The orientation of real estate investments in the financial market towards increasingly sustainable and efficient projects will be strengthened by the European Commission by 2030, through the reinforcement of sustainability criteria. This strengthening of criteria aims to transform the real estate sector into a more sustainable and efficient one, considered to be one of the most polluting. The European Commission has theobjective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and seeks to meet it through the regulation of investments with tools such as taxonomy (the development of a regulation aimed at meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals). Therefore, some recommendations to reduce the environmental impact and improve the energy efficiency of homes will be reviewed.

There is a mandatory framework for all economic sectors, which is structured around six defined objectives related to sustainability. These objectives are: mitigate climate change, adapt to climate change, sustainably use and protect water and marine resources, protect and restore biodiversity and ecosystems, prevent and control pollution, and move towards a circular economy.

Some outstanding recommendations for improving energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of retrofits include the appropriate selection of materials, products and technologies.

• Use sustainable building materials, such as certified wood, raw earth bricks, primary steel, recycled or prefabricated materials, among others, instead of conventional ones that generate more waste and carbon emissions.

• Installation of renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or geothermal systems, to reduce dependence on fossil energy.

• Incorporate low water and energy consumption systems for water heating, through household appliances that meet the specifications required by the regulations. Likewise, it is also recommended to add solutions for faucets and showers, such as single control, as well as in toilets, and to check that their flow rate complies with the existing labels in the EU market.

• Introduce efficient waste management technologies to minimize the environmental impact of housing.

• Add insulation on exteriors, such as walls, ceilings and attics, as well as in basements and first floors, to ensure air tightness and reduce thermal loss.

• Replace doors and windows with energy efficient ones.

• Substitution of light sources for energy saving installations.

• Installation, replacement, maintenance and repair of HVAC and water heating systems using highly efficient technologies.

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