Sustainability in Spanish housing: how important is it?

When you realise how much homes and other types of buildings contribute to the total global energy consumption and accompanying emissions it becomes clear that creating more sustainable homes is an important part of combating pollution and the degradation of our environment.

In this context we will focus on homes, since they make up the greater part of buildings around the world. In Spain alone, it has been calculated that they account for 40% of all energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions (source: Idealista). Fortunately, this need not necessarily be the case, which is to say that homes have the potential to be so much more energy efficient and ‘greener’, but the problem lies in the fact that the great majority of dwellings in most countries, including Spain, were not built with this in mind. In fact, across the country more than 80% of properties are over 40 years old and it shows in the form of high energy wastage and consumption due to poor insulation.

The keys ways in which homes contribute to carbon and other greenhouse  gas emissions include:

• High energy consumption for heating and cooling due to poor insulation and/or air circulation
• Inefficient use of lighting, cookers, home appliances and other forms of electricity
• Poor or no use of renewable energy sources and/or recycling
• Wastage of water within the home and in the garden
• Materials that are detrimental to the environment and sometimes even our own health
• Dirty construction sites and wasteful building methods
• High maintenance costs

New technologies

Modern technologies are making the energy efficiency gap between new and older homes more prominent than ever, as we enter a new era of construction that is producing a different kind of housing stock. Newly built properties gain significantly on sustainability thanks to the following innovations:

• More environmentally friendly materials and building techniques
• Technical infrastructure and smart systems that further reduce energy consumption and operating costs
• Home design aimed at minimising energy and resource wastage
• Water-efficient landscaping that is in tune with the natural climate and vegetation

Rapid advances in technology are bringing the zero-carbon emission home closer all the time. That said, it has been possible to build low-emission properties for quite some time but now the cost difference has dropped to a point where it becomes more affordable to make sustainable housing available across the breadth of the market.

The modern home

The first impact is in the design and building of the home, and this is where more advanced methods are now making a major difference, starting with computer modelling that helps architects and engineers to position properties in the optimal position in terms of natural light, shade and wind factors that affect daily and seasonal temperature variations. The aim is to reduce the extremes as much as possible and thus eliminate a good deal of heating and cooling.

Modern homes can also be fitted with solar panels with battery storage and/or heat exchange pumps; rainwater catchment, water generators and recycling systems; low-flow taps and showerheads, as well as dual-flush toilets. In addition they employ LED lighting and smart systems.

Also integrated into the design of a sustainable home is a network of sensors that minimise energy, electricity and water usage and wastage by automatically switching lights on and off as needed, detecting water leakages and adjusting the climate control to avoid excess heating and cooling. Modern thermal and humidity insulation in combination with effective air ventilation and double and triple-glazed windows that also have the capacity to reflect the strongest rays will greatly reduce the need to spend energy resources and money on heating and air conditioning.

A new form of construction

Conventional building sites are dirty, wasteful and pollute heavily but much of this can be avoided through elements of on-site recycling as well as using modular components prefabricated under controlled conditions in factories and transported to the site for assembly. Not only does this save a great deal of time and money, but it is also a far cleaner and safer form of construction. Minimising land movement and using local suppliers where possible further reduces the impact on the environment, as does a growing range of non-toxic, low-carbon building materials, paints and coatings that are durable, aid insulation efficiency as well as easy maintenance.

Blending in with the environment

The sustainability of a home is affected not only by the building itself but also by its greenery. This should imply gardens that are low in water usage and in sync with the prevailing climate. On the Costa del Sol this means the kind of landscaping know-how that makes it possible to produce lush green gardens that are also drought-resistant and primarily planted with local species indigenous to the setting. Other factors that assist environmentally friendly development include green roofs and vertical garden walls, as well as permeable paving and good drainage to minimise runoff and avoid flooding – all of which also reduces the risk of damage to house and garden alike.

The drive for energy efficiency

Where newly built modern homes provide great scope to advance the process of sustainable living in great strides, the reality remains that the great majority of properties do not fall in this category. For there to be a real impact, the many other dwellings will have to be renovated to at least approximate new construction in terms of insulation, solar panels, smart home systems, LED lighting, triple glazing, more efficient water pumps and boilers, as well as more sensibly laid out interiors and gardens.

To achieve this, the Spanish government has begun the implementation of a drive to improve the energy efficiency of the nation’s homes that forms part of a continent-wide EU initiative. The plan aims to have modernised 16% of all residences in Spain by 2030 and 22% by 2035, compared with a target of 16% of all non-residential buildings by 2030 and 26% by 2033. A series of grants can be applied for to help cover the cost of the renovation process for homeowners, and it will likely be added to by increasingly stringent home standard regulations in the coming years – especially when owners wish to sell their properties.

What our experts in Marbella say about sustainable design

Paco Guillén – Guillén Architectural Studio

Technology has brought us more precise techniques, but not at the expense of changing the spirit of the studio. We continue to use natural materials, exposed bricks, sloping wooden ceilings, etc. Our architecture also aims to reflect the identity of its location, integrating both cultural narrative and environmental ethos, so sustainability is subtly integrated into every design, respecting historical narratives in restorations and adhering to contemporary environmental standards in new constructions.

Rodolfo Amieva Jacobson – González & Jacobson Arquitectura

Architecture evolves at the same pace as technological advancements. Our team believes that sustainability will become a general trend across all architectural styles, not just in high-end design, so sustainability is a key consideration for the team, who have developed projects adhering to various sustainability standards like BREEAM and Passivhaus. Their focus is on selecting appropriate materials and construction systems that optimise energy consumption and natural resource use and they balance active sustainability through new technologies with passive sustainability, including factors such as optimal solar and wind orientation, and the use of sustainable materials.

Manuel R. Moriche – ARK Architects

ARK Architects embraces the concept of ‘sustainable luxury’ that defines the 21st century. At the heart of ARK Architects' design philosophy lies a profound respect for nature and a firm commitment to sustainability, so our projects commence with a meticulous analysis of the site's geography, topography, climate, and native materials, and we implement sustainable and eco-friendly elements into their designs as an integral part of their philosophy

Maurice Sainz – MS Design

The firm recognises the growing trend towards sustainable and eco-friendly designs and is working collaboratively on a design process for a project with an energy expert, which is tremendously interesting.

Diego Tobal – Tobal Arquitectos

Many development projects today lack quality and soul. We design thinking of what we would expect as an end user and as a caring neighbour, so for us, the essence of architecture lies in the fundamentals: light, shade, air, good construction, and good design. We promote ecological solutions that don’t generate heating or cooling requirements that can only be solved using significant energy — and money — over the years.

Enery efficiency: A unique selling point and tangible added value

For our clients, sustainability is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s becoming a decisive factor when choosing a home. As a result, providing clear and transparent information about a property’s energy performance and its technical installations is now an essential part of our role as agents. Homes with stronger energy-efficiency ratings are not only more appealing to today’s buyers; they also tend to achieve higher valuations and maintain their value better over time.

With residential buildings representing a key focus in the wider effort to reduce carbon emissions, energy performance is rapidly evolving into a defining element of both product design and real estate marketing. In the near future, a property’s sustainability credentials may well become one of the most influential drivers of demand — and, crucially, of price.

Pia Arrieta, 29 Dec 2025 - News