Housing reform with energy saving criteria: the importance of controlled mechanical ventilation

Housing reform aimed at improving energy savings inside a home and, with it, increasing its sustainability is an intelligent decision. However, most of the time it is necessary to undertake costly renovations to achieve this. Fortunately, there are currently many aids designed to cover this investment. Next, we will talk about them and discuss the importance of mechanical ventilation in this regard.

Aids for housing reform with energy criteria

The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan promoted by the Government of Spain has set an ambitious goal. Specifically, it aims to reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy by 30% by rehabilitating 160,000 homes before the end of 2023.

With this goal of energy sustainability, the plan aims to subsidize up to 40% of the cost of renovations, establishing a maximum limit of 3000 euros per house. To pay for this initiative, the Next Generation funds from the European Union will be used. In total, 3420 million euros.

The autonomous communities are responsible for managing these funds, so each of them has the authority to establish application deadlines. The only requirements are to have a project and budget from a contractor and to possess an electronic certificate or digital signature, as the aids are managed entirely online.

Controlled mechanical ventilation when renovating a home

Ventilation and energy are two concepts that go hand in hand. What's the reason? Currently, the use of systems with heat recovery units can provide significant savings in energy consumption for the home. The use of mixed water batteries is very useful for conserving temperature and reducing heating or air conditioning costs.

However, opting for controlled mechanical ventilation systems when renovating a home offers many more advantages beyond those related to energy savings. For example:

• Increase comfort. This is mainly because they regulate humidity levels and maintain stable indoor temperature.
• Create a healthier environment. Although we ventilate a home naturally, it is normal for outside air to contain pollen, bacteria, and contaminating particles from, for example, cars or tobacco smoke. Controlled mechanical ventilation systems purify the air and maintain their respective values within recommended limits.
• Increase the value of the home.58% of those interested in buying a house would be willing to pay more for a sustainable one. Specifically, 13% more.

Housing rehabilitation with the Passivhaus standard

The Passivhaus standard has become a worldwide reference in regards to sustainable and environmentally friendly housing. Through its implementation, it is possible to reduce more than 75% the cooling and heating needs of any house.

First of all, Passivhaus focuses on insulation and the absence of thermal bridges, as well as on air tightness. It also gives a fundamental role to mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery. In fact, it states that it is not possible to build a sustainable and efficient house without installing one that meets its needs.

Therefore, conducting rehabilitations of homes with the Passivhaus standard offers a great number of advantages. Among them, ensuring the greatest energy savings possible and the highest air quality indices indoors. Therefore, it is not surprising that, through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, government authorities have made a firm commitment to meeting its criteria.