s part of the Transformative Actions Program (TAP), the Nord-Pas de Calais Region has applied for a vast housing refurbishment plan with an environmental, energy efficiency slant: the 100,000 Houses Plan, a model Third Industrial Revolution (TIR) project.

There are 1,750,000 individual and collective houses in the Nord-Pas de Calais. 20% are managed by social housing organizations and 80% are privately owned. Over 65% of these houses date from before 1975 and 80% from before 1990 – before the first thermal regulations were introduced. This housing is poorly insulated, costly to heat and emits considerable amounts of greenhouse gases, while affording relatively little sanitary comfort. An increasing number of households (1 in 4) are thus in a precarious situation energy-wise.

In response to this situation, the Nord-Pas de Calais Region has set up a regional plan for environmental and low-energy housing refurbishment, with the aim of achieving low-energy buildings (less than 104kWh/sq.m/year). This contributes actively to reaching “Factor 4” in the region, as well as creating/maintaining thousands of jobs locally.

Launched in 2010, this plan utilizes many local, regional and national partnerships, (especially with the territories involved in the project), builders and bankers. It develops tools for energy audits, trainings and monitoring work progress. Since 2010, 5,000 in-depth energy audits have been conducted and 80% of home-owners have subsequently embarked on renovation work. This plan is up and running, albeit slowly, especially for landlords in tight financial situations, given the traditional funding methods (subsidies, tax breaks etc.). It thus calls for innovative tools to reach its aims by 2050.

Mass energy efficiency housing retrofits will be achieved by way of a third-party regional investor to fund refurbishment for families. Reimbursement will be possible via the energy it saves. This operator is now being set up, aiming to be up and running by 2016.

The aim is for this operator to gradually scale up to renovate 1,400,000 homes in Nord-Pas de Calais by 2050. With the forging of partnerships and marshalling of resources, the current pace of refurbishment in terms of energy impact is around 12,500 homes per year, which is insufficient given the aim of 1,400,000 homes renovated by 2050. To achieve this aim, the Nord-Pas de Calais Region has launched a tender for more partners and backers to take part in this third-party funding tool and thus take up the challenge.

Aim for 2050: 1,400,000 homes renovated, i.e. for the duration of the project, savings of 4,815,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, a reduction of 11% of GHG emissions in Nord-Pas de Calais compared to the current situation.

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The 100,000 Houses project in Nord-pas de Calais is an example of a well-developed Transformative Actions Program (TAP) project application. Is your city implementing a transformative action? Submit it to the TAP!

Upcoming TAP application deadlines:

Second round of applications finishes on 15 July 2015
The last round of applications finishes on 15 August 2015
No applications will be accepted after 15 September 2015

Learn more and apply at www.tap-potential.org