Determinants of energy-saving investments in the residential sector in France.

Summary In France, studies on the determinants of energy-saving investments in the residential sector are still relatively rare, even though this sector represents an important source of energy savings. In this thesis, the objective is to isolate the determinants of energy efficiency investments in the residential sector in order to provide recommendations for public policies. We wish to study the effect of current and potential policies that aim to stimulate the adoption of energy saving equipment. This thesis is divided into four chapters. In the first chapter, the main objective is to analyze household renovation expenditures by distinguishing between energy efficiency work (insulation and equipment replacement) and repair work using an econometric approach. In a second chapter, we try to understand the decision to invest in energy efficiency when there are diverging incentives (the case of the owner/tenant). In a third chapter, we study the decision to invest in energy saving equipment in a general equilibrium taking into account irreversibility and uncertainty on energy prices and income returns. Finally, the fourth chapter evaluates, using a simulation model, the effect of public policies on the investment decision. We model energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the decision to invest in energy efficiency retrofits, and the dynamics of the housing stock.