You might know how much your home is worth or when it needs repainting—but do you know how well it performs on energy efficiency? According to a new report from the Unión de Créditos Inmobiliarios (UCI), chances are you don’t. Nearly two-thirds of Spanish homeowners are in the dark about their home’s energy rating, and fewer than half would support renovating their building to make it more sustainable.
Widespread ignorance in a heating world
The findings come from the third edition of the UCI’s “Housing and Sustainability Observatory”, based on a survey of 2,000 Spaniards. Among the most striking revelations: only 37% of homeowners know what their property’s energy rating is, while a generous 41% believe their home is “very efficient”—a belief clearly at odds with reality, as over 80% of homes in Spain actually carry an energy rating of G or worse.
Sustainability? Yes, but not just yet
Spaniards are increasingly aware of the importance of having greener homes—on paper. Around 88% claim they are willing to invest in making their homes more sustainable. However, commitment drops dramatically when it comes to pulling the trigger: just 51% have seriously considered renovating, and only 46% would propose work on shared spaces in residential buildings.
That figure is especially dismal considering that over 70% of Spaniards live in shared buildings or blocks of flats, where coordination with neighbours is essential. Cost and difficulty in reaching consensus are the most cited deterrents.
Closing the gap between good intentions and action
Laura Visier, UCI’s Director of Rehabilitation, highlighted the disconnect during the presentation of the report: “There’s growing interest in living in more sustainable homes, but a significant gap remains when it comes to understanding how to make that transition happen.”
She believes more accessible information and financing tools are crucial, and says there’s a cultural shift that needs to happen: “We must start seeing collective property as part of our personal wealth.”
A costly ignorance
Uninformed or not, the market isn’t waiting. Homes with higher energy efficiency ratings are increasingly commanding a premium, now costing on average 10% more than those with lower ratings. When asked, 75% of respondents said they’d willingly pay more for a sustainable home. The average acceptable markup? Roughly 7%, or an extra €14,200 for a 100m² property.
Demand for sustainable housing is rising, too. One in three respondents reported they plan to buy property in the near future, mostly for use as their main residence. Budgets have also risen: the average amount earmarked for buying is €200,740—15% higher than in 2023. As usual, regional disparity reigns: in Madrid the figure climbs to €287,235, while in La Rioja it slides below €125,000.
Time is running out on EU-funded incentives
Despite the availability of EU subsidies for home rehabilitation through the Next Generation recovery funds, knowledge of such support is worryingly limited. Just 36.6% are aware that these subsidies exist, and even fewer know that there are personal tax deductions for sustainable home improvements.
Worse, many of these incentives have an expiry date. With Next Generation funding set to end in 2026, the clock is ticking. “The problem,” warns Visier, “is getting people to act on opportunities that are about to disappear. If not these funds, then we need others—but people have to know they exist.”
Policy vs. perception: European changes on the horizon
To add complexity to the issue, eight out of ten owners have never heard of the new European Energy Efficiency Directive, a piece of legislation expected to radically transform building renovation targets across the EU. Visier sees this as another potential game-changer, if properly communicated: “Having a clear roadmap driven by regulation has always been a powerful lever for action.”
But unless that roadmap reaches those at the wheel—homeowners—it risk being just another well-intentioned detour.
The bottom line?
Spaniards appear to love the idea of green homes—but love it in the way one might love a gym membership. The intention’s there, but showing up is another matter. With time-limited incentives and rising energy and housing costs, the challenge now is not just to raise awareness but to convert it swiftly into meaningful action
