How do I get the Recognized Environmental Guarantor (EGG) label?

Verified 19 September 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you a construction professional specializing in energy renovation work or installation of equipment using renewable energy? Do you want to enhance your know-how, offer quality and competence to your customers and be referenced? Do you want to give your customers financial assistance (tax credit, MaPrimeRénov', eco-zero-interest loan, etc)? You need to get one or more quality signs EGR: titleContent. We explain how to do it.

Step-by-step approach

You can get one or more signs of quality EGR: titleContent if you are a professional performing work or intellectual services contributing to the energy performance of buildings and installations of renewable energy.

EGR quality signs respond to a repository of means and skills requirements derived from standards and additional requirements defined in charters:

  • NF Standard X50-091 or equivalent: EGR quality signs corresponding to this standard are called qualifications. They relate to a company's technical capacity, means and skills to carry out high-quality work in a given activity.
  • Standard NF EN ISO/IEC 17065 or equivalent: EGR quality signs corresponding to this standard are called certifications. They relate to the competence of designing and carrying out energy renovation works on a company. This work must be part of an overall package to improve energy performance. The certification also concerns the ability to provide support to the developer throughout the project.
  • EGR Works Charter of 4 november 2013
  • Study EGR Charter of 27 May 2016

The criteria for obtaining of the EGR label vary depending on whether it is a certification and a qualification or, derogatory, a site qualification.

Site qualification is a simplified experimental approach. It allows traders without the EGR label to apply specifically to enable their customers to receive government support.

Certification and qualification

To obtain one or more EGR quality signs, you must meet all of the following criteria:

Mandatory and cumulative criteria

Neutrality criterion

In order to ensure your neutrality, you must be independent of any energy and/or material supplier.

Legal, administrative and legal criteria

To request a quality sign, you must meet the criteria of regularity of the administrative, fiscal, legal and social situation relevant to your activity.

The file to be provided shall contain the following documents:

  • Extract of the Kbis and/or registration in the Chamber of Trades
  • Registration Insee: titleContent : Sirene: titleContent, Siret: titleContent applicant institutions where applicable, and code NACE: titleContent
  • Certificate of approvalUrssaf: titleContent dated less than 3 months from the date of filing of the application
  • Civil liability and construction insurance certificates valid at the date of filing of the file
Criteria of regularity and competence

You must meet financial, professional, technical and human resources criteria for the category of work concerned.

You must provide the following justifications:

  • Proof of mastery of the knowledge of one or more technical site managers designated by establishment
  • Compliance with requirements relating to human resources resources (managers, executives, technicians, executives) identified for example by the number of staff, initial or continuing training, positioning in collective agreements, professional experience and, possibly, entitlements
  • Skills in design, site coordination and consultancy in a comprehensive offer of building energy renovation
  • Financial information on at least the last 2 financial years closed for the label issuing body EGR: titleContent checks the consistency and adequacy of your resources, and possibly assesses your financial health
  • Compliance with the requirements of the material resources needed to carry out the services concerned (for example, study, consultancy, production and inspection resources): these requirements are defined according to the specific characteristics of the sector of activity and the sign of quality concerned
Quality criteria for works

You must provide a minimum of 2 representative references for the construction of projects completed in the last 4 years in the designated EGR activity.

The organization issuing the EGR label shall ask customers directly about the conditions for carrying out one or more of the references provided. They shall include at least the following documents:

  • Quote
  • Invoice
  • Energy Assessment Report
  • Customer Satisfaction Certificate
Criteria relating to company claims

You must provide a record of claims that have occurred in the last 4 years. You can get it from your insurance company.

The body issuing the EGR label shall evaluate the statement and take it into account when deciding on the award.

Warning  

You cannot obtain the EGR label if your company's manager or one of its authorized representatives has been the subject of a judgment for less than 5 years. That judgment must establish his participation in a criminal organization, corruption, fraud, money laundering or an offense affecting his conduct in the exercise of his profession.

Specific criteria

Secondary schools

If your company has several different establishments, the organization issuing the EGR label must request that all requirements be met at the level of each establishment (head office and secondary establishments).

Foreigner professionals

You must apply for the RGE label from a French qualification or certification body. You must provide documents proving requirements equivalent to those of the French device, issued by the competent authorities and services of the country of origin. You can also be qualified or certified by an organization in your country.

Subcontracting

You assume full responsibility for the work contracted out.

The organization issuing the EGR label informs you of your obligations to inform your customers and to comply with legislative and regulatory provisions on subcontracting.

Sub-contracting companies must also hold the EGR label. You must keep at the disposal of the certification body a list of the subcontractors performing energy renovation services on your behalf and the certificates associated with their quality sign(s).

As part of the qualification, a maximum subcontracting threshold for the installation is defined by the organization issuing the EGR label in order to ensure that your company's know-how is maintained. This threshold is thus studied by qualification, in a range of 30% to 50% the turnover from the installation.

Site Qualification

On an experimental basis, since the beginning of 2021, you can derogate from the specific or additional criteria required to obtain the label EGR: titleContent. This experiment ends on December 31, 2023. This exemption from qualification is referred to as site qualification.

The site qualification is valid for only one site.

To obtain a site qualification, you must meet all of the following criteria:

Mandatory and cumulative criteria

Seniority criteria

You must show proof of at least 2 years of activity on the date of issue of the quote.

Legal, administrative, legal and insurance criteria

You must provide documents to prove the regularity of your administrative and tax situation. They meet the following requirements:

  • Be registered in the trade and business register or in the trade register
  • Not in a state of liquidation or cessation of activities
  • Be up to date with your obligations to pay social contributions
  • Be up to date on your obligations to pay taxes
  • Have insurance covering the responsibilities related to the exercise of the activities concerned by the site qualification applied for
Competency criteria

You must provide proof of knowledge of one or more site technical managers designated by establishment. This proof is required for each designated technical lead.

Quality of work criteria

For the relevant worksite, you must provide the following:

  • Site address
  • Category of work concerned
  • Job Start Date, identified by the date the quote was signed by the developer
  • Work specifications stating that you must be able to be accompanied by a person representing the site qualification organization, up to 3 months after the completion date of the site in order to meet the inspection requirement. The estimate must also include a clause suspending the execution of the estimate in the event that the file is not accepted by the site qualification organization.

The body issuing a site qualification shall subject you to systematic performance control on the site subject to a site qualification. This work has been due for less than 3 months.

When an inspection of the performance of a category of work identifies one or more non-conformities major, you may be subject to additional performance checks. These checks shall be carried out on the same category of work as that showing non-conformity.

Specific criteria

Secondary schools

The site qualification is awarded at the level of an establishment of your company (headquarters or secondary establishment).

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is prohibited to obtain the site qualification.

Exclusion Criteria

You must not have been subject to a decision to prohibit access to the qualification as a result of non-compliance major, or an alert from a third party.

Warning  

You can obtain a maximum of 3 site qualifications, regardless of the type of work.

The site qualification organization checks that you have not already received the maximum number of site qualifications, either from other site qualification organizations or from itself.

You must choose your EGR (quality sign) label according to your activity. Your labels are distributed according to the fields of work or intellectual services.

RGE Labels Works

You must choose one or more quality signs EGR: titleContent by performing specific installation or laying tasks from among the following:

  • High or very high energy performance or micro-cogeneration gas boilers, including temperature regulators
  • Solar-powered domestic hot water heating or supply equipment with solar collectors
  • Hydraulic appliances for heating or producing domestic hot water using wood or other biomass
  • Independent appliances for heating or producing domestic hot water using wood or other biomass
  • Heat pumps for heating production
  • Heat pumps dedicated to the production of domestic hot water
  • Electrical emitters, including temperature regulators
  • Mechanical ventilation equipment
  • Materials for thermal insulation of vertical glass walls, insulating shutters and entrance doors facing the exterior
  • Materials for thermal insulation of glass roofing walls
  • Thermal insulation materials, from the interior, walls, roof creeks and roof ceilings
  • Materials for thermal insulation of walls from the outside
  • Materials for thermal insulation of roofs on terraces and roofs from the outside
  • Thermal insulation materials for lost attic floors
  • Materials for thermal insulation of floors on unheated premises
  • Underground heat exchanger for geothermal heat pumps, except horizontal sensors
  • Equipment and materials for the realization of a work package to limit the energy consumption of the housing

These works for the supply and installation of insulation equipment, materials and appliances must comply with high standard levels of energy performance.

RGE Labels Studies

You must choose one or more labels EGR: titleContent studies by providing study services on the following subjects:

  • Bioclimatic and passive design of the architectural project, thermal envelope, including air tightness and humidity transfers in the walls
  • Production/distribution/emission energy systems and regulation with or without renewable energy for heating, air conditioning, cooling, domestic hot water, ventilation, lighting

These services can be of different types:

  • Assistance and/or advice to project managers (for decision-making, checking the integration of energy performance targets into the program and monitoring compliance with these targets)
  • Thermal diagnosis, thermal study and energy audit
  • Project management general, total or partial (studies and/or direction of the execution of the works contract)
  • Operations and Maintenance Engineering

A designated technical manager at your institution must have successfully completed initial or continuing education.

This varies depending on whether the qualification is generally a certification and a qualification or, by way of derogation, a site qualification.

Certification and qualification

To meet the skill requirements, the technical manager must successfully complete continuous training at an accredited training organization.

This training complies with a specification. Depending on the EGR label chosen, the technical manager learns to:

  • Understanding the energy performance of a building in the context of the PREH: titleContent
  • To know the main key technologies, the different solutions for improving the energy performance of a building, their interfaces
  • Understand and explain the energy retrofit project, interpreting an assessment as part of a comprehensive approach
  • Advise your clients on technical, financial and other aspects
  • Design and size an installation
  • Organize key implementation and commissioning points and explain them to your contact
  • Plan operational maintenance
Site Qualification

To meet the skill requirements, your company’s technical manager must have successfully completed initial training. This training must be qualifying and/or graduating.

The technical manager may also have successfully completed specific continuing training with a knowledge check on the theoretical and practical aspects.

These courses shall cover at least the competences associated with the following content:

  • State of the market and resources
  • Ecological and logistical aspects
  • Safety of installations
  • Grants and public aid
  • Technology Solutions
  • Economic and cost-effectiveness aspects
  • Design, installation and maintenance
  • National legislation and European standards

You will find in theAdeme: titleContent title What qualifications and certifications for what work since 2022? the list of training courses taken into account for the issue of the quality marks and the training bodies issuing them.

FYI  

theAdeme: titleContent offers online and open courses on the platform MOOC Sustainable Building. Its aim is to raise the competence of all actors in the building sector in the field of energy performance. These courses are not qualified and are not recognized for the label EGR: titleContent.

The EGR labels are issued by organizations that have signed an agreement with the State, concluded for a renewable period of 4 years. These organizations are accredited by the Cofrac: titleContent (or any other accrediting body signatory to the multilateral agreement taken within the framework of the European coordination of accrediting bodies).

These bodies shall undertake to:

  • Meet common requirements to deliver their quality signs through a charter
  • Framing the criteria for managing quality signs through an agreement with the State

The bodies issuing the EGR labels are in particular the following (this list published by the Ministry of Ecology is not exhaustive):

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Bodies issuing EGR labels for works to improve the energy performance of buildings

Tableau - Bodies involved in works to improve the energy performance of buildings

Organizations

Works or services concerned

Qualifelec

Electrical work in the field of energy efficiency and/or installation of renewable energy sources

Quality Of R

All installations of equipment using renewable energies

Qualibat

All work related to energy efficiency and renewable energies

Certificate

Comprehensive energy renovation works

RGE ECO Artisan

Energy efficiency works

RGE: energy performance pros

Energy performance related works (construction or renovation)

CERQUAL Quality Certification

Heavy renovation work as part of a comprehensive energy renovation

Bodies issuing EGR labels studies

Tableau - Bodies issuing labels EGR: titleContent studies

Organizations

Benefits concerned

OPQIBI

Energy efficiency and renewable energy studies

OPQTECC

Studies on the environmental context of operations, the energy performance of the building envelope, works and equipment resulting therefrom

LNE

Energy audit conduit

AFNOR

Energy audit conduit

To obtain your proof, you must apply to an organization issuing the EGR labels.

The document attesting to the obtaining of the EGR label varies according to whether it is a certification, a qualification or a site qualification.

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Certification and qualification

A certificate is issued to you if you meet all the conditions for obtaining it. It shall be signed by an identified official of the organization issuing the EGR label.

The period of validity, as laid down by the body issuing the EGR label, shall be no more than 4 years.

The certificate must identify the certified person and each of his establishments covered by the label.

The following information is provided:

  • Name of the organization issuing the EGR label
  • Name, address, legal form and name of the legal person responsible for the certified person
  • Reference to the qualification or certification repository and other applicable documents on which the qualification or certification is based
  • Domain(s) of the label(s) awarded
  • Insurance companies with which the certified has declared insurance
  • Effective date and duration of validity of the qualification or certification
  • Certificate Due Date

The certificate must be registered by the organization issuing the EGR labels.

Your contact details and your qualification or certification are published using any media that allow public information.

For any request for renewal, you must submit to a new on-site performance audit in progress or completed.

Site Qualification

To obtain the site qualification, you must submit an application.

After an examination and examination of the admissibility of your application, the site qualification is issued to you by the site qualification organization.

You get a receipt. The document states that the site qualification is valid for the site which is the subject of the application. It shall include the following information:

  • Work completion address, as specified on the quote
  • Category of work concerned
  • Job Start Date, identified by the date the quote was signed by the Contracting authority.

As an EGR professional, you are listed in the directory of qualified professionals of the website France Rénov'.

You can check this directory to verify that you are properly referenced:

Search for a company with the quality "Recognized Guarantor of the Environment"

To keep your EGR label, the procedure varies depending on whether it is generally a certification and a qualification or, by way of derogation, a site qualification.

Certification and qualification
Implementation control and annual monitoring

The RGE label is granted to you for a period of 4 years.

It is monitored on an annual basis. Also, within 2 years of the granting or renewal of your EGR label, your yards are audited by the EGR issuing body in the context of performance audits.

To keep your EGR label, you must report between 2 and 5 yards per category of work from which the organization randomly chooses the yard or yards to audit. These works must have been under way or completed for less than two years or for less than four years if there is no such work.

The body issuing the EGR label shall define the follow-up to this check as part of the instruction or the monitoring procedure.

The annual monitoring makes it possible to monitor compliance with legal, administrative, legal and financial criteria and the maintenance of human resources.

In the event of a change which may affect the qualification or certification obtained, the organization shall maintain it or initiate a review procedure.

Non-compliance, fraudulent use, reporting and complaints

The organization issuing the EGR label may impose sanctions on you whether you are the holder or applicant of an EGR label. You may be penalized in the following situations:

  • Non-compliance with the rules applicable to your quality sign
  • Carrying out work which does not comply with the rules of the art
  • Use of a false EGR label
  • Use of the identity of a public authority or presentation as belonging, directly or indirectly, to one of its departments

Third parties may make alerts or complaints the body issuing the EGR label. This may concern, for example, poor quality work, misleading commercial practices or non-compliance with subcontracting arrangements.

In the case of one or more nonconformities, the body issuing the EGR label may incorporate the following procedures:

  • Checks on the completion of additional work sites
  • Company hearings
  • Requests for supporting documents and additional documents
  • Additional training

Before a penalty is imposed, you may make your comments.

The penalties for non-compliance, identified during an additional performance check, are suspension or withdrawal.

Penalties for another reason may include the following:

  • Suspension of the quality sign for a maximum period of 2 years
  • Removal of one or more quality signs
  • Prohibition of access to one or more quality signs for a maximum period of 2 years

If the technical manager(s) leaves and is not replaced within 6 months, a qualification may be suspended.

Transmission of your data

For the maintenance or issuance of the EGR label, you agree that the following data from your sites may be transmitted:

  • No. of Sirene: titleContent and Siret: titleContent company
  • Type of work
  • Location of the work
  • Date of completion of the work
  • Body issuing the quality sign

These data are transmitted by the State administration, theAnah: titleContent, and the SGFGAS: titleContent. L'Ademe: titleContent and the bodies issuing the EGR label are the recipients of this data.

You can refuse to transmit this data, but in this case the label is suspended.

The issuing body may also randomly select the site or sites to be audited on the basis of this information.

Site Qualification
Systematic monitoring of implementation

The RGE label is granted to you for a period of 4 years. In the case of derogations from the site qualification, it is subject to systematic monitoring of its implementation.

To keep your EGR label, following this check, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Conformity with the rules of the art of the services performed
  • Meet requirements for elements of company service to customer

The following points shall be checked:

  • Detailed description of the works (brands, models and, where appropriate, elements for estimating the energy transition tax credit)
  • Works carried out in accordance with the rules of the art
  • Receipt CW
  • Detailed invoice and any signed attestation used to obtain public aid
  • Lifting of any reservations within the period agreed with the customer depending on when the check is carried out
  • Records, warranties and documents relating to use and maintenance where they exist
  • Essential elements of the installation and/or the structure in relation to energy performance (consistency of specifications/invoice/realization)
Non-compliance, fraudulent use, reporting and complaints

In the case of one or more nonconformities, you must patch the jobs.

Then, the site qualification organization may make a control visit.

An audit report is issued. It shall indicate whether there is a major breach of security rules and whether the audit is compliant or non-compliant.

If the audit is correct, the site qualification is confirmed.

If the audit is not in conformity, the site qualification shall be withdrawn.

Where a major non-conformity is identified, the performance check shall be unsatisfactory. The site qualification organization prohibits you from accessing a future site qualification, on any category of work.

The body shall provide for a procedure for the treatment of alerts and complaints from third parties. For example, they may involve poor quality work or deceptive marketing practices.

You may be subject to additional controls, such as hearings or requests for further justifications and documents.

You may be denied access to one or more building site qualifications in the following situations:

  • Non-compliance with consumer protection rules
  • Use of a false EGR label
  • Use of the identity of a public authority or presentation as belonging, directly or indirectly, to one of its departments

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  • Recognized Label Environmental Guarantor

    Regional Directorate of the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe)

  • Financial aid for energy performance works

    Specialist advisors on housing renovation works (France Rénov')

    Allows you to be accompanied for free in its renovation work by specialized advisors of France Rénov'

    By telephone

    0 808 800 700

    Open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. You must have your last tax notice.

    Free service + cost of a call

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