Homes with the worst energy efficiency are once again in the spotlight of the European Union. Brussels approved Directive (EU) 2024/1275, which is already in force and which requires Spain to implement a plan to renovate the residential park with specific dates. This measure seeks to cut the average primary energy consumption of homes by 16% before 2030, for which the 2020 value will be taken as a reference. Say that more than half of this reduction must be achieved by acting on the properties with the lowest ratings.
In Spain, a large part of the homes we know are more than 10 years old, but not only that, they also have insulation problems, inefficient windows or obsolete heating systems, which means that families have to spend more on energy (whether electricity or fuel) to keep the home cold or warm. This does not mean that in 2030 all homeowners will automatically have to renovate their home, but it does mean that the State will be obliged to design measures to act on properties with the worst energy performance.
Directive (EU) 2024/1275 (available at this link), relating to the energy efficiency of buildings, establishes a strategy at European level to improve the rehabilitation of the real estate stock, with special interest in buildings with the worst energy performance.
As explained by Ministry for the Ecological Transitioneach Member State must have a national strategy focused on the residential stock. To be more exact, the website says that “said use must be reduced by 16% by the year 2030”, taking the situation in 2020 as a reference. In addition, 55% of this objective must be achieved by acting on a significant part of the least efficient residential buildings.
That is, Spain will have to promote reforms in old homes with low energy ratings through actions such as improving thermal insulation, replacing windows, renewing roofs or changing heating installations for more efficient systems.
The energy certificate will gain more strength and not only for the sale and purchase of homes, as it will allow us to know the real efficiency level of each property. In fact, before May 29, 2026 (just over a month), countries will have to adapt their system to a new common scale. As explained by MITECO, this classification will use the letters from “A” to “G”, where the letter “A” will correspond to zero-emission buildings and “G” to “the least efficient buildings in the national park”.
Spain will have to adapt the rule and define aid
Although the 2030 horizon already appears set by Brussels, the application will depend on how Spain transposes the directive into its national legislation. The European regulations themselves establish this obligation to adapt and leave room for each country to specify the instruments, deadlines and economic support mechanisms.
Therefore, in the coming years it will be the Government that must specify what measures are required, which homes will be affected first and what public aid can facilitate these reforms, especially in households with fewer resources.
In any case, the direction is already set. The EU wants homes to consume less energy, and to achieve this Spain will have to act on the oldest, most inefficient and most expensive to maintain properties.