France moves to ban gas boilers in new buildings from 2027
France – France has signalled a phase-out of gas heating in new construction following a televised address by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, setting a clear direction towards electrified heating. Speaking from the Hôtel de Matignon on 10 April, Lecornu confirmed that installing gas boilers in new buildings will no longer be possible “by the end of 2026”, effectively establishing a 2027 cut-off point for the sector.
The announcement was framed around energy security rather than technology choice. Lecornu warned that continued reliance on fossil fuels leaves France exposed to external shocks, stating that as long as the country depends on oil and gas, it will continue to “pay the price of other people’s wars”.
The speech set out a clear intention to reduce that dependence by increasing the role of electricity across the economy, with heating one of the first areas affected. While no detailed regulatory framework was outlined, the message for the construction sector was direct. Removing gas boilers from new buildings points towards electrified systems becoming the primary route for compliance.
In practice, that points to a mix of technologies. Heat pumps are likely to play a central role in individual buildings, particularly in residential applications, while heat networks may become more prominent in higher-density developments where centralised low-carbon heat can be delivered at scale.
The address did not reference specific technologies, but the shift away from fossil fuels in new build projects is likely to support increased uptake of electric heating solutions, including heat pumps, as well as wider deployment of heat networks where suitable. The tone of the announcement reflects a broader shift in how heating policy is being positioned at government level. Rather than focusing solely on emissions, the transition is increasingly being linked to national resilience and control over energy supply.
As long as we depend on oil and gas, we will continue to pay the price of other people’s wars.
Sébastien Lecornu, Prime Minister of France
No detail was provided on implementation beyond the end-2026 deadline, and the speech did not address delivery challenges such as system costs, installer capacity or infrastructure requirements. However, the direction of travel is clear. By setting an end point for gas heating in new buildings, the French government is moving towards a more interventionist approach, using regulation to steer the market towards electrification.
For the heat pump and heat network sectors, the implications will depend on how the policy is translated into regulation, but the signal from the prime minister’s address is that new-build heating in France is moving decisively away from fossil fuels.
