Energy efficiency: part of sustainable urban development

Energy efficiency: part of sustainable urban development

Sustainable urban development has been a topic of debate worldwide for decades. As early as the 1960s, the first doubts were raised about the growth of cities and the rise of urbanization. construction. And this debate, surrounded by questions, has not stopped growing. Although it is closely linked to the use and abuse of natural resources and energy sources, in recent years Europe has stepped up its paces and has drawn up a package of measures that in Spain are complemented by the latest regulations presented this month in the BOE.

Some measures that aim directly at the energy efficiency of homes and sustainable urban growth:

• Royal Decree Law 19/2021, of October 5, on urgent measures to promote building rehabilitation activity in the context of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

• Royal Decree 853/2021, of October 5, which regulates the aid programs in the field of residential rehabilitation and social housing of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan for the Savings Service , sustainability and energy efficiency.

Some rules of application in conjunction with the 2030 agenda, since they directly affect the energy rehabilitation of buildings and the conscious readaptation of cities in terms of sustainable urban development.

And why in the cities?

With the pandemic, many have purchased homes in rural areas. We have seen it in our own residential developments. But why are we still only talking about cities in terms of sustainable urban development?

Urban environments generate approximately 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and 50% of global waste, consume almost 75% of natural resources (such as water) and around 70% of energy globally. And all public and proven entities have their share in it. And for this reason, the central government also recently presented the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan.

Energy efficiency of buildings in private environment

The new investment plan for the energy rehabilitation of homes and public buildings presents aid measures for Spanish homeowners. An ideal opportunity to make profitable your investment possibilities in Real Estate sales.

The aim is to increase the rate of energy rehabilitation to meet the rehabilitation objectives contemplated in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) and in the Long-term Strategy for energy rehabilitation in the building sector in Spain (ERESEE).

For its part, the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law also includes objectives related to energy efficiency and especially, in buildings.

and development of sustainable and resilient cities.

And that affects the energy efficiency of existing homes in the current urban park. Because it is not only about building sustainably, rehabilitation is also important in a country where more than two million homes are missing to respond to current social demand.

And as we said, these regulations benefit new owners and those who want to sell their home and must rehabilitate it. Because if you rehabilitate your property in terms of energy to be able to sell your home, you will now have the tax help that you needed before. And if with this you contribute to increasing the Spanish residential rental park, the benefit will be double.

The butterfly effect of new Spanish urban development

Beyond construction of sustainable homes what sustainable urban growth seeks is the balance between resources and people. An intelligent growth that responds to the current needs of society and also builds new fully profitable projects that do not harm the global commitment to reduce polluting emissions.

And it is good that at a public level there are already policies to help owners, because it generates not only new incentives for sale. It also generates a new positive climate where the effect of a few will be followed by many and posiProbably, it ends up having a very favorable impact on global urban development in a few years.

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