ADEME EPC database: France's official energy source

Every EPC issued in France lands at ADEME. This open dataset is one of the richest in the French market. Here's how it's built, what it really contains, where its limits lie and how BienCheck turns it into an honest read for your target town.

ADEME sourceEPC-Audit ObservatoryOpen dataCross-checked with DVF + Géorisques

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What ADEME does

ADEME is France's ecological transition agency. It doesn't issue EPCs itself, but it centralises and publishes every one issued in the country.

Since July 2021, every EPC signed by a certified surveyor is filed automatically with the EPC-Audit Observatory. Without that filing, the EPC carries no 13-digit number and isn't legally valid.

ADEME publishes the data on data.ademe.fr as open data. Anyone can access it, provided they know how to read it. That's exactly BienCheck's role: turn raw rows into a useful read for a buyer.

How the data is produced

The surveyor visits the home, measures the surfaces, identifies materials, heating and hot-water equipment, then runs the 3CL conventional calculation. The software has to be ADEME-validated.

The final report is filed in real time with the Observatory. It carries the address, surface, build year, energy label, GHG label, numeric consumption and recommended works.

The dataset is updated continuously and versioned. EPCs cancelled since 2021 remain traceable for audit.

Why this dataset changes the game for buyers

Without ADEME's database, you only have the property's own EPC. With it, you compare that property to thousands of others nearby, calibrate a fair price and anticipate works.

When buying

We place the EPC inside the area's real distribution. An E in an F-dominated zone is worth more than an E in a C-dominated zone.

When selling

The seller knows where the home sits in the local market and can argue the price with official numbers, not impressions.

For rental investment

Spot the areas where most of the stock will be caught by climate-law rules. Buying ahead in those areas is a strong signal.

On financing

Lenders increasingly look at the area's average EPC to gauge long-term liquidity. ADEME is their reference.

On insurance

A very energy-hungry local stock can hint at diffuse fire risk picked up by some policies.

On works

You see what other renovations have produced on the same property type. Very useful to calibrate a project.

On resale

A well-rated home in an average area resells better. ADEME data lets us quantify that gap.

Official data BienCheck uses

BienCheck ingests the ADEME EPC dataset and joins it to the INSEE code of the town under analysis. We aggregate three metrics: the local A–G distribution, the median EPC per typology (house / flat) and average use in kWh/sqm/year.

When the address is supplied via the National Address Database (BAN), we refine to the neighbourhood as soon as the local EPC density allows. For small or rural towns we step up to the department to keep the statistics meaningful.

Every Premium report shows this ADEME context plainly. You see exactly where the property sits and the gap to the local median. When the dataset doesn't cover your area well enough, we say so rather than invent a number.

Common mistakes with the dataset

Confusing filed and valid EPCs
A filed EPC can be cancelled later by the surveyor. Always check the latest version on the Observatory.
Comparing a home to the French average
Energy distribution is highly local. A national average means nothing for a Parisian flat or a rural house.
Reading raw rows without cleaning
Input errors remain (surface, label). BienCheck filters outliers before any aggregation.
Assuming every home is in the data
Only properties diagnosed since July 2021 show up. Untouched, non-sold stock is still missing.
Confusing EPC and energy audit
The audit is more detailed and mainly applies to F/G properties for sale. Both coexist in the dataset.

BienCheck reflexes

Always cross-check with the local distribution
The EPC alone says nothing. Its position in the distribution creates value.
Check the 13-digit number
Any valid EPC carries one. No number, no legal weight.
Ask for the numeric consumption
The letter hides the gap. Look at kWh/sqm/year to compare two homes with the same letter.
Separate houses from flats
Their distributions are totally different. Mixing them muddies any analysis.
Track the monthly update
ADEME publishes monthly. A town's distribution can shift fast after a renovation programme.

Buyer questions

Does ADEME really publish every EPC?

Yes, every valid EPC since July 2021. Cancelled or off-method diagnostics aren't counted.

Is the database free?

Yes, open data on data.ademe.fr. But using it cleanly requires de-duplication and joining with BAN addresses.

How many EPCs per town on average?

From a handful in tiny villages to tens of thousands in Paris or Marseille. Density drives statistical reliability.

What do I see in a BienCheck report?

The property's EPC, the town's A–G distribution, the median EPC per typology, and the gap between the property and the local median.

How does ADEME enforce quality?

Certified surveyors, validated software, numbered and versioned EPCs, plus random audits.

Investor questions

How to spot a town where renovation effort will weigh?

Look for towns with a high share of F and G in the dataset. They'll be the most exposed to climate-law deadlines.

Can EPCs be extracted by neighbourhood?

Yes, via BAN geocoding. BienCheck does it in Premium reports whenever density allows.

Does the dataset help estimate works costs?

Indirectly. You can infer typical project scopes, but the final price depends on local quotes.

Is there data on energy certificates (CEE) generated?

Not directly, but cross-checks with other public datasets can estimate an area's CEE potential.

Are new builds in the dataset?

Yes, from their handover EPC. They pull the distribution upward in very recent areas.

Owner questions

Does my EPC appear publicly with my address?

The precise address is anonymised in the open dataset. The exact street isn't published for private homes.

Can I fix a wrong EPC?

Yes, via your surveyor, who can submit a correction. ADEME will keep both versions on record.

Why does history matter?

It proves improvement: if you renovate and reissue an EPC, the gap between versions is traceable and a selling argument.

How long before an EPC appears in open data?

A few days typically. Filing is near real time, public aggregation follows.

Can I use the database to sell?

Yes, it's a great argument: showing your home outperforms 60% of the street opens negotiation on your side.

ADEME and EPC glossary

ADEME: France's environmental transition agency. Publishes the national database of EPC ratings issued since 2021.
EPC (DPE): Energy Performance Certificate. A to G rating measuring a home's energy use and CO₂ emissions. Mandatory for any sale or rental.
GHG (GES): Greenhouse gas emissions of the home in kgCO₂/sqm/year. Shown next to the EPC, also rated A to G.
kWh/sqm/year: Energy use of a home per square metre of heated floor area. The metric the EPC is built on.
EPC surveyor: Certified professional who issues EPCs and other mandatory diagnostics. Certification can be checked on the official registry.
BAN: France's National Address Database. The open, official source of every French address geocoded to GPS coordinates.
INSEE code: 5-character official code assigned by INSEE to every French municipality. Essential to join public datasets.
Energy-leaking home: EPC class F or G. Banned step by step from being rented in France: G in 2025, F in 2028, E in 2034.

ADEME distribution by territory

Dive into the real energy distribution of every French town. ADEME data updated continuously, BienCheck reading that puts it in plain language.

Place your future home in its area

BienCheck cross-checks ADEME, BAN and DVF to give you an honest read on your future purchase.

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