• Seven out of ten Spaniards are in favor of the reduction of the IVA and the Property Transfer Tax, to promote the demand of this type of households
• Most citizens consider that the rate reductions and subsidies are more effective than the awareness campaigns when investing in more sustainable households.
• 78% of Spaniards point out that the most remarkable characteristic of the energy households is the capacity to keep the temperature
• Fotocasa and EDP launch together a web to calculate the savings in electrical consumption when installing solar panels

The tax benefits and economic incentives are the more effective policies for the Spaniards when it comes to promoting the energy household demand, according to the last analysis from Fotocasa Research about the importance of energy efficient households, and to the opinions that citizens have of these houses. 75.9 % of the surveyed defends thus that the rate reduction of the IRPF would be an effective measure for the purchase of a sustainable household, while 75.8% appears to support the reduction of the IVA and the Property Transfer Tax (ITP) and 74.4% considers that grants should be offered for the purchase or rental of these type of households.

These data show that the tax and economic policies for those that purchase an energy household should have a bigger relevance in society than the awareness campaigns about the benefits of environmental sustainability. Therefore, compared to the high percentages in favor of reducing taxes or offering subsidies, only 49.7% of Spaniards consider it important to inform about the positive impact of these homes on the environment.

The more adult segments, especially those aged 45 years and over, perceive to a larger extent that these policies would promote the purchase of energy households. For example, while 61% of the Spaniards from 18 to 24 years appear to be in favor of the rate reduction of the IRPF in the income statement, in order to invest in more sustainable households, this number increases to 81.4% in the case of the group from 55 to 75 years. In the case of grants, 61% of the youngster from 18 to 24 years stand up for this measure, against 81.4% of the adults from 55 to 75 years old.

“More and more Spaniards are aware of the energy efficiency and the consumption carried out in households, and little by little, it has been seeing how to reduce the utility bills thanks to the alternative energies, such as the solar energy. With the idea of helping the customers each time they intend to reduce the electricity bill, Fotocasa, together with EDP, has launched a web to be able to calculate the energy saving in the bills, thanks to the sunshine hours that the household receives”, explains María Matos, Director of Studies and Spokesperson of Fotocasa.

In words of the Business Development and Customer Experience Director of EDP Solar, Óscar Cubillo, “this important partnership with Fotocasa allows us to keep bringing closer the solar energy, present and future of the energy sector, to private customers and business from all over Spain”. Thanks to this agreement, Fotocasa contributes clearly to promoting even more our growth around solar energy, enabling all the people that are purchasing a household or wish to rent a property and want to do it more attractive to the eyes of a potential tenant, to approach innovative self-consumption solutions that give answer to the growing interest of citizens in energy efficiency in their household, savings in the electricity bills, and boosting at the same time the sustainability of the environment in which we live”.

Which features of energy efficient households are more valued?

Among Spaniards, the more remarkable feature of households of high energy efficiency is the ability to keep heat, with a percentage of 78% in favor. Equally, 70.6% defends that these types of houses increase the comfort.

Additionally, citizens value more every time having a house energy efficient to save in the energy consumption. In this sense, 6 out of 10 Spaniards consider that the energy efficient households reduce the gas bill and 7 out of 10 think that they reduce the electricity bill.

The more aged population perceives in a larger extent the advantages of efficient households. Thus, while 69.2% of the group from 18 to 24 years think that they help keep the temperature, in the case of Spaniards from 55 to 75 the percentage reaches the 83.5%. The more aged groups are also more aware that the efficient household is more expensive: 48.8% of the youngsters from 18 to 24 years are in favor of this statement, while in the case of the group from 55 to 75, the number hits the 60.9%.

Among autonomous communities, it is observed that in Madrid and the Basque country there is more awareness regarding the savings that these households bring. This way, 74.8% of the Madrilenian and 71.4% of the Basques consider that efficient households reduce the electricity bill. Moreover, 69.8% of the people from Madrid and 70.9% of the people from the Basque country also believe that these types of houses reduce the price of the gas bill. For their part, the Catalans perceive in a larger extent (71.9%) that the efficient household increases comfort.

What aspects of the household require remodeling to make it more efficient?

Many Spaniards consider remodeling in order to obtain more efficient households, and insulation is one of the main priorities. 59.6% of the Spaniards are thus in favor of improving the windows’, and 50.2% the wall’s insulation.

Other factors that are valued by the citizens are the bathroom’s (46.8%) and kitchen’s (46.2%) remodeling. Regarding the electrical appliances, 42.6% would change the boiler, in order to have a more efficient one, and 36.9% would change the air conditioner by another one which was much more efficient.

By age, there is a greater predisposition to improve insulation on the part of the older groups, while the younger ones are more inclined to make improvements in the kitchen, the bathroom and the boiler. By communities, the need of Catalans (47.5%) and Madrilenians (48.8%) to change their boilers for more efficient ones stands out.