The secret? A well-prepared site, precise choices and mobilized assistance. An approach that can be reproduced in many homes throughout France.
Patricia has lived since 2006, in Manche, in Coutances, in a house from the 1950s. Over time, an idea quickly emerged: take advantage of a renovation planned to improve energy performance. “We said to ourselves that this was an opportunity to review the insulation. Not that the house was a thermal sieve, but we saw that there were points to improve and we wanted to save on our energy consumption while making an ecological gesture”, she tells Manche Mag’ magazine. The project then takes shape gradually, with a clear desire: to carry out useful work, which will have a real impact on consumption.
To move forward, Patricia relies on support: “Throughout our project, we were accompanied by Erwan des Sept Vents.” Structures like Les Sept Vents du Cotentin or their equivalents elsewhere in France make it possible to frame the stages, prioritize the work and better understand the assistance available. Moreover, this question of financing quickly comes to the table. “It’s not easy to navigate the different financial aid”she laments. In the end, out of a budget of 82,000 euros, 30,000 euros will have been covered, including more than 10,000 euros via aid from the Manche department. This type of local support exists in many territories and can be supplemented by national aid, thus making this type of project accessible in very varied contexts.
The project starts in January 2022 and extends over several months. Patricia explains: “Ten months of work were necessary, juggling between the details to be resolved on the site, the monitoring of subsidies and payments.” An organization that takes time. “A project like this requires a lot of time and energy. You have to be motivated and well supported”she specifies. Once the work is completed, Patricia quickly notices the effects: “Aesthetically, the house is much more beautiful from the outside and we have gained in comfort. And above all, we have made real savings on our consumption.” The figures actually confirm this development: consumption increases from 32,000 kWh to 14,500 kWh per year, “and this, from the first year”.
So what is this renovation so effective? The work carried out at Patricia combines the insulation of the walls from the outside, that of the attic, the replacement of several windows and the insulation of the garage ceiling. An approach to act on the main sources of heat loss and achieve a rapid and lasting reduction in energy consumption.
Note, however, that the materials used also played a determining role. In fact, these were made with wood wool and panels made of hemp, cotton and linen. Materials with a higher density than traditional insulators, allowing heat to be better retained in winter and slowed down in summer. They also manage humidity better. In short, today, these solutions are available everywhere in France and can be integrated into numerous projects. To remember.
