How to avoid that 26 million homes waste energy

The houses lose money and no one does anything to prevent it. Neither their owners nor the Management, so busy now in the problem of rent, but so carefree in attending a housing market as vast as inefficient from the energy point of view. Around 12,000 million euros escape every year through the windows, doors, foundations and roofs of nearly 26 million dwellings inefficient, which are all built in Spain before 2007, estimates Carlos Castro, technical manager of the Energy Efficiency of Danosa, multinational company of integral solutions for sustainable construction. "They could save that money each year through an appropriate energy rehabilitation with thermal insulation of buildings", he adds.

This is because more than half of the housing stock is pre-1980 and was built without energy efficiency regulations. These homes do not have, for example, thermal insulation. Add all the houses built between 1980 and 2007, prior to the approval of the Technical Code of the Building, because they have some insulation but very poor. So, says Castro, "99% of the park exudes energy". In addition, what has been done up to now is pointless: "the facades will be rehabilitated between 2011 and 2015 a total of 57,000. Are 400,000 homes, of which neither the 15% (some 60,000) were based on the criteria of energy efficiency," says Albert Grau, manager of the Foundation The House that Saves.

it is True that some works are expensive and that without public support, the owners and neighbouring communities can't deal with it. But others are suitable for any economy and for the little that is done, it note. For example, sealing doors and windows costs less than 20 euros, and prevents lose up to 30% of the heat. Although without changing the old windows with other double glazing, you may not reach that figure.

Another measure is to let the natural light in the housing for lowering the cost of heating. The solution is to place large windows (with double glazing). Although the spaniards did not understand, in joules (unit of energy), they know what it takes to be a good guide. "41,20% of spaniards what they value the most when choosing a house is the orientation," according to a survey of Habitissimo.

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The heating is carried forward up to 46% of the energy consumption of a house, so that the punctual revisions of the individual boiler will allow you to save up to 15% of energy, indicated from the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE). Although it may also have reached the time of the pass. The change of the old boiler for another condensation can reduce the consumption of 200 euros per year. They cost around € 1,600, but the investment can be amortized in a short time. More efficient and expensive —on top Betonbet of the € 3,000— are the teams of aerothermal, which give heating, cooling and sanitary hot water with a reduction of the energy cost, as a minimum, 50% compared to diesel and 25% compared to natural gas. In addition to bleed your radiators at least once a year, you may want to put a reflective material behind them so that the heat dispersed throughout the room. Another measure is to install thermostats and timers on heating appliances. "It can lead to a saving of between 8% and 13% of the cost, 60 euros per year. A temperature of 21 ° c is sufficient, and every extra degree increases a 7% consumption, that is to say, almost 30 euros per year", indicate in the portal Kelisto.

it is Not very expensive to renew the bulbs. The Leds convert 90% of the energy in light and the savings can reach up to 156 euros per year. And buy electrical appliances with labels A+, A++ or A+++ can mean a saving in consumption of up to 50%, 100 euro per year.

The purpose of being efficient becomes uphill when you come in to play more ambitious measures that are the responsibility of all the neighbors, as the thermal insulation of roofs and facades, which can reduce energy consumption by between 50% and 65%. Only by rehabilitating the main common areas could reduce the bill at 1,500 euros per year, with data of the Agency for the Rehabilitation of Buildings.

Europe tightens

The buildings eat up a third of the total energy consumption in Spain —18.5% for the sector residecial—. Let this strainer in the hands of private individuals is comparable to killing flies to cannon. Rehabilitation is no longer just an option, but an obligation. And urgent because Europe tightens. Spain should accelerate its decarbonisation if you want to meet the targets for 2030. And must be adapted to the european directive that in 2020 all new buildings or rehabilitated will be of consumption almost invalid. In both issues with the delay.

A group of experts has put on the table some proposals to advance once and for all this niche market. A report of the Foundation The House that Saves, in charge of the Group Garrigues, estimated that Spain needs to rehabilitate the 350,000 dwellings per year until 2030. And to do this raise the creation of passport energy, which already operates in Germany, France and Belgium —in some bonus veren siteler it is voluntary and in others mandatory—. It is an agreement between the Administration and the owners, by which the former agrees to give subsidies and the other to carry out the works during a period of four years. Is subvencionaría the improvement of the thermal insulation of the facade, roof and floor, replacement of systems of heating and cooling, production of sanitary hot water and ventilation. 80% of the assistance would be paid at the end of each phase, and the remaining 20% at the start of the following to avoid that the neighbors leave the works half-way. Also envisaged fiscal measures, such as a bonus in the IBI of up to 50%, or a bonus of up to 95% in the ING, as well as a reduced VAT rate of 4%.

The document has been submitted to responsible of the ministries of Development and of Ecological Transition. "Both of us showed all your support, and we charged that to continue working together to end to give way to this extent,' says Albert Grau.