Tanguy Desrousseaux, responsible for public sector operations in France at the European Investment Bank, and Benoît Meugniot, CEO of Bordeaux Métropole Énergies (BME), signed today a EUR 37.5 million loan which will enable BME to set in motion the industrialisation phase of the energy-efficiency renovation of buildings for individuals (and companies) wishing to improve their standard of living, cut their energy bill and increase the value of their property. The company will therefore contribute to achieving the objectives of the Metropolitan Area (Métropole), which is committed to reducing its consumption in a sustainable fashion with a view to becoming a positive energy Métropole by 2050. 

Energy-efficiency renovation, particularly on residential buildings, is a major challenge of the region’s energy transition. Of the 350 000 homes in the metropolitan area, 60% were built before the first thermal regulation came into force in 1974. The energy-efficiency renovation work covers the insulation of buildings, upgrading of ventilation systems and improvement of heating and hot water production systems. 

In accordance with the action plan for a region with a high standard of living, BME will offer property owners who are looking to undertake an energy-efficiency renovation project an integrated package consisting of a comprehensive range of services from the design to the implementation of the work, combined with a financial engineering solution mobilising aid and third-party financing. This solution tailored to the project and the property owner’s personal situation will take into account the energy savings generated by the project.

The contribution of the EIB – the EU bank – is essential to guarantee the financing of these operations.  It is part of the programme loan for energy-efficient housing in France (2015-2018), backed by the Juncker Plan, which the EIB is responsible for implementing throughout the EU.  

We are very pleased with this agreement with Bordeaux Métropole Énergies, which reflects the EIB’s strong commitment to helping people, through their local authorities, begin an energy transition that will be beneficial to them at the lowest possible cost,” commented EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “It reflects Europe’s firm resolve to support the fight against global warming.” 

“This partnership with the EIB will enable us to move forward with the practical implementation phase of renovation work in the metropolitan area. This ambitious large-scale rollout strategy relies on the financial aid that BME is now able to provide. In its own way, Bordeaux Métropole Énergies is taking another step forward in achieving the region’s energy transition, assisted by its subsidiaries, which are already operating in the sustainable, renewable and local energy sector,” stated BME’s CEO Benoît Meugniot.