On social networks, a map showing the annual energy consumption of Parisian homes has been widely shared. Western Paris, where a population with a higher level of income is concentrated, has the highest annual consumption of gas, electricity and district heating, according to this map. “The ultra-rich are the most polluters and those who do the least for energy sobriety”, protests a page on Instagram, in a publication liked nearly 11,000 times.
However, comments are surprised by these data, believe that it is a “shortcut” or that it is “not very representative of the consumption of the French”.
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Where does this card come from? It is taken from a note written in June 2022 by the Atelier parisien d’urbanisme (Apur), an association bringing together 29 partners, mainly institutional such as the City of Paris, the prefecture of the Ile-de-France region or the metropolis. of Greater Paris. The objective of the note was first to present the challenges of the energy renovation of housing.
Contacted, Apur tells us that the map was produced using actual energy consumption data (electricity, gas, heating network) provided by Enedis, RTE, GRDF, GRDgaz and the Parisian urban heating company (CPCU ), based on the Iris grid, i.e. an INSEE statistical breakdown of 2,000 inhabitants, here on the residential sector in Paris in 2020. These data were cross-referenced with the latest population census , carried out by INSEE and dating from 2018. The result is expressed in final energy (invoiced consumption) and not in primary energy (the energy produced for this purpose including losses linked to transport).
A superior housing surface
Apur estimates, based on a sample of buildings, that the average consumption of a Parisian with a higher level of income (more than 42,220 euros per year and per consumption unit) is around 7,000 kWh compared to around 4,000 kWh for a Parisian with an average or lower income (less than 31,665 euros per year and per consumption unit).
If the Apur maintains that there is indeed a correlation between the level of energy consumption and the level of income, the interpretation of this information deserves some nuances. The association explains it “mainly by the surface area of housing available per inhabitant”, which is higher for more affluent populations: “More surface area to be heated implies higher energy consumption”, she specifies. “And, she adds, perhaps also through uses and/or levels of comfort that consume more energy. This wording is more cautious, because the data on this map does not allow us to state this with certainty.
Several parameters to take into account
To compare the energy consumption of dwellings, “several parameters must be taken into account: the surface area of the dwelling, the year of construction, the energy class, the number of people living in this dwelling, the level of insulation, the number of electrical appliances used and their level of performance, details the Cler, network for energy transition. Without taking into account and finely analyzing all of these parameters, it is difficult to draw conclusions. »
Last point of comparison: in Ile-de-France, a Parisian consumes on average around 5,400 kWh of final energy per year compared to 6,400 kWh for a Parisian and 9,000 KWh for a Parisian residing in a single-family house. “The preponderance of collective housing, the strong compactness of the Parisian urban form as well as the heat island effects explain the moderate level observed in Paris”, indicates Apur.