3. Conclusion

Whether at the level of individuals, local authorities or the national level, energy management is first and foremost a matter of measurement. Given the growing importance of this theme in energy and environmental policy, technologies and regulations relating to the measurement of thermal energy are bound to evolve. Reducing instrument manufacturing costs to encourage wider use, and improving metrological performance seem to be the trends in technological evolution. From a regulatory point of view, the trend is to impose the metering of thermal energy in a wider range of applications, and to better supervise the use of instruments in service.