One of the main causes of climate change is excessive energy consumption in buildings. Therefore, legislation will tightening its requirements for both refurbishment and new builds emissions in order to reduce these emissions as much as possible. In the case of Spain, it is the Basic Document on Energy Saving (DB-HE) of the Technical Building Code (CTE) that regulates this issue.
1. Southern European countries are the worst prepared. The lack of training of the agents involved (administration, construction workers, citizens, etc.) in the concept and implementation of ECCNs and the additional limitation of seasonal changes in these areas are just some of the challenges that countries such as Spain will have to overcome.
2. The 25 million dwellings. Spain's current housing stock of 25 million dwellings (two thirds of which were built before 1990) will require renovation and refurbishment, as many of these properties are inadequately maintained and do not meet current standards of energy savings, thermal insulation and even habitability.
3. Putting the ECCN concept into practice. The EU directive allowed each country to define what a nearly zero-energy building is, depending on its uniqueness.
4. Gradually increase the demands. The regulatory scenario will become more and more demanding. Therefore, the promotion of current sustainable construction certificates can be a key tool to anticipate future requirements.
5. Greater social dissemination of energy efficiency. In the face of the new requirements, the real estate sector still needs to adapt to a new architectural model of low-energy buildings.
Here, the potential customer is the key to the whole process. Although they will continue to shop for location and price, the "efficiency factor" must be promoted as equally important,
