Portugal is the EU country that has the lowest values of energy savings in residential buildings, according to the analysis of the environmental association Zero to the European Commission JRC report. And the truth is that the majority of Portuguese people (88%) consider their home thermally uncomfortable, according to the study conducted by the Sustainable Construction Portal (PCS) in April 2021.
It is urgent to start renovating buildings in Portugal with a view to improving their thermal performance, not least because more than 85% of today''s buildings will still be standing in 2050, according to Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy. It was with this reality in mind that the European Commission (EC) has designed new minimum standards for energy performance, which will put pressure on owners to make their properties more efficient by 2030. The goal is simple: "to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050".
Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is a top priority in the EU and also in Portugal. The Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) provides for 610 million euros to be invested in improving the energy performance of Portuguese buildings between now and 2026. And it will be the residential segment that will receive the largest share of this funding (300 million euros), followed by public administration buildings (240 million) and services (70 million). The truth is that European pushes have given new impetus to support programmes focused on making buildings more efficient.
One of them is the Sustainable Buildings + programme that started in June 2021 with an initial allocation of 30 million, and after an "extraordinary uptake" was raised to 45 million euros. The deadline for applications was also extended until 31 March 2022. This is a programme that provides a co-funding rate of 85% for works on homes with a view to improving their energy performance. Until September, the Environmental Fund has already validated 3,247 applications in this program, which total five million euros.
Another programme in place is Vale Eficiência, which aims to combat energy poverty and improve the thermal comfort of homes by giving 100,000 vouchers worth €1,300 each. This programme was launched in August and in October the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action announced that the first 368 vouchers have already been issued. So far, this programme has received a total of 4,350 applications.
Today, the energy performance certificate is an essential document, both to access public funding in this area, and when buying or renting a house. That is, if you want to access public support aimed at improving the energy efficiency of homes, you must present the energy certificate when you apply. And when placing a house on the market - either to sell or rent - it is mandatory to present the energy class of the property, a detail that is indicated only on the energy performance certificate. For this reason, when selling or renting the house, it is mandatory to present the energy performance certificate. To help you navigate the process, idealista/news has put together an explaination of the steps and tips to avoid fraud.
In addition to these applications of the certificate, Brussels also wants to strengthen the role of the energy certificate in the European real estate market. This is because the scope of application will be extended, making it compulsory to present this document in major renovations of buildings, in buildings whose lease has been renewed and in all public buildings.
Energy crisis in place - electricity prices rising
Improving the energy efficiency of the home is an important step to improve the comfort of families, but also to reduce energy consumption, at a time when electricity prices are soaring. The Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) has revealed the price of electricity has gone up again from October, with a rise of €1.05 per month planned for most consumers on the regulated market.
And why is this happening? According to the ERSE, energy tariffs reflect the rise in wholesale market prices. And the truth is that the electricity price escalation in the Iberian wholesale market seems to have no end in sight and the numbers are breaking all records. Families'' electricity bills are skyrocketing - especially those who live in poorly insulated houses and try to heat their homes using electrical appliances.
And what will it be like in 2022? The ERSE predicted in December that the price of electricity for consumers in the regulated market would rise by 0.2 per cent from the beginning of the year 2022. However, the environment minister guaranteed in September that "there will be no increase in the price of electricity for domestic consumers in the regulated market for the year 2022". The best thing to do in this case will be to wait and see what happens in the market.
How to heat your home without skyrocketing electricity bill?
Heating the house on the coldest days is really a challenge for many. With houses so inefficient in terms of their energy consumption and electricity prices on the rise, keeping the house warm can seem like an impossible mission for many families. One in every five Portuguese citizens cannot keep their homes warm because they cannot afford to pay the energy bill (electricity or gas), this is the conclusion to be drawn from the latest Eurostat data.To help families to heat their homes in a practical and cheap way, the idealista/news has gathered a set of tips and tricks.
The Viceroy at Ombria Algarve, marking the debut of Viceroy Hotels & Resorts in Southern Europe, opened its doors on 1 October 2024 within the Ombria Algarve resort. "A new sustainable luxury destination, located in the municipality of Loulé," notes Ombria Algarve in an official statement, a project being developed by the Finnish family office, Pontos Group.
Housing costs in Portugal have not stopped increasing, not even during the pandemic. Right afterwards, there was a widespread price increase due to inflation, which pushed up interest rates on housing loans. In this context, Portugal saw a worsening of the housing cost burden among low-income families, making it one of the OECD countries where this burden has deteriorated the most since 2019.
Buying a home is often a long-term commitment, especially for those who need a mortgage to make it possible. This process can involve several steps, including the requirement for life insurance, which, as Deco explains, "is generally a mandatory condition in Portugal for mortgage approval."
UnderstandingStamp Duty in Portugal, known locally as "Imposto do Selo," is essential for anyone involved in property transactions or legal acts within Portugal. This tax is applied to various legal documents and transactions not covered by VAT, playing a significant role in the fiscal responsibilities when acquiring property.
More than half of the property investment in the Algarve region is from foreign sources, according to Engel & Völkers'' Market Report Portugal. Investors are predominantly German, British, and Belgian.
A five-star hotel with 197 rooms is set to be built as part of the Algarve''s new Verdelago Resort, including six secluded suites in the middle of the pine forest (Forest Suites).
Total energy supply (TES) includes all the energy produced in or imported to a country, minus that which is exported or stored. It represents all the energy required to supply end users in the country. Some of these energy sources are used directly while most are transformed into fuels or electricity for final consumption.
Energy production includes any fossil fuels drilled and mined, which can be burned to produce electricity or used as fuels, as well as energy produced by nuclear fission and renewable power sources such as hydro, wind and solar PV. Bioenergy - which here includes both modern and traditional sources, including the burning of municipal waste - is also an important domestic energy source in many countries.
Imports, particularly of fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal, make up an important part of the energy supply in many countries. Countries that rely heavily on imported energy may be vulnerable to supply disruption from external events such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. In countries that export large amounts of energy, falling energy prices can also cause major economic shocks.
Energy sources, particularly fossil fuels, are often transformed into more useful or practical forms before being used. For example, crude oil is refined into many different kinds of fuels and products, while coal, oil and natural gas can be burned to generate electricity and heat. Other forms of transformation, such as extracting gas or oil from coal, play a relatively minor role in the energy systems of most countries.
One of the most important types of transformation for the energy system is the refining of crude oil into oil products, such as the fuels that power automobiles, ships and planes.
Another important form of transformation is the generation of electricity. Thermal power plants generate electricity by harnessing the heat of burning fuels or nuclear reactions – during which up to half of their energy content is lost. Renewable power sources generate electricity directly from natural forces such as the sun, wind, or the movement of water.
Total final consumption (TFC) is the energy consumed by end users such as individuals and businesses to heat and cool buildings, to run lights, devices, and appliances, and to power vehicles, machines and factories. It also includes non-energy uses of energy products, such as fossil fuels used to make chemicals.
Some of the energy found in primary sources is lost when converting them to useable final products, especially electricity. As a result, the breakdown of final consumption can look very different from that of the primary energy supply (TES). Both are needed to fully understand the energy system.
The sectoral breakdown of a country''s energy demand, which is based on its economy, geography and history, can greatly impact its energy needs and which energy sources it relies on to meet those needs – such as fueling automobiles, heating or cooling homes or running factories.
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