Housing

Owners’ Associations and owners of vertical properties, whether incorporated or not.

There is a requirement to achieve increased energy efficiency with demonstrated reduction in the consumption of non-renewable primary energy and reduced energy demand.

The first measures must have been taken after 1 February 2020.

Buildings must meet the following requirements:

• It is mandatory for buildings to have a Report of Technical Inspection of Buildings (IITE) dated prior to the date of application.
• The building(s) must have a Certificate of Energy Efficiency (CEE) prior to the works.
• At least 50% of the built surface area above ground level, excluding the ground floor and any lower floors if they have any compatible alternative use(s), must be in residential use as dwellings.
• The measures have been agreed by the Owners’ Association except where a building is in single ownership.

The following refurbishment works are excluded:

• Works the purpose of which is to change the use of the whole building.
• Works the purpose of which is to demolish the whole existing building except its external envelope.
• No grant will be awarded for investments in thermal generators that use fossil fuels although such systems can be included and be modelled in the project and final Energy Certificates.
• There are also excluded single household buildings which are categorised under Article 3(1) of Law 18/2007 of 28 December to make provision for the right to housing as dwellings used to obtain the proceeds of a business regulated by the law that applies to accommodation let for holiday use.

These grants can be combined with other public funding for the same purpose, provided total support does not exceed the total cost of any scheme and provided that the rules in Spain or Europe for such other support so allow.

These grants can be combined with grants under the Programme for grants to schemes for increased energy efficiency in dwellings, so long as it can be shown that the same cost is not being supported by grants under both programmes.

These grants may not be combined with grants under the Programme for grants to schemes for neighbourhood restoration (Decision DSO/825/2022 of 22 March).

Refurbishment schemes for buildings that achieve evidenced increase in energy efficiency with 30% reduction in non-renewable primary energy consumption and reduction in heating and cooling demand of 25%.

Schemes that entail the removal of construction products that contain asbestos (maximum of €1000 per dwelling or €12,000 per building).

Next Generation General Grant:

• The proportion that may be grant-supported is proportionate to the reduction in consumption of Non-Renewable Primary Energy (EPNR):
  • 40% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 30% (maximum of €6,300 per dwelling).
  • 65% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 45% (maximum of €11,600 per dwelling).
  • 80% grant: when the reduction in consumption of EPNR is equal to or greater than 60% (maximum of €18,800 per dwelling).

Municipal complementary subsidy:

• In the case of buildings located in acoustically stressed areas according to the 'Plan of Measures against Noise Pollution 2022-2030' of Barcelona, the maximum amount of aid may be increased by €500 per dwelling.
• In the case of buildings that contain empty flats at the time of applying for this call, the granting of this increase will be subject to the inclusion of these flats in the Barcelona Social Rental Exchange for a period of five years. Compliance with this condition must be certified by the relevant department when the final certificate of the work is submitted.

Grants of up to 100% may be available in cases of vulnerable persons.

These grants may be applied for until 31 December 2024 or until all available funds are allocated.

During the process, up to two advance payments can be requested before the completion of the renovation work:

• First advance: 50% of the grant received.
• Second advance: 30% of the grant received, subject to proof that 80% of the work has been carried out and that at least 50% of the total cost of the work has been paid.

They are retroactive and can therefore be requested by approved files, providing the documentation specified in the call. They can also be requested by the final beneficiaries who can prove that they can cover the cost of the work not covered by the grant received.

The balance of the grant will be paid on presentation of the required documentation. If the work is not carried out or the justification is not provided within the time limit set, the advance must be repaid with interest.

It is possible to endorse the advance payments to whoever carries out the work, as long as the requirements set out in the call are met. The remainder of the aid is paid when the work has been completed and it has been verified that the requirements have been met.

In order to receive aid, eligible expenditure of more than €1,000 must be paid by bank transfer.

Applications and required documentation may be submitted at a later stage in the process.

Regardless of whether the work has not started, is in progress or has been completed, the following documents must be submitted

• Technical Building Inspection Report (IITE) and Certificate of Compliance or Receipt of Application (AHC).
• Report justifying the work in accordance with the Technical Code.
• Description.
• Budget broken down by areas of activity.
• Plans.
• Book of the existing building to be renovated or a study of the building's potential for improvement in relation to the basic requirements defined in the LOE and an action plan identifying the proposed action.
• Justification of what has been declared as responsible in the processing process, in the sense that the design of the building and the proposed construction techniques support circularity.
• Documentation of the controlled removal of asbestos present in the property or within the scope of the renovation.
• Colour photographs of the areas affected by the actions described in the project or report.
• Where applicable, a report justifying compliance with the requirement to reduce demand with:
  • The measures carried out in the 4 years prior to the date of the application.
  • The existing energy efficiency certificate (prior to the implementation of other measures).
  • The project or supporting report describing the measures carried out, the final certificate of the work and the corresponding invoices.
  • Document accrediting the type of qualification, the reason for protection and the protection element of protected buildings that are part of a declared environment or because of their particular architectural or historical value.

From the day following the notification, a maximum period of three months will be opened for the presentation of the documentation and for obtaining the favourable reports on the evaluation of the administrative and technical suitability. Once these have been obtained, they must be submitted to the City Council's procedural web. If this is not done in time, the decision will not take effect.

You can consult the necessary documentation in the Call for renovation grants from the Barcelona Housing Consortium, or in the direct download links for each of the documents, which are found below (More information):

Schemes eligible for grant support:

• Reduction of at least 30% in the rate of consumption of EPNR as shown by the relevant energy certificate.
• In buildings located in Category C Weather Areas under the Climate Zones in the existing Building Code (CTE), a reduction in total annual energy demand for heating and cooling of a single household dwelling or a Building, the reduction must be: Weather Zone C, 25%;
• In the case of buildings that are protected to any degree as part of a listed environment or due to their historic or architectural importance, it is not necessary to meet the requirement for demand reduction, but those elements of the envelope that can be changed must meet the minimum thermal transmittance and air permeability values set out in Table 3.1.1 a-HE1 and 3.1.3 a-HE1 of the basic energy saving document in the Building Code, DB HE.
• Where within the 4 years prior to the date of the grant application, energy efficiency measures have been implemented for which it can be shown:
  • a) that the aggregate annual demand for energy for heating and cooling has been reduced by at least the required proportion, the requirement for reduction in the aggregate annual demand for energy for heating and cooling does not apply.
  • b) where the target level of reduction has not been met or exceeded, the requirement can be deemed to have been met if the aggregate of the reduction measures for which the grant application is made meets or exceeds the level of reduction set and the relevant Energy Efficiency Certificate must be provided.

Additional grants for people in situations of vulnerability:

In identified situations of economic vulnerability that affect one or more of the owners or beneficial owners of a dwelling comprised within a building to be refurbished, additional grant aid can be applied for in addition to the grants requested by the ownership board.

The following need to be shown to evidence such economic vulnerability:

• Household with no children or persons with a degree of disability equal to or above 33%: up to twice the Living Income (IRSC) (measure of adequacy of income in Catalonia).
• Household with one child or person with a degree of disability equal to or above 33%: up to 2.5 times the Living Income (IRSC).
• Household with two children or persons with a degree of disability equal to or above 33%: up to 2.7 times the Living Income (IRSC).
• Household with three or more children or persons with a degree of disability equal to or above 33%: up to 3 times the Living Income (IRSC).