Sibca 2026: "Making homes heat-proof is now just as crucial as cutting carbon emissions" (F. Gemenne)

"This past summer, keeping homes cool and cutting energy bills—including fuel costs—was a big deal for the French. For the property sector, this shows a long-term trend: making homes heat-proof is now just as crucial as cutting carbon emissions", declared François Gemenne, a professor at HEC Paris and co-author of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, at a real estate investors’ summit -Sibca (Salon de l'Immobilier Bas Carbone), in early September in Paris.

"A third of French people have been thinking about moving since this summer. It’s a growing trend, but not a new one. Even before the heatwaves, the number was already between 20% and 25%," says the Belgian researcher, who also wrote "Parler du climat sans plomber l’atmosphère" (Éditions Odile Jacob) on climate migration.

Climate change could make top floors—more exposed to heatwaves—and spots like the Côte d’Azur—popular with older folks—less appealing. "If summer 2026 becomes the norm—as all the science predicts—property pros need to brace for some serious business impacts," Gemenne warns.

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