First major professional meeting since the “Grenelle Environnement” roundtable, the first Renewable Energy, Building and Energy Management Week was organized by ADEME under the PFUE* aegis in Paris-La Défense (France) from 17 to 22 November. It will be repeated in two years.

The issue of energy and climate change is now at the heart of discussions in the European Union. “The goal is clearly to bring about a radical change in the way we generate and consume energy”, points out Jean-Louis Bal, Director of Renewable Energy, Networks and Energy Markets at ADEME. This was indeed the underlying idea behind the Renewable Energy, Building and Energy Management Week organised as a direct successor to the commitments made at France’s “Grenelle Environnement” roundtable.

RENEWABLE ENERGIES ARE THE KEY
The event included 9 symposia and conferences that were both national and European in scope. The underlying common denominator was energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy. The latter have become the key to energy savings in the construction sector when renovating existing buildings or building new ones with a positive energy balance. “The emphasis was experience feedback, concrete examples and first-hand accounts from people on the ground, linking the issue of renewable energy with energy management and regional development issues”, adds Patrice Grouzard, Communication Manager at the Renewable Energy, Energy Networks and Markets Direction.
The week was also an opportunity to paint a picture of the current situation of the various industries and markets, to identify the resources and tools available and to bring together public and private decision makers and professionals from the construction and energy production sectors. Moreover, the participants were able to visit the 200 exhibitors at the adjacent First International Trade Exhibition for Renewable Energy and Energy Management (Sireme), held at the same venue to coincide with the conference programme.
As for all other events with the PFUE label organised by ADEME, the European dimension was pushed to the fore throughout the entire week. In particular, a symposium was organised by the EnR Club of ADEME’s partner European energy management agencies, to discuss and disseminate best practices at the Continental level. “Each meeting was also attended by representatives of other countries who had come to add an international dimension to the discussions by sharing their experience with us”, explains Nicolas Dyèvre of International Affairs Direction.
On 22 November, a public open day based on the theme of the “Economic House” marked the high point for this event attended by more than 3.000 people. In order to keep the ball rolling on the discussions instigated by this major event, a second Week is already in the planning for 2010.

* PFUE: French Presidency of the European Union.