The progress of energy renovation in Catalonia reveals a persistent paradox: the region contains a significant share of Spain’s most deteriorated residential stock, yet the rate of deep renovation remains far below European targets. According to the article, Spain has around 14 million dwellings with poor energy performance, and only 0.08% of the housing stock undergoes substantial renovation each year, compared to the 3% target set by the Renovation Wave. In Catalonia, more than half of all homes were built before 1980, and 81% hold low energy performance certificates, a context in which European regulation requires faster emission reductions and a shift towards a more systematic approach to renovation.

The article highlights that collective action remains marginal, despite the existence of energy communities and local programmes. Structural barriers — a highly fragmented SME market, limited access to finance, and weak collective management capacity among residents — continue to hinder the transition towards integrated projects. Nevertheless, initiatives supported by Citizen-Led Renovation show that when technical, legal, and financial support structures are in place, communities can mobilise and generate replicable models capable of transforming a sector that, to reach scale, needs more cooperation and fewer isolated initiatives.

_{Source of the picture: European Commission – Citizen-led renovation (Annie Spratt / Unsplash)}