Between dwindling natural resources and the ever-increasing price of living, reducing energy consumption has become a necessity. After passive houses, which maintain a constant temperature all year round by combining good insulation, favorable exposure and double-flow ventilation, ecological construction takes it to the next level with positive-energy buildings which, as their name is. indicates, produce more energy than they consume.
As of this year, the Thermal Regulation 20 will impose this model, while the Hexagon currently has only around 200 projects.
The characteristics of a BEPOS
To achieve this objective of a positive energy balance, a house must first use the main principles of so-called passive houses: intelligent architectural design, low carbon footprint, sustainable building materials, even biodegradable, maximum limitation of heat loss, solar protection, recovery and optimization of rainwater… This residence will also need to be equipped with means of renewable energy production: photovoltaic panels, wind generator, radiant floor or even heat pump.
The eco-responsible behavior of residents, who must be sober in their energy consumption and the use of household appliances, is also crucial.
A source of energy
While the technologies in this area are still often at the experimental stage, owning an “intelligent” interior will soon be available to the general public. In a few years from now, the walls, furniture or the water heater will be able to generate energy and power lighting or even household appliances. British researchers from Imperial College London have notably developed a wallpaper made of microalgae capable of producing small amounts of electricity using light. Korean scientists have developed a prototype thermoelectric paint, which converts heat into energy.
Solar furniture is also popular: in Brooklyn, the UM design studio of François Chambard unveiled last April a line of very pop-style furniture called “Patch”, made up of cabinets, chests of drawers or even benches functioning as mini power plants. Finally, the French company SAUTER has just marketed a thermodynamic water heater called "Pagosa", which heats water using an aerothermal process, ie thanks to the calories naturally present in the ambient air. The result: 70% savings in electricity on a device that is usually the primary source of household energy consumption.
The advantages of a positive energy building
BEPOSs offer living comfort by maintaining a constant temperature throughout the year in the home, a point all the more important as climate change risks causing more extreme seasons, with colder winters and hotter summers. .
On the financial side, the construction of a positive energy house is about 10% to 20% more expensive than a traditional house, but you can benefit from public assistance such as the zero-rate eco-loan and the tax credit. to the energy transition, not to mention the long-term electricity savings. And this type of bioclimatic building generates a very low environmental impact. Downside: some energy-producing technologies are not yet commercially available, even if the strong demand from individuals and public authorities should allow relatively quick time to market.
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