Translations

GRDF COMBATS ENERGY PRECARIOUSNESS

4. Environment

Energy / Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Sector Energy / Water

Year 2018

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Ensuring the security of the gas distribution network is the basis of GRDF activity.

In France, five million households are in a situation of energy precariousness, and they spend more than 10% of their income on heating, lighting and cooking.

In the context of its CSR policy, GRDF wants to contribute to energy performance in the customer's home. With CIVIGAZ, GRDF has committed to combating both energy precariousness and the risks incurred by precarious households when their natural gas-operated installations are in poor condition or improperly maintained.

A reference in the world of energy an expert in gas-powered energy, GRDF (Gaz Réseau Distribution France) is the main operator in the distribution of natural gas in France, with the longest European network, covering 196,940 km.

Objectives

improve the safety of indoor gas installations for customers in a precarious situation and help them limit energy consumption by showing them an eco-approach
offer communities a new way to provide service to those under their administration
promote the professional insertion of young volunteers
involve GRDF personnel in the approach, in particular by sponsoring volunteers
Over thirty towns and cities are concerned, with 100,000 housing units to be visited by 2018.

APPROACH

Launched by FACE and GRDF with the support of public authorities, CIVIGAZ is an innovative national operation based on civic service that stems from the Energy Transition for Green Growth Act and in GRDF's public service mission.

Its specificity is to make people in a situation of energy precariousness aware of an eco-approach and the safety of indoor installations of natural gas, since energy precariousness and gas installations in poor condition frequently go together.

Through home visits or group presentations (in front of an apartment building, in social centers, etc.) organized for teams of two, the volunteers, who are from 18 to 25 years old, will give seven months of their time to make low-income families aware of the different ways to save energy and the simple steps that allow using a gas installation with full safety.

Volunteers can also put precarious housing renters and owners in touch with the services, contacts or support systems that can help with these issues so that they can benefit from financial assistance (social rates, energy checks, etc.) and rehabilitated energy installations.

These actions allow helping residents, and they also encourage the young volunteers to become actors in the energy transition by providing them with training and seven months of support for building their future personal and career projects. This includes personalized support for learning how to write a résumé, first aid training and coaching.

A test phase was launched in January in three pilot areas: Paris, Lille and Saint-Etienne. This pilot program led to1,500 home visits. Several hundred people have been made aware of eco-actions through group presentations.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Creation of customer loyalty
Support for people in a situation of energy precariousness
Reinforcement of links to stakeholders, in particular local communities

Benefits

Awareness of the eco-approach and controlling energy
Securing of indoor gas installations
Civic service mission allowing the professional insertion of young people