By 1 January 2030, commercial buildings of 70 to 290 kW will need a building automation and control system compliant with the BACS decree (French decree 2020-887 on building automation and control systems)[1][1]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree no. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”, buildings of 70 to 290 kW postponed to 1 January 2030, new buildings excludedSee in sources ↓. An energy service company will then sell you compliance, energy efficiency and energy savings, sometimes with a guaranteed result. The company signing still has to be able to verify it. Types of players, operators, questions to ask: here is what you need to judge the promised energy savings before you commit.
What the term energy service company covers and what an ESCO does in the field
Definition: the ESCO, a company that commits to an energy result
An energy service company (ESCO, for Energy Service Company) is a company that improves the energy efficiency of its clients' buildings. What sets it apart: it ties its fee to the energy actually saved. Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency defines the energy service provider as the party that implements these measures in a final customer's premises[2][2]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency (recast)”, Article 2, definition of energy service provider; repeals Directive 2012/27/EU since 12/10/2025See in sources ↓. It replaced Directive 2012/27/EU on 12 October 2025.
Standard EN 15900 specifies the content of these energy efficiency services[3][3]RegulationCEN / AFNOR, “NF EN 15900:2010, Energy efficiency services - Definitions and requirements”, confirmed in 2017See in sources ↓. Usage of the term varies: ESCO, energy service company or energy services company. In every case, the offer goes beyond the remit of an expert or a consultancy. It is paid on a measured result, often formalized in an energy performance contract. The technical resources deployed then matter less than the method used to verify that result.
Energy service company or energy supplier: two distinct businesses
Energy suppliers sell kWh of natural gas or electricity. Their revenue follows your consumption. A service company sells a service, sometimes a result. It earns more when consumption falls.
Yet the two businesses coexist within the same group: Dalkia is a subsidiary of EDF[4][4]Company documentationDalkia, “Group page”, subsidiary of EDFSee in sources ↓. Before following their advice, ask yourself who really benefits from lower energy bills.
A growing sector with no NAF code of its own
The energy efficiency services sector tracks the employment and skills of its workforce through an observatory run by OPCO2i (the French skills operator for industry)[5][5]Studies and reportsOPCO2i, “Observatory of the energy efficiency services sector”See in sources ↓. Yet its French companies have no dedicated Insee code (the French national statistics classification). The company ES Services Énergétiques in Strasbourg, for instance, falls under NAF activity code 35.30Z[6][6]Press and announcementsdata.gouv.fr, “Annuaire des entreprises” (French company directory), ES Services Énergétiques entry (Strasbourg), NAF code 35.30ZSee in sources ↓.
The practical consequence: filtering by activity code will not surface these energy service companies. Locating companies in the sector takes other tools, presented below.
Installation and operation of HVAC equipment: the P1 to P3 items
The historical core of the business fits in a few words: installation and operation of HVAC equipment. Boilers, chillers, AHUs, hot water and chilled water loops all fall within the scope, which is split into three items (the P1/P2/P3 breakdown used in French operation contracts):
- P1: supply of the energy consumed
- P2: operation and routine maintenance
- P3: major maintenance and equipment replacement
This breakdown applies to any energy service company under an operation contract. It makes it easier to compare two offers item by item.
Heating networks, biomass and solar projects: the production side
Some ESCOs also produce energy: district heating networks, biomass boiler plants, solar projects and, more rarely, wind projects. These energy infrastructures make use of a local resource and serve the sustainable development of an area.
Our position is clear: control consumption before sizing any production.
At Foobot, this side of the energy transition is outside our scope.
Energy audits and funding works through CEE certificates
Energy audits follow a familiar process: readings, bills, recommendations. These performance assessments have a limitation every BMS expert knows. They test neither the setpoints actually held nor the manual overrides left active.
Funding the works then goes through CEE energy-savings certificates (France's white-certificate scheme), based on standardized operation sheets, including BAT-TH-116 for BMS[7][7]RegulationFrench ministry in charge of energy, “Standardized operation sheet BAT-TH-116”See in sources ↓. The paperwork to obtain this incentive is often part of the advisory sold with the audit.
What an energy service delivers and what the law actually requires
Energy savings and cost reduction: what a gain must prove
The BMS market has long promised 30% energy savings through better control. We take that figure seriously. It only becomes verifiable with a baseline, reliable data and weather correction.
Without these foundations, energy drift sets in: consumption creeps up year after year, even after renovation projects. The cost reduction fades, and so does the promised improvement in comfort.
An energy efficiency gain without a baseline remains a sales assumption.
Five milestones that apply to the building before any offer
- Milestone 1 · Decree no. 2019-771 Décret tertiaire (France's tertiary decree on energy savings in commercial buildings): 40% reduction by 2030, 50% by 2040, 60% by 2050 An obligation on the building's consumption, declared every year on OPERAT (the French government's reporting platform) [8].
- Milestone 2 · Decree no. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 BACS decree: a building automation and control system required The threshold is based on the output of the commercial building's heating or air-conditioning systems [9].
- Milestone 3 · 1 January 2025 Buildings above 290 kW: compliance required The deadline has passed. An offer that still presents it as upcoming deserves a question.
- Milestone 4 · Decree no. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025 Buildings of 70 to 290 kW: deadline postponed to 1 January 2030 The postponement shifts the obligation. It does not remove it [1].
- Milestone 5 · New buildings Not covered by the 2030 postponement Decree no. 2025-1343 leaves new buildings outside the postponement [1].
From types of players to operators: who delivers EPCs in France
The integrated ESCO: design, finance, build, then operate
The integrated ESCO covers the whole chain: design, financing, works, then operation of renovation projects. It carries the performance risk for the entire term of the contract. The diagram below shows who carries what in such an operation, following two threads: risk and data.
From the decision to the controller program: four players, two threads to follow
Pick a thread to see where it runs through the chain.The diagram shows where the weak point lies. The BMS integrator writes the controller programs. Yet it often remains a subcontractor of the energy service company, far from the building owner. Third-party financing shifts the investment burden without settling the question of measurement.
The multi-technical O&M contractor under an operation contract
The multi-technical O&M contractor comes in through the operation contract and works on the P1 to P3 items described above. Its remit often falls under facility management. Everything hinges on the commitment. With a best-efforts obligation, it guarantees site visits and monitoring. With a results obligation, it guarantees a measured consumption.
The independent owner's advisor (AMO), on the building owner's side
The independent owner's advisor (called AMO in France) sells neither works nor energy. Its job is to write the requirements, check what is delivered and verify the announced savings. This expert advice, detached from any sale, also serves cost reduction: it avoids a replacement decided by the party who will carry it out.
Risk, measurement, data, exit: the four models side by side
Before you look at a single offer, see where these models diverge. Energy service companies, O&M contractors, owner's advisors and control software differ on five contractual points, set side by side below.
| Model | Who carries the performance risk | Who measures the savings and how | Works required | Exit conditions | Who holds the BMS data and the controller programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated ESCO Designs, finances, operates |
The ESCO, on the contractual result. | The ESCO, according to the contract's measurement plan. IPMVP option to be specified. | Yes, generally. | Tied to the financing, to be read before signing. | Often the ESCO or its integrator, to be negotiated. |
| Multi-technical O&M contractor Operation contract |
Best-efforts obligation by default, results obligation if a clause provides for it. | The O&M contractor, through its operation reports. | P3 major maintenance depending on the contract. | End of contract term, reversibility to be planned. | Often the O&M contractor. |
| Independent owner's advisor (AMO) Advisory |
The building owner. The advisor commits its advice. | Checks the other players' measurements, IPMVP and HDD. | None. | End of the assignment. | The building owner. |
| Software control Software on the existing BMS |
Depending on the contract, a measured result is possible. | The software vendor, IPMVP with HDD adjustment if contracted. | None, provided the BMS is reliable. | Commitment period to be checked. | The building owner, if the contract provides for it. |
Read the last column first. For the building owner, it changes everything: whoever holds the BMS data and the controller programs decides how free you are at the end of the contract.
This column also determines measurement. Without access to the raw trend logs, the IPMVP protocol[11][11]Studies and reportsEVO, “International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP)”, measurement options and HDD adjustmentSee in sources ↓ and the adjustment for heating degree days (HDD) cannot be checked by a third party.
Want to see how these criteria play out on a real portfolio?
Dalkia and Engie Solutions: the EPC backed by an energy group
Dalkia, a subsidiary of EDF[4][4]Company documentationDalkia, “Group page”, subsidiary of EDFSee in sources ↓, illustrates the integrated ESCO backed by a major energy supplier. Engie Solutions follows the same logic within the ENGIE group. For both players, the EPC is part of a broader set of energy infrastructures, from production to operation.
Idex: the EPC delivered by a heating network operator
Idex comes to the EPC by another route: operating heating networks. The company highlights “choosing a useful energy”[12][12]Company documentationIdex, “Corporate website”, phrase “choosing a useful energy”See in sources ↓. Its EPC business is therefore best read from the production side, before building consumption.
Vinci Facilities and SPIE: the EPC seen from multi-technical maintenance
Vinci Facilities and SPIE generally come in through the multi-technical maintenance contract. The EPC comes next, as an extension of the installation and operation service. They fall under the O&M contractor model, with one key question: does the assignment include a results commitment?
Regional energy companies and directories: where to find the other players
Outside the large groups, regional energy companies also count: in Strasbourg, for example, energy services are offered by ÉS[6][6]Press and announcementsdata.gouv.fr, “Annuaire des entreprises” (French company directory), ES Services Énergétiques entry (Strasbourg), NAF code 35.30ZSee in sources ↓. To widen the search, the company directory on data.gouv lets you locate French companies by name or by area. The euro-énergie portal also classifies professionals by category, including “Technical assistance” and “Consultant, expert, advice”[13][13]Studies and reportsEuro-énergie, “Directory of professionals”, categories “Technical assistance” and “Consultant, expert, advice”See in sources ↓.
France Rénov mainly targets RGE-certified professionals (the French “Recognized Environmental Guarantor” label) in the residential sector, outside the commercial buildings we deal with here. Above all, a directory lists companies without saying anything about their model: who carries the risk, who measures, who keeps the data.
Questions to ask an energy service company before signing
Eight questions on measurement, data and contract exit
An offer is judged by its written answers. Here are the eight questions to ask any energy service company, with what a serious answer contains.
- Over what period and with what data is the baseline built? A serious answer specifies the period, the meters used and the months excluded.
- What adjustments are planned? The answer names weather correction using HDD and how occupancy is taken into account.
- Which IPMVP option applies and who applies it? The contract names the option and the party that calculates the savings.
- Will you have access to the raw BMS and meter data? A readable export is provided, outside the provider's interface.
- Will the meters be made reliable before the baseline? The answer deals with data gaps, duplicates and disconnections.
- Are the manual overrides listed at start-up? A dated, point-by-point list says who removes them.
- Who owns the controller programs? The contract sets out their ownership and their handover at the end of the assignment.
- How do you exit the contract? Notice period, data reversibility and handover of the programs are written down in black and white.
The performance assessments submitted with the offer do not replace any of these answers. A vague answer does not necessarily disqualify the operator: it points to the item to negotiate before signing.
Where Foobot stands relative to an energy service company
BMS advisory: checking what the operator delivers and operates
Foobot is not an ESCO: we do neither works nor financing. Our BMS advisory sits on the building owner's side, facing the operator. The assignment starts at handover, with operational tests during the warranty year (defects liability period, called GPA in France). It continues with removing manual overrides and making meters reliable before any baseline. This advisory takes up the energy audits and performance assessments already delivered, to test what they did not check.
Choosing an operator whose results you can verify
Choosing an energy service company starts with a simple question: which model are you buying? An integrated ESCO, an O&M contractor, an owner's advisor or software control carry neither the same risk on your energy consumption nor the same measurement. Before comparing amounts, check who calculates the savings and with what method. Then look at who will own the data and the programs at the end of the contract. The eight questions are there to get these answers in writing. A service whose result you cannot check remains a promise. Have you already received several proposals and want an independent reading of them?
compare the offers you received
Further reading:
FAQ - energy service companies
What is an energy service company?
An energy service company, also called an energy services company or ESCO, designs, implements or operates energy efficiency measures. What sets it apart: it ties all or part of its fee to a measured result.
What services do energy companies offer?
They cover the installation and operation of HVAC equipment, audits, financing of works and sometimes production through heating networks. Energy efficiency services with a results commitment remain their distinctive role.
How do you choose an energy supplier?
Energy suppliers sell kWh of natural gas or electricity: you compare them on price, term and origin. A service company sells a service, sometimes a result: two distinct businesses.
What are the benefits of energy services?
The expected benefit is energy savings and cost reduction, without carrying the technical risk alone. These gains only count when measured, whether from control or from renovation projects: a reliable baseline and written adjustments.
How does an energy audit work?
Energy audits start from bills and readings, then lead to costed recommendations. These performance assessments are also used for the paperwork to obtain CEE energy-savings certificates. Their limitation: they rarely test the actual BMS and its manual overrides.
What energy transition projects are there?
The energy transition of a commercial portfolio goes through energy sufficiency, renovation and control, then production: solar projects, wind projects, heating networks. These energy infrastructures serve sustainable development if consumption is brought under control first.
Where can you find energy service companies?
The company directory on data.gouv lets you locate French companies by name or by area, for example energy services in Strasbourg. Euro-énergie classifies players by trade. None of these tools says who measures the savings.
Sources and references
The numbered references in the text correspond to the following documents.- [1]Légifrance, “Decree no. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”, buildings of 70 to 290 kW postponed to 1 January 2030, new buildings excluded26/12/2025↑
- [2]EUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency (recast)”, Article 2, definition of energy service provider; repeals Directive 2012/27/EU since 12/10/2025↑
- [3]CEN / AFNOR, “NF EN 15900:2010, Energy efficiency services - Definitions and requirements”, confirmed in 2017↑
- [7]French ministry in charge of energy, “Standardized operation sheet BAT-TH-116”↑
Show the other 3: [8] to [10]
- [8]Légifrance, “Decree no. 2019-771 of 23 July 2019”, Décret tertiaire23/07/2019
- [9]Légifrance, “Decree no. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020”, BACS decree20/07/2020
- [10]AFNOR, “NF EN ISO 52120-1”
- [4]Dalkia, “Group page”, subsidiary of EDF↑ 1 2
- [12]Idex, “Corporate website”, phrase “choosing a useful energy”↑
- [5]OPCO2i, “Observatory of the energy efficiency services sector”↑
- [11]EVO, “International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP)”, measurement options and HDD adjustment↑
- [13]Euro-énergie, “Directory of professionals”, categories “Technical assistance” and “Consultant, expert, advice”↑