Urgent Need for Building Upgrades
Barcelona faces a growing challenge in rehabilitating its ageing residential buildings to meet modern energy efficiency and habitability standards. With much of the city's housing stock constructed decades ago, rehabilitation is no longer just about repair but a strategic necessity to adapt homes for future environmental and demographic pressures. According to the 2025 Living Conditions Survey (LCS) by Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE), 34.4% of households across the country considered renovations necessary to improve their home's energy efficiency. While the data covers Spain as a whole, it reflects a pressing concern in Barcelona, where many buildings date from before 1960 and require urgent conservation measures.
Energy and Accessibility Pressures
Energy efficiency improvements can significantly enhance living conditions, particularly during increasingly frequent heatwaves in Mediterranean cities. Buildings with poor insulation in facades, roofs or windows absorb and retain heat, making summer living uncomfortable and increasing reliance on air conditioning. Better thermal performance not only reduces energy costs but also improves year-round comfort and resilience to climate change. At the same time, rehabilitation must address the needs of an ageing population, integrating accessibility features and safety upgrades to allow residents to remain in their homes longer.
Barriers to Action
Despite the need, action remains limited. In 2025, only 19.5% of Spanish households had carried out energy efficiency improvements in the past five years. Among those who saw the need but had not acted, 76.2% cited cost as the main barrier, far outweighing administrative hurdles or difficulty finding professionals. Low-income households are disproportionately affected. The INE survey found that 41.0% of low-income households reported needing efficiency upgrades, compared to 25.3% of higher-income ones. In homes built before 1960, the gap widens: 51.2% of low-income households needed improvements, versus 27.5% of higher-income households.
Financing and Governance Challenges
In buildings governed by horizontal property regimes, decision-making is often slow due to disagreements among owners over costs and priorities. Many communities only act when problems become urgent, limiting time for planning and cost-sharing. Clear technical assessments and conservation plans could help anticipate repairs and prioritise investments. Public aid can support such efforts, but its effectiveness depends on accessible procedures, reasonable deadlines and manageable requirements. The Barcelona city council has launched participatory processes to shape its new Housing Plan 2025–2032, aiming to expand affordable housing and improve renovation rates. The plan recognises that new construction alone cannot meet housing needs, existing buildings must be sustainably maintained.
"The objective must be to consolidate a culture of planned conservation, in which rehabilitation is not a decision postponed until a problem arises, but an essential part of residential heritage management," said Eva López, CEO of Fincas Eva and board member of the Federation of Real Estate Associations.
Local authorities have a role in simplifying processes, offering technical guidance and ensuring equitable access to funding. Without coordinated action, rehabilitation risks becoming a privilege of wealthier communities, undermining city-wide resilience and social equity.
