€624,000 Audit Programme Launched

Barcelona City Council will commission specialist technical reports on deficiencies in public housing, following complaints from residents at developments including Illa Glòries, Porta Trinitat, and Illa F in Torre Baró. The Municipal Institute of Housing and Rehabilitation of Barcelona (IMHAB) has launched a public tender for a framework agreement worth an estimated €624,000 to audit buildings and homes it has promoted or owns.

Complaints Prompt Action

Residents in the affected developments reported indoor temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius during summer 2026, alongside energy bills of between €120 and €150. The issues gained media attention and prompted a response from Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Housing. At a September 2026 session of the Economy Commission, Valls acknowledged the council's responsibility, stating: "What I must do as a city council is apologize to the residents who have suffered this situation." He confirmed that energy audits had already been commissioned for the three sites to assess their aerothermal systems and noted that up to 13,000 homes across Barcelona may have thermal deficiencies.

  • Illa Glòries
  • Porta Trinitat
  • Illa F, Torre Baró

Scope of the Audits

The new framework agreement will allow IMHAB to commission targeted inspections over two years, with an option to extend for another two. The audits will cover incidents arising during construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, or in the post-occupancy phase. The contract is divided into four lots:

  • Acoustics
  • Installations
  • Structure
  • Architecture

Each lot will allow for up to five accredited companies or technicians, none of whom may have previously provided professional services to the construction firms involved or held employment with any agent in the development, to ensure independence.

"The execution of works, both new and rehabilitation, and the carrying out of maintenance mean that, at times, either during the works or once they are completed, there are incidents where the solution is unclear, nor whether it is claimable from any of the agents who have been part of the execution,"

states the IMHAB tender documentation. All audit reports must include a description of the incident, a technical diagnosis, and a proposed solution.

Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.