Grants for Home Energy Efficiency and Adaptation
The Barcelona City Council has launched a new call for applications offering up to €6 million in grants to improve the energy efficiency and functional adaptation of homes. The scheme is open to owners, usufructuaries, and tenants who wish to upgrade their habitual residence by enhancing climate comfort, reducing energy consumption, and increasing accessibility. Work eligible for funding includes modifying building enclosures, replacing windows, and switching from fossil fuel heating and cooling systems to renewable energy alternatives. The grants also cover functional adaptations for people with disabilities, such as installing home automation systems, universal accessibility technology, and communication aids. Applicants may receive up to €6,000 based on the total investment in their property, provided the cost exceeds €1,000. Those applying for both energy efficiency and functional adaptation measures can receive up to €9,000 in total. The essential condition is that the home must be the applicant’s habitual and permanent residence at the time of application.
Building Accessibility Improvements for Communities
Separately, the Consorci de l’Habitatge de Barcelona is administering a €4.5 million grant programme to support accessibility upgrades in residential buildings. The funding targets neighbourhood communities undertaking projects to install elevators or remove architectural barriers in common areas. Grants will cover up to 40% of eligible costs for elevator installations in buildings with at least three floors, with a maximum of €45,000, extendable to €60,000 for external lifts. Projects must include necessary adaptations to connect the elevator from the public street. For other accessibility works, such as installing ramps, lifting platforms, or alarm systems, subsidies can cover up to 30% of costs, capped at €30,000. Eligible actions also include extending landings, replacing elevator cabins to meet accessibility standards, and installing electronic communication systems that support independent living for older people or those with disabilities.
The social cohesion grant can cover up to 100% of a household's proportional share of works if they meet income or disability criteria.
A portion of the accessibility budget, €500,000, has been allocated under the Pla de Barris (Neighbourhood Plan) for Baró de Viver in the Sant Andreu district. The programme aims to benefit over 6,000 residents citywide.
Social Cohesion Grant for Vulnerable Households
The accessibility call includes a social cohesion grant for families in economic vulnerability. To qualify, household income must be below three times the Indicador de Renda de Suficiència de Catalunya (IRSC), or, if a family member has a recognised disability rated at 33% or higher, income must be below 5.5 times the IRSC. In qualifying cases, the social grant can cover up to 100% of the individual household’s share of the renovation costs.
Application Deadlines and How to Apply
Applications for the home rehabilitation grants will remain open until 31st December 2026. The deadline for building accessibility grants is earlier, closing on 11th December 2026. The total investment planned by the city council is €10.5 million: €6 million for interior home improvements and €4.5 million for community accessibility projects. Residents seeking more information or wishing to apply can visit the official Barcelona City Council housing improvement portal.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Barcelona City Council. Reported by 20minutos.es.
