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Spain plans to tax the Sun

SPAIN IS a forerunner in the renewable energy industry, but reformed legislation now threatens to curb solar growth putting the small-scale photovoltaic market at risk. New measures could create major headaches for several Spanish banks. Solar energy groups claim that the subsidy reductions could force solar energy companies into default.

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the Spanish government drastically cut its subsidies for solar power, and now in an unprecedented move wants to make consumers pay for the electricity that they generate and use themselves, a move unheard of in any other country.

The reforms aim to raise money for combating a €26 billion government debt to utility companies which has built up over the years in regulating energy costs and prices. With Spain in economic crisis, power consumption is falling but the energy debt will continue growing by €4-5 billion a year unless the government takes action.

The government announced a new "support levy" on solar power. The solar levy is fixed at 6 cents per kilowatt-hour. Private individuals who fail to hook their solar panels up to the national grid to be metered and taxed could face fines of up to €30 million under the new law.

US business and finance magazine Forbes pulled no punches in an article titled, "Out of ideas and in debt, Spain sets sights on taxing the sun". The article took an incredulous tone and noted: "Spain is now attempting to scale back the use of solar panels – the use of which they have encouraged and subsidized over the last decade – by imposing a tax on those who use the panels."

Inaki Alonso, an architect who specializes in ecological projects, calculated that the cost of generating his own power under the new energy law and decided the numbers no longer add up. Two weeks after the government slapped the series of levies on green energy, Alonso hired two workmen to remove the solar panels he had put on his roof only six months earlier.

Neither was it possible to leave the panels on his Madrid home without connecting them to the grid; that would risk an astronomical fine. "The new law makes it unviable to produce my own clean energy," Alonso said.

Moreover, the law does not allow homeowners to sell electricity back to the grid. In 2004 the government removed economic barriers for the connection of renewable energy technologies to the grid for large-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic plants and guaranteed feed-in tariffs. Spain ended up with a huge surplus of electricity whereby the total capacity exceeds peak demand by more than 60 per cent, and owing utility companies for decade-long subsidizations for selling electricity at less than cost to its customers.

In the end, Alonso moved his solar panels to a friend's house deep in the Spanish countryside. This was far enough from the nearest mains supply to be exempt from the stipulation that panels must be hitched up to the grid.

Source: Reuters, Forbes, Bloomberg

New Law confirms "Obligations and Fines"

PUBLISHED IN the Official Gazette of the Spanish Government (BOE) on 27th June 2013 is the boletin confirming "Obligations and Fines" for offences relating to the Royal Decree. 

The article proclaims financial penalties as law, with fines to be imposed by the local government bodies based on three level of offenses:

• Minor offenses, a fine of 300-600 euros.
• Serious offenses, a fine of 601-1000 euros.
• Very serious offenses, a fine of 1001-6000 euros.

You won't get one of these .....

unless you have one of these .....

..... an authorised Architect

MEET ASIER, "Our Man in Torrevieja". Asier qualified with top honours in architecture. He is a member of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Alicante (colegio oficial member number 10287). An Architect must possess a membership to a Spanish official college in order to legally offer their professional services. Asier is fully authorised to issue the Energy Efficiency Certificate.

Valencia now accepting certificates for registration

DISINFORMATION AND chaos would be a fair description of the state of the new Energy Efficiency Certificate saga in Spain at the moment… un poco loco!

Government fast tracking, contradictions and confusing points in the legislation, software issues, along with the scams and cheap certificates have all contributed to the mayhem. Some real estate agents are refusing to do anything “until the situation calms down,” and one could justify being sympathetic to that claim. Many people do not understand whether or not they need the certificate, whilst others consider the certificate as another tax, and just another way of squeezing money. Consequently a slow-down has occurred which is forecast to have had a negative affect on the national property sales figures for June.

However, those wanting to abide by the law and not wishing to put themselves in a position whereby the sale of their property may default should persevere and obtain an Energy Efficiency Certificate from a trustworthy source.

After initial delays, Valencia is now accepting EECs for registration at the government authorised agency, AVEN – Murcia is covered in a previous post. - The registration can be applied for online or in person and currently is free. 

The certification process of a building is not fully complete until the EEC is registered. No building or part of a building, according to the new property law, may be sold or rented without having previously registered the EEC in the Register of Certified Energy Performance of Buildings. It is the obligation of the developer or owner of the building to register the certificate.

energy label

Once the certificate has been issued it is necessary to register it with the appropriate agency of the Autonomous Community. Procedure may vary, and not all regional governments have designated an authorised agency. Some regions may require a fee, expected to be in the region of €30. Registration may be delegated to a third party.

When the registration is approved, an energy label is issued and should be attached to the certificate. The energy label summarises the information contained in the certificate and is for the purpose of display. It should then be made available to real estate agents, prospective buyers or tenants and displayed with all marketing of the property.

It is vital that the EEC has been issued by an authorised architect or engineer otherwise penalties will apply resulting in fines. So, beware of scams and cheap certificates.

Scam concerns over the new Energy Certificate

ONE MONTH since the introduction of the new Energy Efficiency Certificate and already there are major concerns with scams offering cheap certificates. It’s hardly surprising that the new legislation has bought out the cowboys. What is surprising to the professionals is how fast the illegal marketing has occurred.

“A general reduction of prices is not bad in itself,” says Fidel Perez Montes, Director of Diversificación y Ahorro de la Energía, IDAE, “the problem is whether this reduction is accompanied by suspicious practices.”

For example, the Colegio de Aparejadores de Madrid has discovered advertisers that guarantee the highest rating (A), "something that turns the certificate in to a mere triviality when the initiative is crucial if we want to reduce CO² emissions to achieve more energy efficient homes and buildings," says Jesús Paños, President of the college.

José Antonio Galdón

Another malpractice is to offer the certificate without visiting the premises "This is not acceptable in anyway," says Jose Antonio Galdón, President of the General Council of Industrial Engineering of Spain, who explains “the Royal Decree requires a skilled and authorized professional to survey the property.”

Further concerns are about the cost of the certificate compared to the prices in the UK. Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in England and Wales in 2007 as part of the Home Information Packs (HIPs) for domestic properties. When the requirement for HIPs was removed in May 2010, the requirement for EPCs continued and this created a price war between assessors gunning for work. Some of those same assessors are offering their services here, which they are not legally authorised to do.

An EEC must be issued by an architect, engineer, or a qualified technician who is authorised to undertake building projects and thermal installations for buildings (this is important because not all architects and engineers are certified). They must belong to an official provincial association (colegio oficial) and have a member number. This allows them to offer their services professionally. If the assessor is not authorised then it will be impossible to register the certificate.

Jose Antonio Galdón emphasizes that for a house, "I would become suspicious of those who offer cheap certificates. The price you should expect to pay is between 200 and 300 euros per household". 

This price is the average cost of an Energy Efficiency Certificate across mainland Europe. In addition, those who breach the rules are liable for prosecution with fines up to 6,000 euros.

Al Gore hails President Obama's Climate Change Speech as "Historic"

PRESIDENT OBAMA lays out his vision for a comprehensive plan to reduce carbon pollution, prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change, and lead global efforts to fight it.

"We don't have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society" warned Obama, "sticking your head in the sand might make you feel safer, but it's not going to protect you from the coming storm!"

Environmental activist and former Vice President Al Gore hailed President Barack Obama's climate change speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday as "historic" and "the best address on climate by any president ever."

"I applaud the new measures announced by President Barack Obama this afternoon to help solve the climate crisis -- particularly the decision to limit global warming pollution from existing as well as new power plants," Gore wrote on his blog. "Following the important pledges he made in both his inaugural address and State of the Union speech earlier this year, and the historic gains in renewable energy and fuel efficiency that the President delivered in his first term, the policy changes he announced today represent important steps forward in the battle to halt catastrophic climate disruption."

In his speech, Obama invoked his executive authority to undertake a wide range of measures aimed at curbing climate change and its impacts. Of particular import to Gore was the president's directive to the Environmental Protection Agency to move forward with climate change regulations to limit carbon emissions from existing coal- and gas-fired utilities.

"This action -- if followed by skillful and thorough execution of the plan -- has the potential to fundamentally alter the course of our nation's energy infrastructure development and help to promote a sustainable future," he wrote. "On the international front, this action will bolster U.S. credibility and moral authority in negotiations with other countries."

The comments came after Gore -- who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in climate advocacy -- made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill to support the efforts of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), whom Gore has described as the Senate's leading advocate for solving the climate crisis.

It looks like Obama, too, has earned a gold star.

Source: The Huffington Post

President Obama is Taking Action on Climate Change

AT 7:35PM CET (1:35pm EDT) Tuesday 25th June President Obama will speak at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. on the growing threat of climate change. He will lay out his vision of where we need to go, to do what we can to address and prepare for the serious implications of a changing climate. Tune in at www.whitehouse.gov/live

Use a Home Energy Monitor to Calculate your Electricity Use

USING A home energy monitor can save you money on your electricity bill by helping you understand how much energy you are using, how much that energy is costing you, and which appliances use the most energy.

It’s a device that provides real time feedback on electrical use. Not to be confused with Smart Meters, these are portable household devices used for displaying energy usage and cost, as well as CO² emissions.

Used together with on line monitoring software, home electricity information can be viewed in real time on a laptop, tablet or smart phone. Energy monitoring systems can provide an array of historical information for tracking energy consumption. This produces several benefits including viewing how much you have spent on electricity over a specified period and the ability to set a budget on how much you want to spend. 

A home energy monitor is not intended to check the accuracy your electric meter but it could serve as a useful guide if you suspect your meter maybe faulty or if you suspect your electricity supply is being illegally tapped into.

Efergy is a global leader in the manufacturing of energy monitoring systems having sold over 800k energy monitors and 250k energy saving products in over 50 countries. There range of energy monitor products are designed to make it easy for any home or small business owner to quickly and effectively reduce their use of electrical energy.

According to Gavin Munro, Communications Manager at Efergy Technologies, "Spain is one of our biggest markets, people are very aware of power consumption. We have performed surveys and had our products vetted independently, and an accurate figure on how much the user saves is 17%. The units themselves don't save any money, but they encourage behavioural change through awareness. Our customers tend to look at their displays around 5 times a day...it becomes a habit, a bit like checking email! Through this constant monitoring people very quickly figure out their consumption behaviour and where to make positive changes to reduce waste consumption."

In 2009 a European Commission recognised the company for its innovative contribution to a successful domestic energy-saving campaign in Sabadell in northern Spain achieving an average monthly saving in households of 14.3%.

This week sees the launch of the Efergy engage app for iPad allowing remote monitoring. Check out their full range of energy saving products at www.efergy.com

Though ultimately it depends on you actively changing your bad habits, a Home Energy Monitor system provides you with all the tools needed to do just that.

Global Wind Day 2013

GLOBAL AWARENESS days are a bit like London red buses, they show up in 3's. We recently had Earth Day 2013, then earlier this month World Environment Day, now today it's Global Wind Day.

I can easily think of a few ambassadors for Global Wind Day but on a serious note... it is a day for discovering wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to change our world. Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June.

In more than 75 countries around the world, wind farms are in operation, generating energy from a clean and renewable source.

Thousands of individuals are involved in the production of energy from the wind, but for many people, wind energy is a mystery. Global Wind Day is the day when you can visit wind farms, meet experts, attend events, take actions to support wind energy and find out everything you want to know about wind energy.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) coordinate the Global Wind Day through a network of partners. The day started as a European one in 2007 and went Global in 2009. On 15 June, hundreds of public events are organised all over the world.

In Spain from 3-15 June you might notice the special Global Wind Day lottery tickets. Some five million special tickets have been printed, in association with ONCE – the Spanish association for blind people, and the lottery will be drawn on Global Wind Day itself.

AVEN issue model Energy Label

THE VALENCIAN Energy Agency (AVEN) has published a model for the energy label based on the label outlined by the Ministerio de Industia, Energia y Turismo.

An energy label will be issued by the authorised registration body for each Autonomous Community once the Energy Efficiency Certificate is registered.

Submitting an unauthorised EEC will be treated as false documentation and will be subject to penalties. Ensure the certificate is issued by a qualified professional who is registered at the official provincial association (colegio oficial).

For more information about the energy label published by the Ministro de Industria, Energia y Turismo click here

World Environment Day 2013 - Think.Eat.Save

THIS YEAR'S World Environment Day celebrations support Think.Eat.Save, an anti-food waste and food loss campaign encouraging everyone to reduce their foodprint.

Every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted, equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger. 

Given this enormous imbalance in lifestyles and the resultant devastating effects on the environment, Think.Eat.Save encourages everyone to become more aware of the environmental impact of the food choices and empowers individuals and organisations to make informed decisions. 

We are asking people to act, by spreading this message, to reduce food waste and protect our environment.

Registry established for Murcia

JUST PUBLISHED in the Official Boletin for the Region of Murcia (BORM) is an order dated 24th May 2013 announcing the creation of a register for the Autonomous Community of Murcia to regulate Energy Efficiency Certificates for buildings.

In accordance with the Royal Decree approving the basic procedure for certification of energy efficiency in buildings each Autonomous Community is obligated to create a registry within three months of the RD coming into force.

At the moment there is only one way to register an EEC in Murcia. That is by presenting the certificate to the "ventanilla única", located in your local town hall. In the future it is expected that it will be possible to register an EEC online at www.carm.es, but for now it can only be done in person. 

We await an official announcement regarding the registry for EECs in the Autonomous Community of Valencia.

All rental properties should consider obtaining an EEC

SPARKS SAYS renters should avoid having their property put under a magnifying glass and obtain an Energy Efficiency Certificate. Here’s the reason why…

Exemptions for the EEC are stated in article 2.2 of the Royal Decree:

“Buildings for housing or parts of existing buildings, the use of which is less than four months a year, or for a limited time of a calendar year, or with an energy consumption forecast to be less than 25% used throughout year.” The article also stipulates, “It will be the responsibility of the owner to keep a record.”

General legal advice currently being given to renters is that if you rent a property for "less than four months a year" you are exempt from obtaining an EEC. However, the article does not equivocally state that if you rent a property for "less than four months a year" it is completely exempt… there are other factors to consider.

The energy consumption of a building used for four months of the year will be more than 33%. To "forecast energy consumption less than 25%" only covers the building for up to three months a year. Holiday tenants also tend to consume more energy than average.

Show me an owner that will “keep a record” and I’ll show you a property on the Costa Blanca with an A energy rating.

Do you really want to have to prove to a government official how many weeks a year the property is let? Do you really want to permit a government official access to your tenancy records? Do you really want to argue a case, even if you are right, knowing a government official will have the final word on whether or not to penalize you?

Would it not be preferable to avoid confrontation and just obtain an EEC? (Something called “covering your arse” where I come from). The certificate is valid for 10 years and could save a lot of aggravation.

There are a lot of “what if’s”, however the letter of the law for rental properties is not simply a case of “less than four months a year.”

Sparks teams up with Valentine Property Sales

CATHY GALLAGHER of Valentine Property Sales has been promoting and selling property on the southern Costa Blanca for more than 20 years. She runs her own overseas property company here in Spain, the UK and Bulgaria.

“The business has always been family-run” says Cathy, “our work ethic is to always give as personal a service as we can, based on honesty, trust and building good lasting relationships.”

Valentine Property Sales provide a wide range of professional services, everything from viewing trips, property valuations and mortgage advice right through to an after sales service. Take a look at some of the beautiful homes and locations they have to offer.

Real Estate Agents interested in using a provider for the Energy Efficiency Certificate are welcome to contact us for information about our discount rates package.

Discounts for Real Estate Agents

SPARKS ANNOUNCES its special discount package for Real Estate Agents. We have designed a very competitive discount scheme to help Real Estate Agents provide their clients with an Energy Efficiency Certificate whilst also ensuring they are legally covered to market the property. 

With only three days left before the new law comes in to force on 1st June, Real Estate Agents are resigned to the fact that as from this Saturday it is a legal requirement for vendors to obtain an EEC before a property can be advertised. The vendor must make an EEC available to prospective purchasers. 

The energy efficiency label must be displayed on all advertising. Article 12.2 of the Royal Decree states: “The label will be included in any offer, promotion or advertising relating to the sale or lease of the building or building unit. The label should always appear clearly and unequivocally, whether it relates to the energy performance certificate or the finished or existing building.”

Real Estate Agents interested in using a provider for the Energy Efficiency Certificate are welcome to contact us for information about our discount rates package.

The 50 m² Rule and other exemptions

BUILDINGS FOR sale that are exempt from obtaining an Energy Efficiency Certificate from 1st June 2013 are detached or stand alone buildings with a total floor area of less than 50 square metres, e.g. sheds, summer houses, etc.

Other exemptions stated in article 2.2 of the Royal Decree include enlisted buildings, places of worships, temporary buildings, workshops and agricultural buildings e.g. barns, major renovations and demolitions, plus buildings used less than 4 months of the year or that have an energy consumption lower than 25% of which would be used throughout the year.

Apathy to the EEC by Real Estate Agents and Solicitors

REAL ESTATE agents are burying their heads in the sand about the new law governing the Certificado de Eficiencia Energética. We have also received emails about solicitors ill advising vendors on the legal requirements, some saying it is not necessary until the sale goes to the notary.

From 1st June 2013 it is illegal to market a home for sale in Spain without an Energy Efficiency Certificate. It is a legal obligation for the vendor to make available to prospective purchasers an Energy Efficiency Certificate. The energy efficiency label must be displayed when the property is being marketed. 

Article 12.2 of the Royal Decree states the obligation to the vendor: “The label will be included in any offer, promotion and advertising relating to the sale or lease of the building or building unit. The label should always appear clearly and unequivocally, whether it relates to the energy performance certificate or the finished or existing building..”

Detached homes with a total floor area less than 50 square metres are exempt from the CEE, plus enlisted buildings and those purchased for major renovations or demolition.

Apathetic real estate agents and solicitors could prove costly to those trying to sell a property. Vendors should clarify whether or not they are prepared to pay the imposed fines on their behalf. 

If you need help obtaining an Energy Efficiency Certificate email Sparks.

Proposed penalties for non-compliance on Energy Efficiency Certificates

OVAVEN HAVE introduced amendments for sanctions and fines governing Energy Efficiency Certificates.

Proposed penalties are to be 300 to 600 euros for minor offenses, 601 to 1,000 euros for serious offenses, and 1001 to 6000 euros for very serious offenses. However, if the profit that the offender obtains by the offense is greater than the amount of the penalty, the fine imposed shall be for an amount equivalent of such benefit.

The new law governing Energy Efficiency Certificates on existing buildings comes into force on 1st June 2013. 

Click here to read the full article

Sparks teams up with Malimi Real Estate Agents

MALIMI COSTA Blanca S.L. offer a wide variety of professional services to the property market from real estate sales and rentals to mortgages and home services, plus all the insurance cover you are ever likely to need. Their team can guide you step by step through the legal process of buying a property on the Costa Blanca.

Owner Marijke Vanbogaert knows all about the importance of networking and building good business relationships. Since establishing the company in 2003 she became a founder member of Business Group Espana (BGE), the regions long standing business networking group.

Real estate agents interested in using a provider for the Energy Efficiency Certificate are welcome to contact us.

You say "EPC", I say "EEC". You say "Tomato", I say "Tomato" .... Let's call the whole thing off!

BRIGHT SPARKS of the Month Award goes the anonymous lady in Playa Flamenca. Me and Mrs Sparks had a chuckle over this email;

"Tony, I am president of an urbanisation in Playa Flamenca. One of the residents has been around to see me today. She has been told by someone that she only has until 1st June to have an IPC fitted, after which she could be fined if Iberdrola do a check. I haven't heard anything about this from anyone else in our area. Is this correct?"

You say "IPC", I say "ICP"... well, she got the date right. Priceless. Watch out for gossip mongers!!

Earth Day 2013 – Climate Change vs. The Money Jungle

TODAY IS Earth Day 2013. Born on 22nd April 1970, Earth Day is 43 years old. “More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.” claims the American environmental movement, Earth Day Network. 

Climate change is a controversial subject that has just as many sceptics as it has believers. Trying to research the facts leads me to a conclusion that it would be far easier trying to solve who killed JFK. Government forecast models compiled decades ago have proven to be extremely over estimated, though we all bear witness to changes in the weather and evidence of the polar icecaps and glaciers melting. Could it be the debate is more about politics and power rather than science or the truth? 

“People are basically vehicles to just create money, which must create more money, to keep the whole thing from falling apart, which is what’s happening. There is no profit under the current paradigm in saving lives, putting balance on this planet, having justice or peace or anything else. You have to create problems to create profit.” This is the Money Jungle. 

One fact remains uncontested though, that on our current evolutionary path we will run out of energy sometime in the future if we fail to act. We must reduce the production of energy from fossil fuels and increase the production by renewable energy.

Happy Earth Day 

(Note to self: participate in a "civic observance")

Looking at the Big Picture

INITIAL RESPONSE to the new Energy Efficiency Certificate (aka EPC) being introduced by law into Spain on 1st June 2013 has been much as expected and mostly critical. Is it just another excuse for a government tax? Why are the certificates more expensive in Spain than the UK? Would we be better off using the certificates for wall insulation to help save energy? Cynicism aside, let’s consider the bigger picture as to what it is all about. 

Let us be perfectly clear, the EPC is not being introduced to help property owners save money on utility bills, the reason is to cut carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions from buildings. Former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero pledged to cut Spain´s greenhouse gases by 20 per cent by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels). 

Houses in Spain consume 17% of all the energy in the country. The emission of greenhouse gases caused by buildings has grown over 20% since 1990. 38% of the Spanish are not satisfied with insulation against heat and cold from their homes, and 42% also state dissatisfaction with the sound insulation. Moreover, about 60% of Spanish homes have been raised "with no minimum energy efficiency standards" (the first being in 1979). 

In national terms, Spain used to be one of the worst offenders in terms of CO² emissions, with almost a whopping 200% per cent rise between 1971 and 2007. In the first half of 2009, emissions in Spain fell by a 17 per cent, due to industrial slowdown and increased renewable power - an unexpected upside to the current economic crisis. According to the latest data published by the United Nations, Spain is currently number 20 in a list of countries by CO² emissions, producing 1.1% of emissions worldwide. 

The origin of the certificate was instigated at a United Nations conference held in 1992, which became known as the Earth Summit. The parties negotiated an international environmental treaty with the objective to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” In 1997 the Kyoto Protocol set binding obligations on industrialised countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. 

The Directive on the energy performance of buildings was published by the European Parliament in 2002 and came into force on 4th January 2006 which required member states to adopt the Energy Performance Certificate. 

The certificate assesses the buildings energy rating, plus gives recommendations on how to cut CO² emissions. From 1st June 2013 vendors and renters are obligated to make that information available to prospective buyers and tenants. This new legislation forces us all to consider the effect of CO² emissions in our homes.

And I'd like to thank the Academy...

SAT 13th APRIL; the announcement in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, the official gazette of the Government of Spain, means we can now start arranging the new Certificado de Eficiencia Energética (aka EPC) for our customers. 

If you are selling a property, or renting a property for more than four months of the year, you need a Certificado de Eficiencia Energética by law after 1st June 2013.

Sparks has employed the professional services of an architect to assist with helping our customers get the certificate. Our architect is registered at the Colegio de Arquitectos de Alicante having graduated with honours obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, so you can rest assured our Energy Efficiency Certificate are authentic. Together we offer our clients a first class service at a competitive price, not only with the issuing of the certificate, but also with an added bonus of specialist advice on the best way to save money on your electricity bill. You can read more about energy saving here.

Ted Allen (pictured above), an accountant from Southampton, was our first customer. Whilst on a short golfing holiday with his pals we arranged the Energy Efficiency Certificate for his property in Torrevieja in just a few days. Commenting on our service Ted said "What an excellent trouble free service at a very competitive price. The whole procedure was completed in 4 days. Sparks is a pleasure to deal with"

The price for an Energy Efficiency Certificate is worked out on the total floor area of the property, calculated in square metres. Contact us for a price or more information. 

Scam Alert

NEW PROPERTY legislation often brings out opportunists looking for scams. We are already hearing stories of so-called qualified people offering to provide authorised Energy Efficiency Certificates. Scammers are aided, in part, because the software needed to produce the certificates is easily available on-line and it's free. Beware of fraudsters who are nothing less than architects or engineers.

A certified assessor must be an architect, engineer, or a qualified technician who is authorised to undertake building projects and thermal installations for buildings. The individual will have completed a special government training course on Existing Building Energy Certification, and be trained in the software designed to issue the certificate (this is important because not all architects and engineers are certified).

Both professionals belong to an official provincial association (colegio oficial) and have a member number. Architects must be registered at the colegio in order to be able to offer their services professionally. For the Vega Baja region you can inquire at the Colegio de Arquitectos de Alicante, Plaza de Gabriel Miró, 2, 03001 Alicante, tel. 965 21 84 00, about an architects authenticity.

The same applies with engineers, they all have their professional associations in every province, they must be registered and have a member number.

It is important to use an architect, engineer or technician who is registered at a colegio oficial because the certificate will probably have to be endorsed sometime in the future. AVEN (Agencia Valenciana de la Energía) is not prepared to receive any certificates for the moment, so for the time being a certificate does not need any further processing.

The Energy Efficiency Certificate and the Law

IT’S OFFICIAL… it’s now the law. If you are selling or renting a home you must obtain an Energy Efficiency Certificate (aka EPC), known as a Certificado de Eficiencia Energética, from 1st June 2013. 

Last Saturday, the official gazette of the Government of Spain, Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), published Royal Decree 235/2013, of 5th April 2013, approving the basic procedure for the certification of energy efficiency of buildings. The publication officially declares the Royal Decree is law. 

If you are selling a home you should obtain a certificate before it is advertised in order to provide prospective buyers with energy performance information about the property. Rentals should obtain a certificate if the property is used over four months of the year. 

The certificate must be issued by a certified assessor who will visit the property to carry out a survey. They should be an architect, engineer, or a qualified technician who is authorised to undertake building projects and thermal installations for buildings. Once the survey is complete the assessor will take a few days to produce the certificate. The cost of the certificate is not set by the government but by the assessor, and  depends on the total floor space of the property. 

AVEN (Agencia Valenciana de la Energía) is the registry of the Comunidad Valenciana which shall be responsible for Certificado de Eficiencia Energética inspection and control. However, AVEN is not yet prepared to receive any certificates, and thus, for the moment, a certificate does not need any other processing. In the future, the certicate will need endorsement from the Official Association of Architects (Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos), but for the moment, endorsement is not compulsory. It is probable that in the future when the registry is in place, that the certificate needs to be endorsed, but this can be done in the future without any problems. 

Failure to comply is an offense under consumer protection law and is punishable according to the General Law on Protection of Consumers and Users and statutory rules. Policing the law will fall to the Autonomous Regions. How quickly and stringently the local authorities implement the new law, only time will tell. 

The Royal Decree makes no reference to the time frame to comply with the new law after 1st June 2013. Bear in mind that policing of the new law will undoubtedly take a while, which will allow a honeymoon period, but failure to comply should only be considered at the owners own risk.

It's the Law... officially

THE OFFICIAL Gazette of the Government of Spain, Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), yesterday published Royal Decree 235/2013, of 5th April 2013, approving the basic procedure for the certification of energy efficiency of buildings. The publication officially declares the Royal Decree is law. 

Whilst I work my way through the small print, one article is worth highlighting under the basic procedure about properties excluded from obtaining an Energy Efficiency Certificate (aka EPC). It states in the article: 

Excluded from the scope: 

“Buildings for housing or parts of existing buildings, the use of which is less than four months a year, or for a limited time of a calendar year, or with an energy consumption forecast to be less than 25% used throughout year.” 

The article continues, “it will be the responsibility of the owner to keep a record”. 

This mainly affects rental properties. The four months is the total months for the calendar year, and not necessarily consecutive. Holiday rentals should base their decision on whether or not to obtain an Energy Efficiency Certificate upon this information.

Royal Decree approves Energy Certification

ALL HOMES for sale or rent must obtain a Certificado de Eficiencia Energética from 1st June 2013. The new law was enacted this morning by Spanish ministers in a Royal Decree on the Certification for Energy in Existing Buildings. 

In short, the energy efficiency certificate is a document signed by a qualified assessor that contains information about the energy efficiency of a building according to the calculation method defined by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. 

An Energy Efficiency Certificate (aka EPC) must be obtained before a property is marketed and the information must be included in all advertising. The certificate must also be produced at the signing of the contract of sale. Rentals, including holiday lets, must make a certificate available to tenants. Agents cannot legally offer properties for rent or sale without a certificate. 

Those with property in the UK should be familiar with the certificate. The Energy Performance Certificate or EPC, as it is commonly known there, was introduced on 1st August 2007 into England and Wales as part of the Home Information Pack. When the requirement for HIPs was removed in May 2010, the requirement for EPCs continued. 

"Homes consume 17% of all energy in the country and 38% of Spanish are not satisfied with the insulation in their homes” according to the Minister of Development, Ana Pastor. An Energy Efficiency Certificate analyses the energy consumption of a home and suggests possible improvements to make the building more energy efficient. The information contained in the certificate is summarized by a colour coded bar chart using a scale ranging from A to G, similar to labels found on white goods. 

The most energy efficient homes are in band A and the least energy efficient in band G. Those properties in band A should have the lowest energy bills. The same A to G scale is used to define the impact a home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions. The average property in Spain is expected to be band E or F for both ratings. New houses with a good level of energy efficiency should be capable of obtaining a D rating, whilst some old properties will be in the lowest G category.

The Energy Efficiency Certificate is an initiative of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, an international treaty that sets binding obligations on industrialised countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Within the treaty Spain is committed to reduce CO² emissions by 20% by the end of 2020. 

According to the latest data published by the United Nations, Spain is number 20 in a list of countries by CO² emissions, producing just over 1% of emissions worldwide. China is number 1 followed by the United States.

Introduction to the Certificado de Eficiencia Energética

BUYING A property in Spain involves considering a lot of variables before you decide to purchase. Important decisions have to be made about the location, size and age of the property, as well as the state of the construction, decor, electrics, etc. Now, you will have to consider another important factor on that list, energy efficiency.

We have all been told that we must save energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions in order to slow down the effects on climate change. For several decades governments have been slowly introducing ways to achieve this and help educate us on what we need to consider in order to save energy.

White goods are a perfect example of how this works. They have been subject to being energy efficient rated for several years. Coloured bar graphs attached to the goods provide useful energy efficiency information which helps us compare similar products.

More recently the demise of the traditional light bulb in favour of low-energy lamps has us now using more energy efficient lighting in our homes. Look closely on the packaging and you will see a small energy performance certificate displaying the lamps power efficiency. This, along with the infamous ICP that we must all have fitted in our Consumer Units, is all part of the European Union master plan to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020.

On 1^st June 2013 a new law will be introduced that makes it compulsory for property owners to obtain a Certificado de Eficiencia Energética in order to sell or rent a property. Basically, selling or renting your home will be no different than buying a fridge freezer, certified information must be provided to the prospective buyer or renter about how energy efficient the property is.