer
Replicability is not the main source of takeaway from this GP, transfer of knowledge is. First of all, this project demonstrates the capacity for comprehensive renovation in a dense urban context.
The polymorphic appearance of the project requires upstream work to propose a project in line with the owners' desires and the building's technical possibilities. Surrounding the condominium with varied, specialized teams is one of the keys to success, while financial support for institutional structures is another.