France Implements New Measures to Crack Down on Fraudulent Energy Ratings

The government introduces AI, QR codes, and stricter penalties to uphold energy efficiency laws and ensure accountability in property diagnostics.

Approximately 70,000 fraudulent energy performance diagnostics (DPEs) are issued annually, undermining climate goals and property regulations.
New measures include mandatory QR codes, geolocation, and AI tools to detect anomalies such as unusually short inspections or inflated ratings.
Penalties for fraud have been increased, with diagnosticians facing up to two years of suspension and property owners risking fines or imprisonment.
The government has already removed 500 diagnosticians for misconduct and plans to quadruple inspections to one per diagnostician annually.
A parliamentary mission is exploring the creation of a professional order for diagnosticians to enhance oversight and reduce conflicts of interest.