The measures included in the energy-saving plan were published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spain’s official state gazette) on Tuesday. Among other things, public buildings and shops that are not in use will be required to switch off lights and shop window displays from 22:00, doors will have to be kept closed and limits are set on temperatures. The royal decree allows for some exceptions. These are some of the main measures.
Temperatures limited to between 19º and 27º
The energy-saving plan sets a limit of 27 degrees for air conditioning in summer and 19 degrees for heating in winter, at least until November 2023. It is estimated that every degree of limitation saves 7% of electricity consumption.
Shop entrances with automatic doors
Premises and buildings subject to this energy-saving plan will have to keep their doors closed whenever the air conditioning or heating is in operation, another measure that copies what already applies in France. A two-month period is given for its implementation, and buildings and shops will be required to have a door-closing system before 30 September.
In addition, posters explaining these energy-saving measures must be displayed in establishments, as well as information on temperatures and humidity levels.
Shop windows, buildings and monuments in the dark
Shops, as already happens in France and Germany, will have to switch off their shop window lights from ten o’clock at night, a measure that will also apply to public buildings that are not in use, the decorative lighting of their façades and monuments.
Remote working and boiler inspections
Minister Ribera urged companies, as was done during the recent health crisis, to encourage their employees to work from home and to allow working hours to be concentrated, in order to save on travel and, in turn, reduce consumption in public buildings. «We were able to do it during the pandemic and we have learned a lot since then», she said.
To prevent more energy being consumed than necessary, buildings that passed their energy efficiency inspection before 1 January 2021 must undergo an extraordinary inspection before 31 December 2022, so that all buildings with significant air-conditioning consumption have passed an inspection within the last two years. Likewise, inspections of thermal boilers are required, provided the last one took place before January 2021.
From public buildings to bars
The measures are «applicable both to all buildings and premises of public administrations and to the services sector», according to the BOE. Accordingly, they will be obliged to limit the temperature of administrative buildings, both public and private, which include, for example, banks, professional practices and offices.
Cultural buildings such as theatres, cinemas, auditoriums, conference centres and exhibition halls, as well as venues for public entertainment and recreational activities, must comply with the measures, as must shops, supermarkets, department stores and similar.
Hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés are once again among the sectors affected by these measures and will be obliged to limit their thermostats, as will train and bus stations.
Health centres and hairdressers
The Government has provided for exceptions where, «for justified reasons», this criterion needs to be adapted to «a more relaxed approach». Exceptions are therefore envisaged for health, care and educational centres or hairdressers, for example.
In force next week
The measures will begin to apply one week after their publication on Tuesday in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), that is, next Tuesday, 9 August, and will remain in force until 1 November 2023.
Fines or penalties?
Under this penalty regime, infringements will be punished with fines of up to 60,000 euros if they are minor. Serious infringements will face a penalty of up to six million euros, while «very serious» ones could rise to one hundred million euros.
In any case, enforcement to ensure that the energy-saving measures are complied with will be the responsibility of the autonomous communities.
