Solution proposed by : Michel Jory
Ekolo Mundo does not control the feasibility or viability of the proposed solutions
Structure : Ajena
France
Lons-le-Saunier
Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Difficulty level :
Ajena has long been aware of the financial burden that rising fossil fuel costs place on households, particularly those with the lowest incomes.
Since 2002, for example, Ajena has been training social workers and participating in the Jura region’s “social fund for energy efficiency projects.”
Currently, and for many years now, Ajena has been working in partnership with the Jura Departmental Council and the Family Allowance Fund on support and awareness-raising initiatives.
Faced with a sharp increase in requests for assistance with energy bill payments, the Jura Departmental Council sought to take strong, proactive measures to address energy poverty: After launching awareness workshops on water and energy conservation (Énergie Logis) in 2013, the Solidarity Division expanded its efforts in 2014 by launching a support program (ASME).
ASME (Social Support for Energy Management) involves conducting a socio-technical assessment in the home, with the goal of providing rapid assistance to households struggling with energy management by:
Since Ajena has long been working on the energy-related aspects of precarious living conditions, the department sought to collaborate with the association, as it also possesses all the necessary expertise to conduct thermal assessments of homes (insulation, heating, domestic hot water, ventilation, etc.), while also taking into account household appliances and usage patterns.
The program also requires the ability to communicate complex information in layman’s terms to explain to all visited households the findings of the housing analysis and their energy consumption.
Led by the social services of the Jura Departmental Council, “Énergie Logis” is an information and awareness-raising program focused on energy in homes. Taking the form of group information workshops, the target audience consists of people experiencing energy poverty or at risk of doing so. Organizations (public housing agencies, social integration associations, aid organizations, social services, etc.) that work directly with these individuals form groups of about fifteen people affected by one of the topics covered.
At the end of a training cycle, an “energy” kit (water-saving devices, energy-efficient light bulbs, power strips with on/off switches) is given to each participant.
Ajena conducted an evaluation of the program using a questionnaire administered to participants: 75% of them reported having changed their habits as a result of the workshops—such as turning off standby modes and ventilating their homes. Water bills from public housing tenants show significant reductions in consumption following the workshops they attended.
Winner of the 2026 ESS Inspiration Award organized by Crédit Coopératif.
Active for many years in what is now known as the energy transition, the Ajena association was founded in 1980 with the goal of promoting energy conservation and renewable energy; it currently consists of:
In light of environmental, economic, and social challenges, the association focuses primarily on:
... and more broadly, Ajena helps bring all energy-related projects to fruition: in the fields of construction, transportation, and energy consumption...
Recognized as a resource center, the association supports all types of audiences: individuals, condominium associations, building professionals, local governments, intermunicipal cooperation bodies (EPCI), landlords (private and public), healthcare facilities, schools, nonprofit organizations, farmers, businesses…
