“
19 degrees
” is the maximum temperature to which all corporate offices in France could be heated this winter.
This is a track strongly considered by Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, president of Medef, to respond to the government's request for energy sobriety, in the current context of Russian gas supply tensions added to the unavailability of part of the park. French nuclear.
“
There is this project to put all industrial premises, offices at 19 degrees this winter.
This does not pose any particular problem.
This will allow reductions (...).
I think it's acceptable for everyone
, ”he said on France Inter on Monday.
Asked about the current average temperature in corporate offices, the head of Medef kicked in touch: “
We do not know how much they are today.
Everyone does what they want.
There is a decree from 1974, dating from the oil crisis, which imposes these 19 degrees maximum but which everyone had largely forgotten
”.
Other avenues are being considered to meet this demand for energy sobriety, namely to optimize the movement of employees to get to the office.
“
But there is a limit, we cannot make everyone carpool
”, recognizes Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux.
The most important effort to be made is on the side of the factors of production.
“
We have already started.
Industrial energy consumption has been falling by 1.5% per year for 10 years
,” he claims.
An “indispensable” effort
While the overall objective of energy sobriety has been set by the government at 10% energy savings, an effort of this magnitude seems possible for the Medef.
"
It's not impossible, it's a significant effort but absolutely essential because what we want to avoid is rationing or load shedding, that is to say stopping production in certain cases
", said the boss of Medef.
A first assessment of the actions taken by companies to reduce energy consumption could be made at the end of September or in October, according to Matignon.
But on the government side, controls on this subject in companies do not seem, for the moment, to be envisaged.
“
That's not our mindset at all.
It is in the interest of companies to reduce their expenses
, ”said Olivia Grégoire, Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Trade, Crafts and Tourism, this Monday on LCI.
The Meeting of Entrepreneurs of France (REF) of the Medef opens this Monday with a long-awaited speech by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne who should rightly call on companies to be energy sober.
More restrictive measures could be triggered if the sobriety objective of 10% energy savings is not achieved and Russia completely cuts gas supplies, said Matignon.
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”
Germany, which also fears a shortage of gas, for its part enacted last week a series of measures to save energy.
The public authorities intend to set an example: heating in administrations and public buildings will be capped at 19 degrees from September 1, according to a decree issued on Wednesday.
Heating will even be limited to 12 degrees where employees perform intensive physical work.
It will be turned off in common areas such as hallways and there will be no hot water for washing hands.
In companies, the minimum temperatures to be respected will be lowered.
A way to encourage, without forcing, the private sector to participate in the effort.
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