Frequently asked questions and answers about housing and building renovation programs for economic and social recovery in residential settings (FAQs).
Frequently Asked Questions on Renovation Grants 2022
General questions
- When can the grant be requested?
The applications for each of the programs can be submitted since the day after its publication in the DOGC of this call, on June 28, 2022. It must be kept in mind that applications cannot be submitted until the preliminary procedure is carried out, related to the call in the annexes and the ERRP Neighbourhood Plan, and it is approved.
- How much longer can these grants be requested?
The deadline for submitting applications will end on June 30, 2023.
- How long do they take to answer since it has been requested the grant on the City Council process website?
The maximum term to dictate the resolution and notify it is 3 months, counting from the day following the date of presentation of the application in the City Council process website. In case of no resolution has been received within that period, the request will be understood as rejected.
- Can works already started or completed be elegible for renovation aid at the building and/or housing level?
Yes, as long as the work have been started after February 1, 2020.
- Can the Housing Agency call be applied to Barcelona city? And in all Barcelona Metropolitan Area?
No, the call published on March 28, 2022 is applicable in Catalonia, except for the 35 municipalities that make up the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (excluding Barcelona city) will be ruled by the call published by the Metropolitan Housing Consortium.
Barcelona city will be ruled by the call published by the Barcelona Housing Consortium.
- Is there a maximum income limit for the applicant above which these aids cannot be applied for?
There is no maximum income limit to apply for this aid.
- What to do to assess if my building can benefit from Next Generation Grants?
Contact the Municipal Renovation Office (ORM), located at Calle Pujades, 350.
Additionally, homeowners interested in applying for grant will have access to a simulator commissioned by the Barcelona Housing Consortium to be able to check the state of energy efficiency of their property and the possibilities for receiving subsidies.
The professional associations of property managers, architects and quantity surveyors, technical architects and building engineers collaborate in the processing of files to speed up the processes for obtaining subsidies together with the Municipal Renovation Office (ORM).
Compatibility
- Is the renovation program grant at the building level or at the neighborhood level compatible with other similar subsidies?
These grants will be compatible with other grants provided by other programs and instruments of the European Union, provided that it is accredited that the same cost is not being subsidized (Article 14 of the Call for Renovation at Building level and Article 14 of the Call for Renovation at the Neighborhood level, based on the provisions of Article 36 of Royal Decree 853/2021, which includes the compatibility of aid for the Renovation Program at the Building level and in Article 17 of the same Royal Decree relating to the Renovation Program at the neighborhood level).
The subsidies of these programs will also be compatible with other public grant for the same purpose, provided that the total cost of the operations is not exceeded and provided that the regulation of the other grant, whether national or European, allows it. The Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE) and the Catalan Institute of Energy (ICAEN) have specific grants for energy renovation operations, called the Program for the Energy Renovation of Buildings (PREE) and the Program for the Energy Renovation of Buildings in municipalities with a demographic challenge of less than 5,000 inhabitants (PREE 5000). These grants are not compatible with those of the Next Generation program, as they are grants from the same fund within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism. - Are the grants of renovation program 3 at the building level and the grants of the renovation program 1 at the neighborhood level compatible?
No, you can only receive funding from one of the two programs (article 36.2, Royal Decree 853/2021).
- Is renovation grant at the building level (Program 3) or renovation grant at the neighborhood level (Program 1) compatible with renovation grant at the housing level (Program 4)?
Yes, as long as it is proven that the same cost is not subsidized (Article 36.2 and 17 Royal Decree 853/2021).
- Is the renovation grant at the building level (Program 3) or at the neighborhood level (Program 1) compatible with the grant for the development of the book of the existing building for the renovation and the drafting of renovation projects (Program 5)?
Yes, despite the fact that when a project has received a subsidy charged to Program 5, the amount received will be deducted from the amount of the subsidy charged to Program 3 at the building level or Program 1 at the neighborhood level (article 34 RD 853/2021).
Tax system
- Have the process, developed by RD 19/2021 of October 5, of urgent measures for the renovation of private homes in PIT (personal income tax) come out? Is the renovation of a roof included?
RD 19/2021 entered into force on October 6, 2021 and from that date it unfolds all its effects at the state level without the need for other regulations to develop it. The energy renovation of roofs is one of the most important actions in the improvement of the building envelope, so it is eligible for subsidy. The thermal insulation of the roof will mean a significant increase in the level of energy savings, and may contribute to achieving a higher % of grant for the operation.
- Is the grant for building renovation tax deductible in the income statement?
The deductions contemplated in the Royal Decree Law may be made effective in the income statement in the period in which the energy efficiency certificate issued, after the completion of the works is issued.
- What documentation must be submitted to justify the PIT tax deduction, in addition to the settlement? Will this deduction be compatible with other grant for the same purpose?
In principle, it is not necessary to attach supporting documentation when submitting the PIT settlement, unless express requirement by the Ministry of Finance in this regard. However, the beneficiary who avails himself of the deduction established in Royal Decree Law 19/2021, of October 5, of urgent measures to promote building renovation activity in the context of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, must have, safeguard and present to the grant management body the supporting documentation that proves the taxpayer's right to make the deduction (energy efficiency certificates issued and registered in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 390/2021, of June 1 , as well as the correct calculation of the deduction base and the invoices of the amounts paid for the execution of the renovation works).
The deduction is compatible with the grants, but it must keep in mind that, as stated in Royal Decree Law 19/2021, those amounts that, in their case, they had been subsidized through another public aid program or were to be by virtue of a final resolution of the awarding of these grants.
Grant for the renovation of housing
- Is it necessary to achieve the 7% energy saving only with the operations done by Program 4, or could be possible to consider the developed operations of all the Programs (1 and 3) together to achieve it?
If grant is requested in two different programs, the criteria of each program will have to be met in relation to the operations to be subsidized within the program in particular: the saving of 7% of the energy demand required in Program 4 will take as a starting point the state of the building after the operations linked to Program 1 or 3 (the starting point is different for both programs). Thus, a new energy rating of the building will be obtained, different from the initial one, once the actions of program 1 or 3 have been carried out. This new rating will be the starting point for evaluating compliance with the energy requirements of Program 4. The ending energy rating of the building will be achieved with the set of planned operations in both Programs (4 and 1 or 3). Regarding the compatibility of grant between Programs 1, 3, 4 and 5, it must keep in mind that the grant received by Program 5 must be deducted from the grant of the other programs (the same cost cannot be subsidized) (Article 14 of the call for buildings and Article 14 of the call for neighborhoods).
- Is there any grant program for improving a home or energy improvement plan that includes the removal of asbestos?
The removal of asbestos is contemplated in Program 1 of Aid for rehabilitation actions at the neighborhood level and in Program 3 of Aid for rehabilitation actions at the building level, established in Royal Decree 853/2021 and, therefore, are included as eligible actions provided that the energy efficiency improvement objectives established in these programs are met.
The call for aid from the Barcelona Housing Consortium 2022 contemplates a complementary aid of a maximum of €1,000/household or €12,000/building for the removal of asbestos-containing elements within the framework of programs 1 and 3.
In any case, the works in which products with asbestos are found must comply with the provisions of Royal Decree 396/2006, of March 31, which establishes the minimum health and safety provisions applicable to works with risk of exposure to asbestos, and the management of the waste originating in the process must be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 105/2008, of February 1, which regulates the production and management of construction waste and demolition.
Procedure
- Where, how and when can applications be submitted for aid to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and homes?
In accordance with article 5 of the calls for grants at the building and neighborhood level, the period for requesting the grant will last one year, until June 30, 2023.
The grant application must be submitted and formalized electronically using the online forms that will be available to applicants on the Barcelona City Council process website: https://seuelectronica.ajuntament.barcelona.cat/oficinavirtual/es
Likewise, prior to telematic apply, all the documentation must be presented and the technical and administrative suitability reports issued by the Municipal Rehabilitation Office (for the properties located within the scope of the 23 neighborhoods of the Neighborhood Plan) must be submitted and for the rest of the neighborhoods will have to go to the technical and administrative associations (COAC, CAATEEB and CAFBL).
- How do you request the grant for housing renovation and buildings? Making contact straightly with the Ministry or with the Autonomous Community? In person or telematically?
By virtue of what is established in article 4 of RD 853/2021, the autonomous communities are responsible for processing and resolving the process for awarding and paying the grant. In accordance with article 5 of the calls for grants at the building and neighborhood level, the grant application must be submitted and formalized electronically using the online forms that will be available to bidders on the Barcelona City Council Process website: https://seuelectronica.ajuntament.barcelona.cat/oficinavirtual/es
- In a community of owners, can the grant be requested individually for each property or is it necessary to present a project for all the community?
If what you want is to improve the energy efficiency of your private home, the program that best suits your needs is Program 4 to help operations to improve energy efficiency in homes. However, in order to achieve a higher degree of energy efficiency, greater benefits in the works to be carried out, and increase the amount of grant that could be requested and received, it is advisable to include operations that affect the building as a whole, within the framework of the Programs 1 or 3, such as the renovation of the front of the building, which must be approved by the Community of owners.
- Does the technical renovation project for which funding is requested, related to programs at the building or neighborhood level, must to have a drafting date after the publication of the call for grant?
No.
- Can the technical project to submit be a basic project in accordance with the Technical Building Code that also includes the waste management study? Or must it be an execution project?
The renovation technical project must contain a) Project of the operation to be carried out or, failing that, justifying report of the action; b) Book of the existing building for renovation or, falls through, a study on the potential for improvement of the building in relation to the basic requirements defined in the LOE and an Operations Plan in which the action is identified; and c) A construction and demolition waste management study that will be subsequently developed in the corresponding proposed construction and demolition waste management plan (Annex 1 article 2 of the Tender Documents).
- Can a legal entity with economic activity that owns a residential building be a beneficiary of the grant?
Article 31.1. of Royal Decree 853/2021 establishes that "The ultimate recipients of the grant may be: "a) The owners or beneficial owners of isolated single-family homes or grouped in a row and of existing buildings of residential type of collective housing, as well as of their houses, either natural persons or have legal personality being private or public.
In any case, when the ultimate recipients of the grant are people or entities that carry out an economic activity, the conditions indicated in Article 18.3 of the bases.
Renovation Agent
- Where can you get information to become a Renovation Agent according to the Resilience Plan?
The formal, academic and professional requirements to work as a Renovation Agent will have to be specified in the calls or legal instruments of each city or autonomous community. As these requirements are not defined or published, there is not, to date, a registry of Renovation Agents.
- What is the role of the Renovation Agent or Manager?
The figure of the renovation agent is defined in Article 8 of Royal Decree 853/2021, of October 5: natural or legal person, public or private entity that can carry out actions to promote, monitor and receive public grants, access to funding, preparation of documentation or technical projects or other necessary actions for the development of renovation operations.
The objective of the Royal Decree is that the renovation agent is able to carry out all the tasks related to the execution of the grant (from the preparation and application phase, to the certification and justification of the works).
Beneficiaries and recipients
- Can a housing development company be a beneficiary of any of the assistance programs for residential renovation and social housing of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan?
Royal Decree 853/2021 establishes that the ultimate recipients of the grants may be “the tenant companies or licensee of the buildings, as well as cooperatives that prove this condition, by means of a current contract, which grants them the express power to carry out the renovation works, object of the program. (Article 31.1.f).
In any case, when the ultimate recipients of the grant are people or entities that carry out an economic activity, the conditions indicated in Article 18.3 of the bases.
Technical aspects
- According to Royal Decree 853/2021, of October 5, and the calls for grant in projects of a legally constituted Community of Owners made up of several buildings, Are extra grants established for the removal of asbestos elements for each of the buildings or to divide up among them?
The extra grant for removing asbestos would correspond to each complete building (not to each home), provided that the energy improvement objectives are achieved, in accordance with Royal Decree 853/2021 and the call.
- How should I proceed in the drafting of the proposal in a specific point, which is related to the installation of photovoltaic panels on an asbestos roofing?
The objective of the grants contemplated in Royal Decree 853/21 is the reduction of at least 30% in the consumption of non-renewable primary energy, referring to energy certification. In addition, it must achieve the reduction of the global annual energy demand for heating and cooling that is established in Articles 33.2 or 43.1, depending on the grants program and the climatic zone.
In the operations that involve intervening in asbestos construction elements, its removal will be mandatory and an extra economic amount can be chosen for its removal, which must be carried out by an authorized company and in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 396/2006, of 31 of March.
- Are funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility planned to rebuild a demolished house?
The grants, provided by the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and in the call for grants for housing, are earmarked for the energy renovation of existing homes, so, unfortunately, this case would not be contemplated in any of the cases.
- Can you apply for renovation grants to install an elevator?
The operations to improve the building, which include the operations to improve accessibility such as the installation of elevators, will be eligible provided that as a whole they meet the requirements set forth in each of the programs of Royal Decree 853/2021, of October 5, 2021, as well as the national and European regulations applicable in the field of subsidies.
- What kind of thermal generators are eligible for subsidies?
The installation of any thermal generator whose production is based on renewable energies and that meets the requirements specified for the different programs (for example: aerothermal boilers, geothermal boilers, biomass or solar powered boilers, etc.).
- Are operations to replace natural gas boilers for more efficient ones, also natural gas, eligible if a reduction in demand of at least 7% or a reduction in consumption of at least 30% is achieved?
No. As indicated in Article 3, thermal generators that use fossil fuel (such as natural gas boilers) are excluded from eligible operations for all purposes for all grants programs regulated by Royal Decree 853/2021.
However, in those operations in which existing boilers are replaced by more efficient natural gas boilers, although its cost may not be included in the eligible investment, their impact on the reduction of energy consumption may be taken into account its non-renewable primary energy, including this improvement in the energy certification of the building after the operation.
Renovation Office and Renovation Technical Offices
- How are renovation offices regulated?
The Renovation Offices are regulated in Program 2 of Royal Decree 853/2021, from October 5 (Articles from 21 to 29). In this framework, the autonomous communities may directly manage them or entrust the management to local entities, or other entities or public or private agencies, for which they may directly carry out the concession when they correspond to the reasons provided in the Article. 22.2. of Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Grants, or by public call. In this Call they will explain the Programs and Adjustments that are financed, and in what terms and specific conditions.
The calls for grants of the Barcelona Housing Consortium establish that it corresponds to the Municipal Renovation Office (ORM) to check out the applications fully accomplish the demanded requirements.
In Program 1 of grants to renovation operations, the Municipal Renovation Office (ORM) will be which will carry out the comprehensive management and support of recipients.
- Municipal Renovation Office (ORM)
Barcelona City Council
Open to the public:
Monday to Friday: from 08:30a.m. to 2:30p.m.
Thursday (from October to May): until 6:30p.m.
Pujades Street, 350
08019 Barcelona
Phone: 010
ng.rehabilitacio@bcn.cat
https://www.habitatge.barcelona/en
According to Program 3 of Grants for renovation, the professional associations of property managers, architects and quantity surveyors, technical architects and building engineers act as Renovation Technical Offices:
- Property Administrators Associations Council of Catalonia
Website: https://otrc.consellcaf.cat
Contact: https://otrc.consellcaf.cat/contact.asp
Phone: (+ 34) 93 451 02 02
Mallorca Street, 214 Lower level
08008 - Barcelona
Monday to Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Association of Architects of Catalonia (COAC)
Website: https://rehabilitacio.arquitectes.cat
Contact: https://rehabilitacio.arquitectes.cat/contactans
Phone:: (+ 34) 93 301 50 00
otr.arquitectes@coac.net
- Council of Quantity Surveyors, Technical Architects and Building Engineers Associations of Catalonia
Website: https://otr.cat/
Phone: + 34 93 414 14 13
info@otr.cat
College of Quantity Surveyors, Architects and Building Engineers of Barcelona
Bon Pastor Street, 5. 08021 Barcelona
Percentage subsidy
- What are the limits about the maximum grant by building and/or housing?
For the building renovation program at neighborhood level (Program 1), the maximum amount of the grant will be the quantity in the table onwards:
For the building renovation program at building level (Program 3), the maximum amount of the grant will be the quantity in the table onwards:
Both programs (1 and 3) will have a complementary municipal grant:
For the program to improve the energy efficiency of housing (Program 4), the maximum amount of grant will be 40% of the cost of the operation, with a €3,000 limit quantity. - What is the maximum amount for housing and for community of owners that can be requested within the housing renovation program?
The maximum eligible investment for housing will be €7,500 quantity, regardless of the investment may be higher.
- Will the amount of the grants be the result of adding the 80% of the total subsidizing budget or of adding the maximum amount for each house by the number of houses to the result of multiplying the corresponding figure by the built square meters of premises?
In accordance with the Articles 15 and 34 of Royal Decree 853/2021, the maximum amount of grant for the building is resolved by adding to the maximum amount of grant for houses (determined by multiplying the maximum grant for houses by the number of houses of the building) and the maximum amount of grant for commercial premises or other different uses than housing (determined by multiplying the maximum grant per squared meters of commercial premises by the squared meters of the commercial premises). In any case, the subsidy may not exceed a maximum percentage of the cost of the subsidizing operation, which is established in Tables 15.1 and 34.1 of Royal Decree 853/2021 and Articles 8.6.1 of the call at the neighborhood level and Article 8.6 of the call at building level, depending on the reduction of non-renewable primary energy consumption, for Programs 1 and Program 3, respectively.
- Is the cost of managing the grant and its justification eligible for subsidy?
Programs 1, 3 and 4 of the calls for grants at the neighborhood level and at the level of the Barcelona's building (Article 8.3.4) take into account as eligible expenses those derived from administrative processing, and other similar general expenses, provided that all of them are duly justified with the corresponding limit, for which the grant management expenses would be eligible.
Others
- Are the grants in the call backdated?
Yes, the operations will be subsidizing whenever, in compliance with the requirements set forth in the programs that include them, they have been started after February 1, 2020.
- Are the started after the entry into force of the call for grant eligible operations?
The operations will be subsidizing whenever, in compliance with the requirements set forth in the programs that contemplate them, they have been started after February 1, 2020.
- In relation to the calls for grants: What is the difference between the Program of grant for operations to improve energy efficiency in houses and the Program of grant for renovations operations, at the building or neighborhood level, which provides for grants with relation to isolated single family houses?
Program 1 (neighborhoods) and 3 (buildings) is aimed at larger global operations (especially improvement of the thermal enveloping) in collective residential buildings and in single family houses. In this program, the requirements for reducing consumption and energy demand are stricter and, consequently, the amount of grants is greater. Program 4 (housing) is aimed at individual operations in each house, with less severe
requirements and a lower maximum amount of grants.
The grants of three programs (neighborhoods, buildings and housing) are compatible with each other, as long as they are not requested to cover the same costs.
- What are the advertising and dissemination obligations to keep to?
All the information about brand book can be found here: https://www.mitma.gob.es/recursos_mfom/paginabasica/recursos/beneficiarios-publicid
ad-prtr_v3.pdf