Grants for homes and building refurbishment in Barcelona
How to incentivize socially positive actions?
The easiest answer to the initial question is by using a 'direct grant'.
It is necessary to define the term subsidy: "financial aid, usually official, which is granted to reduce the cost of an action determined by the citizen and thus promote a public policy that the Administration deems beneficial on an individual and collective scale".
When a payment of this type is well thought and designed, it is focused on promoting actions that have "positive externalities" click on this link to learn about this economic concept. As the subsidies which we will study seek to take care of the environment, they constitute a perfect example of a behavior that should be socially encouraged.
Subsidies for the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings
Firstly, we deal with the one that the City Council of Barcelona have designed seeking the energetic efficiency improvement of the housing.
In the words of the municipal website: 'This line of subsidy is aimed at homeowners who want to adopt measures to improve the energy efficiency of their usual home, such as the modification of closures, changing windows or air conditioning systems that replace fossil fuels with renewable energy or biomass'.
- The amount of this aid is: 'at least €1,000. The amount of the subsidy is 40% of the cost of the works, with a maximum of 3,000 €'.
- The application deadline is: 'until June 30, 2023, or until the funds end'.
Secondly, we analyze with the townhall subsidy aimed at improving the energy efficiency of buildings: 'This line of subsidy is aimed at improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings, multi-family or single-family. It will have to obtain an improvement in energy efficiency, accrediting the reduction of non-renewable primary energy consumption and energy demand'.
- The amount of this aid is: 'of 12,000€ per building and ranges between percentages of 40 and 80% of the total depending on the reduction of non-renewable primary energy achieved'.
- The application deadline is: 'until June 30, 2023, or until the funds are exhausted'.
Epilogue: beyond grants
To conclude the article we would like to remind you that, with enough money, a house can be built from the very beginning in order to zero energy consumption we refer to the "passivhaus". On the other hand, as a society, we should make a commitment towards circular economy because it minimizes the waste generation.