A new energy efficiency directive for residential properties is due to come into force this year. What's the situation in Mallorca?
An EU directive officially came into force in Europe at the beginning of 2021, which also affects property developers in Mallorca. It stipulates that all new-build properties from this year onwards must be so-called low-energy buildings. And according to the directive, these are buildings that have a very good overall energy efficiency and whose energy requirements are very low and, as far as possible, should be covered to a very large extent by energy from renewable sources".
And: new buildings should use at least a proportion of renewable energy in future. Energy consumption is therefore multiplied by a primary energy factor, which differs depending on the energy source. This factor is zero for renewable energies. In purely mathematical terms, passive houses and energy-plus houses thus manage completely without fossil fuels. However, most energy-saving homes are a mix of renewable and fossil energy sources
But what are the specific requirements for implementing this directive in Mallorca? Andras Santha, from the company "Reformaster" in Santa Ponsa, which specializes in construction and property renovation, provides the answer.
Existing requirements"New buildings or core renovations must meet the requirements of energy efficiency class D as a minimum. However, these vary from municipality to municipality on the island. The town hall in Calvia, for example, requires the pre-installation of photovoltaic systems in the case of new buildings. However, if an air source heat pump is installed instead, solar panels are not required as long as energy efficiency class D is achieved."
&Amendments for 2021
"With the directive, the EU is aiming to set the energy loss of new buildings to zero. Residential properties are to be converted to so-called passive houses from this year. However, this cannot be implemented so quickly in practice. In Spain, the legal framework for producing private solar power was created in 2020. And to promote the installation of such systems with subsidies. There are no plans for changes or legislation to improve the energy efficiency of residential properties this year.
Improving energy efficiency
"The energy efficiency of a residential property depends above all on its insulation. Good façade and roof insulation as well as adequate moisture protection make a significant contribution to this.
What does "Reformaster" offer?
"We offer our customers various options to improve the energy efficiency of their property - whether it's a new build or a refurbishment. These include the installation of thermal insulation systems, the installation of modern double glazing, air heat pumps or solar thermal and photovoltaic systems. How the energy efficiency of a building can be improved naturally depends to a large extent on the local conditions. For this reason, we always focus on providing detailed advice on all possibilities.
Further information:
Company Reformaster
Centro Comercial Boulevard
Gran Via del Puig Castellet, 1
Bloque 6, Local 1
Santa Ponsa, tel. 971 694 044
