Oscar says: “Regardless of the political deadlock at home, the core task of the Spanish Presidency should be to bring negotiations to a close on these issues within the EPBD and achieve a historic outcome that accelerates renovation rates and provides a meaningful roadmap to renovate Europe.
Spain’s inefficient buildings
“Spain is an unfortunate example of the need for an ambitious renovation strategy. The built environment is characterised by energy inefficiency and Spain falls far behind the renovation rates of neighbouring France and Portugal.”
According to Spain’s Energy Renovation of the Building Sector strategy, 9.7 million homes or 50% of residential buildings were built before 1980 and an additional one million are described as in a poor or dilapidated condition.
In addition, 81% of existing buildings are in the E, F or G emissions categories and 84.5% are in these categories for energy consumption.
Research by Renovate Europe, which campaigns for ambitious Europe-wide retrofits, found that the renovation rate of buildings in Spain was eight to 10 times lower than the average for neighbouring countries.
“These statistics are a depressing hallmark of a built environment that is in desperate need of transformation,” says Oscar. “We hope that when the political dust settles in Spain, our national policy makers will find the political energy to make a difference.”
Picture above: Casa Sophia is a remarkable biopassive, positive-energy home, certified by Passivhaus. Meticulously selected products including our Mineral Wool insulation solutions adhere to the highest sustainability standards while ensuring minimal impact on its residents.
This Spanish building stands as the culmination of a two-year endeavor, driven by the vision and dedication of the 100x100BioPasiva construction company.