Energy renovation: how the Éco-PTZ can transform your property project

You are afraid of making mistakes, of paying too much, of not having the right application.

Yet in some cases, there are levers to turn a purchase into a great deal and unlock properties you had until now thought were out of reach.

With our mortgage broker partner OlistO, we absolutely wanted to tell you today about a major lever: the Éco-Prêt à Taux Zéro (Éco-PTZ).

Understanding what’s at stake in energy renovation and how to take advantage of it

If you are interested in or looking for a property, there is no way you have missed this subject. It is a hot topic in the sector and, since 2021, regulations have been tightening the rules on the sale and letting of energy sieves. Want to find out more about what an energy sieve is? We tell you everything in this article.

Why these new regulations on energy sieves?

The overall objective: to renovate the French housing stock. Homes considered energy-hungry are in the spotlight, with letting bans and constraints on sale. For example, a house rated F or G on its EPC is required to provide an energy audit in order to complete the signing at the notary’s office.

These rules are shaking up the market. Inevitably, a property with a poor energy rating may see its value fall: an obligation to renovate, to insulate. The works can often be substantial and the overall bill can soar.

The banks are getting involved and looking at the EPC rating of the property in question

Your bank is ready to finance you, but will have a say over the property you are targeting.

That’s right, financing an energy sieve also means financing a property that consumes energy, loses value and pollutes more. Bad for your bank branch’s CSR report! You no longer have a choice: you will have to think about the renovation plan.

Financing energy renovations, the key to your project with the Éco-PTZ

Energy sieves losing value, banks that no longer finance them, mandatory renovations… You might think it sounds like a nightmare, which is why we are going to take a closer look at the opportunities this brings.

Financing energy renovation works: what is the interest-free eco-loan?

Good news: the renovation works will be included in your bank loan, but you will not pay any interest! It is an interest-free loan to help you renovate the French housing stock. The interest not collected by the bank is then funded in the form of a tax credit granted by the State to the lending institution.

Who is eligible for an Éco-PTZ?

Contrary to other financial products that are only granted under strict conditions, whether income requirements or first-time-buyer status for example, the Éco-PTZ is fairly flexible and is easily available whether you are:

• Owner-occupiers
• Landlords (a home let as a main residence)
• Co-ownership associations
• Non-corporation-tax-liable civil companies with at least one individual partner

No income conditions are required.

Ultimately, it is above all the home that will be examined to ensure that the Éco-PTZ is worthwhile and contributes to renovating properties deemed too energy-hungry.

The home must be a dwelling whose construction was completed more than 2 years before the start date of the works, declared as a main residence, and located in mainland France or overseas territories.

What works can be covered by an Éco-PTZ?

There are two key points to remember to avoid any nasty surprises when applying for your Éco-Prêt à Taux Zéro.

Firstly, the works must be carried out by an RGE-certified company (Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement). You cannot claim to carry out the works yourself or use a company other than the one holding the certification.

Secondly, the works in question must fall within the following categories:

• Roof insulation (loft, sloping ceilings)
• External wall insulation
• Replacing windows (single glazing)
• Insulation of lower floors
• Installation/replacement of heating or domestic hot water systems
• Equipment using renewable energy (heat pump, solar panels, pellet boiler)
• Controlled mechanical ventilation (heat-recovery/double-flow ventilation unit)

So it will not be possible to redo your dream bathroom and install that magnificent kitchen using an Éco-PTZ. Shame!

Also eligible are:

• Whole-house renovation works (energy gain of at least 35 %)
• Works eligible for MaPrimeRénov’
• The refurbishment of non-collective sanitation systems

Good to know: since 1 January 2025, fossil-fuel boilers (particularly gas) are no longer eligible for the Éco-PTZ for individual homes.

What are the maximum amounts granted with the Éco-PTZ?

The total amount of Éco-PTZ loans granted for a single home cannot exceed €50,000, even if several loans are taken out.

Type of works	Maximum amount
Replacing windows	€7,000
Non-collective sanitation refurbishment	€10,000
A single action (excluding windows)	€15,000
Two eligible actions	€25,000
Three or more actions	€30,000
Whole-house renovation or combined with MaPrimeRénov’	€50,000

What is the term of an Éco-PTZ?

The term granted by banks can vary according to 2 criteria:

• Up to 15 years for most works
• Up to 20 years for whole-house renovations or works combined with MaPrimeRénov’

How to obtain an Éco-PTZ in 2026?

Do you have a good idea of what an Éco-PTZ is and are you starting to want to put together an application? We advise you to prepare thoroughly!

Start with the EPC: know your property’s rating

Whether you already own a property or are looking for one, the starting point has to be the Energy Performance Certificate. Indeed, it will be difficult to justify your need for funding for a property rated A or B. The works would not represent a major improvement in the home’s energy consumption and, moreover, as you will have read, this scheme primarily targets energy sieves with the aim of renovating the French housing stock.

Good to know: some banks will grant you an Éco-PTZ on the condition that you have a renovation plan that will allow the home to move up by a minimum of 3 energy classes. For example, going from an EPC rating of G to D. Hence the importance of then preparing an energy audit or a projected EPC to demonstrate that your works strategy is the right one.

The energy audit to list the works and provide several scenarios

The energy audit is a formidable tool in banks’ decision-making on Éco-PTZ loans. Far more comprehensive than an EPC, the energy audit is based on the property’s main areas of heat loss and then examines realistic, costed works scenarios, allowing you to compare how your home’s energy class changes under a single-measure or a whole-house renovation.

With this information, even for the purchase of a property categorised as an energy sieve, the bank can consider the loan more easily, being confident that the energy renovation will meet the requirements of the 2021 climate act.

The projected EPC for simpler renovations

The projected EPC gives banks a clearer picture of your works strategy. Indeed, this document is a copy of a standard EPC while incorporating the projection of the works you are planning. That way, you get the final rating you will obtain after carrying out your works.

Compared with the energy audit, here it is up to you to propose the various works scenarios you are considering having carried out. It is quicker to obtain because the surveyor does not visit; they take the data from your current EPC and simply apply the changes based on the quotes you provide, giving you an unofficial document showing your new rating.

💡 Good to know: the projected EPC is considered an unofficial document because it is not submitted to ADEME. Nor does it carry an ADEME number, unlike an official EPC. To make the projected EPC official, a visit from a certified surveyor is required and a full new analysis of the home will be carried out.

Warning: conditions for presenting works scenarios can vary from one bank to another. Some are satisfied with a projected EPC, while others require an energy audit. Remember to check carefully with your branch before starting to prepare the documents.

The Éco-PTZ, a lever that can change your property project.

Yes, the Éco-PTZ can be a lever for your project. We often carry out energy audits with our RGE-certified company RITMOAudit. And this is a chance to introduce OlistO, our trusted partner in mortgage broking, and to share a success story from our partnership.

A couple with two children who had been living in a flat for far too long really wanted to take the plunge and buy a house. Their dream: a characterful house with a quiet garden in the area around Saint-Lô in the Manche.

After months of searching, they found the rare gem: a magnificent house built in local stone, nestled on the heights of Baudre. Space, charm, a huge plot of land. It was love at first sight.

While preparing the bank application, a problem. The house had not been lived in for a long time. The former owners had removed the dilapidated heating system and never replaced it.

Legal consequence: without a fixed heating system, it is impossible to carry out a standard EPC. You end up with what is known as a “blank EPC”.

For the bank, this set off alarm bells. Without an energy label, it is impossible to assess the property’s future value or the family’s “energy” budget. The loan application is blocked. Marc and Julie’s dream is slipping away.

This is where OlistO’s role really comes into its own. They did not stop at the bank’s “no”. They called on RITMOAudit to carry out an energy audit.

Thanks to this audit, we were able to analyse:

• A thermal study of the stone walls.
• An analysis of the loft insulation.
• A calculation of the heat loss through the old joinery.
• The creation of a works scenario with the installation of a heating system suited to the building’s energy needs

The result: a detailed report precisely costing what the house needed to go from a theoretical “energy sieve” to a home rated B or C.

Thanks to the cost of the works recommended by RITMOAudit’s audit (insulation, heat pump, heat-recovery ventilation), OlistO was able to put together an interest-free loan application.

By including these energy renovation works in the overall loan, the couple obtained:

1. Subsidised financing: a significant portion of their loan at 0%, boosting their borrowing capacity.
2. Guaranteed comfort: the certainty of moving into a healthy and economical home.
3. Bank approval: reassured by RITMOAudit’s technical expertise and the financing structure, the bank gave the green light in less than 15 days.

“We thought the lack of heating was a dead end. In reality, thanks to the audit and the PTZ, it became our greatest opportunity to have a modern home within an old shell.” – Happy new owner of a charming house in Saint-Lô.

Our advice: as with the couple above, getting the right advice from professionals such as OlistO’s brokers can completely change the game for your project. A significant time saving, a gain in borrowing capacity and, above all, solutions to the problems where many people find themselves stuck and abandon a project.

Our summary of the Éco-PTZ

• An interest-free loan granted by banks of up to 50,000 euros over 15 years for energy renovation works on properties considered to be energy sieves.
• No income conditions; it is the property in question that determines whether the loan is granted. (While of course keeping an eye on your borrowing capacity.)
• An energy audit or a projected EPC are the major assets for properly preparing your Éco-PTZ application
• Energy renovation works must be carried out by RGE-certified tradespeople.
• Going through a broker to help you carry out your project will give you precise advice from experienced professionals.