Delphine Schiltz / Photo credit: Xose Bouzas / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
To reduce the cost of the bills, drilling works are carried out around the Élysée to allow the palace to be heated thanks to geothermal energy. However, the three-century-old building is classified as a historical monument and some renovations are prohibited, which makes the task even more complicated.
In the flourishing gardens of the Élysée, the steady hum of a drill can be heard. This marks the start of geothermal work for the Élysée, a three-century-old hotel made up of 360 rooms. A real sieve from an energy point of view. Indeed, the building is classified E. Yannick Desbois, director of services, recognizes the problem of this establishment: “We are rather in the bad grades and E is undoubtedly representative with regard to the surface and our current energy bills”, he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.
Works at 5 million euros
It is essential to renovate the entire heating network, all for 5 million euros. “These are pipes that date from the 50s and 60s”. An “ambitious project for a building the size of the Élysée”, which is also classified as a historical monument. “We can’t do what we want,” said the director of services. Indeed, the windows as well as the bay windows, although very numerous, cannot be touched.
“We cannot put very modern glazing”, he confided before continuing: “We have security constraints in relation to certain emerging threats”. The construction site for double glazing is therefore not yet on the program. Geothermal energy is therefore the first objective and the bill will be divided by three according to the Élysée.