The air conditioning market in France

An air conditioner is a device designed to cool ambient air, and is increasingly reversible, i.e. it can also provide heating. Technologically speaking, they are based on the same operating principles as heat pumps, particularly aerothermal models. As a result, the boundary between the two types of equipment is becoming increasingly blurred, especially as modern air conditioners can be integrated into comprehensive thermal systems, including ventilation, air purification and digital connectivity.

The global air-conditioning market is estimated to be worth $200 billion by 2024, making it a major sector in the thermal equipment industry. The structure of international trade reflects a significant imbalance: China accounts for 41.4% of global air conditioner exports, far ahead of Mexico (13.1%) and the United States (5.8%). On the import side, the United States dominates, with 28.8% of global volumes, followed by Germany, France and Japan. This polarization underlines the strong dependence of Western markets on the major Asian industrial powers.

This is particularly true in France, where the value of domestic air conditioner production has been divided by more than ten in five years, dropping from 2,720 thousand euros in 2018 to 217 thousand in 2023, according to Eurostat. This brutal deindustrialization, coupled with a steady rise in demand, makes the French market highly dependent on imports, particularly from Asia.

On the domestic front, however, the French market is still growing, in both the residential and tertiary segments. The residential segment is mainly driven by wall-mounted, ductable and console-mounted equipment, which respond to the quest for comfort and efficiency in homes. In the commercial sector, VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) technologies and Chiller systems are gaining ground in large buildings. Rising summer temperatures, coupled with more frequent heatwaves, are driving this demand, particularly in major cities.

Technological innovation is also playing a key role, with offerings moving towards intelligent, connected products capable of adapting to occupants' needs, controlling themselves remotely, and optimizing energy consumption. hybrid systems, adiabatic modules and solutions incorporating air purification functions are responding togrowing demand for products that are comfortable, energy-efficient and healthier.

French consumers' expectations are changing. Price remains the main purchasing criterion for 58% of those surveyed, butenergy efficiency is becoming a key factor (42%), ahead of noise level (38%) andenvironmental impact (24%). Indoor air quality is becoming a growing health issue: 53% of French people are in favor of using an air purifier, and 56% consider indoor pollution to be harmful to their health. These perceptions are driving the development of air conditioners equipped with filtration functions, or coupled with purifiers.

Finally, the sector is subject to increasingly stringent regulations, both on energy performance(labeling, eco-design) and on the refrigerants used. The tertiary sector decree imposes a 40% reduction in energy consumption in tertiary buildings by 2030, while the f-Gas regulation, effective in 2025, bans the use of fluids with a global warming potential (GWP ) equal to or greater than 750. These standards are driving supply towards alternative fluids such as R32, CO2, propane orammonia, which are more virtuous but also more restrictive in terms of safety.

Key market players are adapting to this dual requirement for performance and compliance. These include manufacturers of heating solutions such as Daikin, Vaillant Group and Mitsubishi Electric, as well as specialist distributors such as Saint-Gobain.distributors such as Saint-Gobain, Rexel and CEDEO, and professional installers such as IDEX and Groupe Hervé. Together, they are shaping a market in the throes of change, driven by the energy, digital and health transitions.