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Spain has become one of the countries with the most advanced solar legislation in the world. Last Friday, 17th March, the Spanish government approved the new Technical Buildings Code (CTE, Codigo Tecnico de la Edificacion), the most significant reform of the Spanish building sector for decades. The new CTE includes amongst others sustainability and energy efficiency of the buildings. The "Documento Basico HE - Ahorro de Energia" goes far beyond the minimal level of implementation of the EC Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings and includes an obligation to cover 30-70% of the Domestic Hot Water (DHW) demand with solar thermal energy.
Obligations on solar thermal and photovoltaics
The solar thermal part applies to all new buildings and to those undergoing a renovation. It applies to any kind of buildings, independent of their use. Some exceptions are defined in the law; mainly in the case of buildings that either satisfy their DHW demand by other renewables or by cogeneration or for shaded buildings. The variation of the solar fraction from 30-70% depends on different parameters, mainly the assumed volume of DHW demand and the geographical position of the building. Moreover, large buildings in the tertiary sector (for instance office buildings > 4.000 m2) will also be obliged to install PV systems.
Market impact to be felt in Autumn 2007
The new CTE is expected to be published in the Spanish Official Journal during the current week. While most of its provisions will apply only one year after publication, those concerning energy efficiency and solar energy are expected to apply within six months, i.e. probably from October 2006. Because the obligation refers to the authorisation of the new buildings, it will then take around one further year until the impact will be felt on the solar thermal market.
The municipal solar obligations, approved in the last few years in dozens of municipalities, including Barcelona and Madrid, will remain in force as long as they are stronger than the national obligation included in the CTE
Excellent news for the Spanish citizens and for all Europe
ESTIF President, Ole Pilgaard, declared: "This is excellent news for the Spanish citizens and for all Europe. Today, planning new buildings without a simple solar thermal system is really a strange idea, as we know that oil and gas will become extremely scarse within the lifetime of new buildings. The new Spanish building codes will help the European construction sector to adapt sooner to the new reality of scarce energy sources.
ESTIF Policy Director, Raffaele Piria, added: "Spain shows a concrete way ahead for Europe, just a few weeks after the European Parliament approved its resolution on renewable heating and cooling and the EU Commissioner for Energy, Mr Piebalgs, announced that the Commission will table a Directive proposal this year. We hope that many countries will look at the Spanish example and the European Commission will feel encouraged to propose a strong Directive to promote solar thermal as well as other renewable heating and cooling technologies."
The overall text (in Spanish only) of the CTE can be found at the website of the Ministry for Housing
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