Certificates of Energy Efficiency for Buildings in Spain

Certification of the Energy Efficiency of Buildings in Spain

Purpose and Basic Procedure

In 2013 came into force the Spanish Royal Decree 235/2013, approving the Basic Procedure for the certification of the energy efficiency of buildings. This Royal Decree partially transposes the European Directive 2010/31/EU, recasting the Spanish Royal Decree 47/2007. The Royal Decree 235/2013 does not set the minimum requirements for energy efficiency, since the definition of such requirements must be made by the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE), but establishes the obligation to make available to buyers or users of buildings a Certificate of Energy Efficiency that must include:

• accurate information about the energy efficiency of the building
• reference values, ​​such as minimum energy efficiency requirements.

Purpose of the Energy Efficiency Certificate

The purpose of the Certificate is to provide to the owners or tenants of all or part of the building the opportunity to compare and evaluate its energy efficiency. It is intended that such evaluation and comparison will promote the development of buildings with high energy efficiency, as well as the investment in energy savings. In addition, the information provided by the certificates, about CO2 emissions caused by the use of energy by emitting sources in the residential sector, will allow the adoption of future measures in order to reduce emissions and improve the energy rating of  the Spanish buildings.

The Basic Procedure

The Spanish Royal Decree 235/2013 establishes the Basic Procedure to be followed by the methodology for the calculation of the energy efficiency rating, considering:

• which factors have more incidence in the energy consumption
• which technical and administrative conditions must affect the certification of the energy efficiency of buildings.

Almost Zero Energy Consumption

The European Directive 2010/31 /EU establishes the dates from which all buildings to be constructed in Europe will have to be featured by an “Almost Zero Energy Consumption”. These dates are:

• for public buildings, on 31 December 2018
• for private buildings, on 31 December 2020.

In Spain, the Technical Building Code will have to set the required standards affecting the buildings in order they can be considered “Almost Zero Energy Consumption”, when the time comes.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://classic.avantlink.com/affiliate_app_confirm.php?mode=js&authResponse=01a5bc3f0de37e2775381a715593298050a258f6"></script>

Technical Inspection of Buildings in Spain

Technical Inspection of Buildings in Spanish Royal Decree 8/2011

Obligation, Requirements, Authority, Effectiveness and Justification

On July 2012 came into force the provisions in Article 21 of the Spanish Royal Decree 8/2011. That article refers to the mandatory Technical Inspection of Buildings in Spain.

The Obligation of the ‘ITE’ in Spain

In Spanish, ‘ITE’ is an acronym for ‘Inspección Técnica de Edificios’ (Technical Inspection of Buildings). Spanish Royal Decree 8/2011 stipulates that all buildings whose age exceeds fifty years (unless regional regulations prescribe other age) and whose intended use is preferably residential, must be subject to regular Technical Inspections, provided they are located in the following municipalities or zones:

• municipalities with more than 25,000 inhabitants (unless regional regulations prescribe other standards)
• municipalities where Administrations define specific zones subject to this practice
• municipalities where regional regulations provide the application of this practice, even if they don’t have specific zones defined.

All required buildings should have received their first Technical Inspection before 2015.

‘ITE’ Requirements in Spain

The regular Technical Inspection should be applied depending on the age of the buildings, and should be intended to ensure their good condition. Each Technical Inspection must be able to:

• assess the adequacy of the property to all legally required conditions of safety, health, accessibility and aesthetics
• determine the conservation works necessary to maintain the property in a legally enforceable condition.

Authority for the Regulation of the ‘ITE’ in Spain

The Autonomous Communities should regulate the method, timing and conditions under which the Technical Inspections of Buildings must be carried out. All regulations imposed by municipalities can only be developed within the framework of national and regional standards.

‘ITE’ of Real Estate Complexes

If a Technical Inspection refers to an entire building or a building complex, its effectiveness must be extended to every shop, office, dwelling or unit that belongs to it.

Justification of the Legal Conservation Duty

If a Technical Inspection report states some deficiencies in the building, the report itself will not be able to justify the compliance with the legal duty of conservation. Such justification may only be enforced after the certification of the effective performance of the conservation works required to recover the legally enforceable condition of the building.

Scope of the Valuation Methods in Spain (II)

Scope of the Different Methods for the Valuation of Properties in Spain (II)

Spanish Order ECO/805/2003

The rules established by Spanish Order ECO/805/2003 for the valuation of  real estate apply whenever the appraised value is used for any of the following purposes:

• mortgage warranties for loans that are or will be an integral part of the portfolio issued by the kind of entities described in the R. D. 685/1982, developing aspects of the Law 2/1981, about regulation of the Mortgage Market in Spain
• determination of a fair value for the purposes of the registration and second valuation standard in the Accountability Plan of insurance and reinsurance companies (R.D. 1317/2008), and determination of the valuation of assets for the purposes of the Law 20/2015, about management and supervision of insurance and reinsurance companies in Spain
• valuation of the assets of the real estate collective investment institutions regulated by the Spanish Royal Decree 1309/2005, approving the Regulation of the Law 35/2003, about Collective Investment Institutions in Spain
• valuation of the property assets of Pension Funds (R.D. 304/2004, approving the Pension Fund Regulation in Spain).

If the purpose of the valuation is among those listed above, the assessment can be made by the following technical methods:

• Method of the Cost: for the valuation of all types of buildings and building elements, whether in project phase, under construction, already finished or during a rehabilitation process
• Method of Comparison: for the valuation of all types of properties, provided that the requirements set out in Article 21 are met
• Method of Income Update: for the valuation of all kinds of properties susceptible to produce income, provided the requirements set out in Article 25 are met
• Residual Dynamic Method: for the valuation of urban or developable land, built or not, and of buildings in design phase, construction phase or during a rehabilitation process, no matter if the works are paralyzed
• Residual Static Method: for the valuation of plots and buildings during a rehabilitation process where the construction or rehabilitation works are entitled to begin within a period not exceeding one year, and also built plots.

Illegal Construction Works in Andalusia

Illegal Building Works in Andalusia

Rules for the Valuation of Properties According ECO/805/2003 (VII)

Valuation Rules According ECO/805/2003 (VII)

General Warnings

According Spanish ECO/805/2003, we find a ‘warning case’ whenever we have doubts about any of the data used in the calculation of the technical values. At a minimum, we should consider the following cases:

• when there is a discrepancy between the physical reality of the property and its description in the Property Registry or the Cadastre, if such discrepancy does not lead to doubt about the identification and do not affect the calculated values
• when the property is not in accordance with the applicable urban planning, unless some conditioning have been stated or it was not possible to verify the system of protection of the architectural heritage
• when the valued property is subject to expropriation or was constructed on the basis of a license or an administrative authorization containing conditions, which if not met, may result in changes to the certified value
• when the valuation has been calculated using different methods than those stated in Spanish Order ECO/805/2003
• when the maximum legal value was calculated in absence of some of the required documents
• when the valuation was calculated in absence of the necessary documents to calculate cash flows
• in rural properties, when the valuation was calculated in absence of the cadastral documentation or the documents describing the operating system
• in the valuation of buildings under construction or rehabilitation for the finished building hypothesis, when the valuation was calculated in absence of a complete set of the Construction Documents already endorsed by the Architects’ Association, or the final certification of the performed work, or the Building Contract, or the Schedule of Construction Costs
• in buildings whose main use is housing, when the valuation was calculated in absence of the document attesting the expedition of the decennial insurance for property damage
• in buildings in horizontal property regime or building elements different than houses or garages, when the valuation was calculated in absence of the statutes of the homeowners, an equivalent document or a Certificate by the community manager, certifying the limitations of use or other circumstances able to affect the value
• when the Cadastral Reference does not exist or can not be known by the means provided in the revised text of the Law on Real Estate Cadastre, or through the Virtual Office of the Cadastre
• in properties located abroad, when the valuation was calculated in the absence of all the documentation that, in accordance with the rules applicable in the country where the property is located, may have some influence on the value of the property.

Regularization of Illegal Buildings in Andalusia

Architect Daniel Trujillano
http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html
Legalization of Buildings in Andalusia

Legalization and Occupation in Andalusia (II)

The Occupation of Legalized Buildings in Andalusia (II)

Occupation License for Expired Buildings that do not Require Adaptation Works

The Urban Discipline Regulations in Andalusia (RDUA) provide the documentation needed for obtaining an Occupation or Utilization License for buildings with expired deadline for the adoption of measures to protect the urban legality. If the building with expired deadline does not require the performance of any building works for the adaptation to the intended use, the documentation required for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License depends on whether the works comply or not with the urban planning regulations.

Prescribed Building Works that Comply with the Urban Planning

If the building works conform to the urban regulations, the document needed for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License shall be a Descriptive and Graphic Certificate stating:

• the date of completion of the works
• review about the condition of the building and of its installations
• accreditation about the fitness of the property for the contemplated purpose
• cadastral and registry identification (if applicable)
• current urban conditions
• documentation attesting the correct operation of the installations
• where applicable, certification by the supplier companies about the feasibility of the access to all building installations, without the need of new works.

In this case, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will involve a simultaneous recognition of legalization by prescription.

Prescribed Building Works that do not Comply with the Urban Planning

If the works do not conform to the urban planning regulations (in any case, the use must be in accordance with the urban planning) the documentation needed for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License shall be:

• statement of the Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO)
• review about the condition of the building
• description of the operation of the installations, including certification by the supplier companies.

In this case, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will involve the simultaneous recognition of the declaration of SAFO.

Architect Daniel Trujillano

http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html

Legalization Documents for Building Works in Andalusia

Legalization and Occupation in Andalusia (I)

The Occupation of Legalized Buildings in Andalusia (I)

Legalization Projects and Occupation Licenses

In Andalusia, when the building works finish, whether with a granted building permit or not, upon completion it will be necessary to obtain an administrative approval for the occupancy and/or utilization, bound for the intended use of the building. Such approval will be formalized by an Occupation License if the building use is residential, and by an Utilization License in the case of any other building use.

Occupation or Utilization License for Buildings with a Building Permit

If the building works are performed counting with a granted building permit, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will require to verify that the finished works comply with the terms of the building permit, so it will be necessary to submit the following documents:

• a Statement about the Conformity of the works with the Construction Documents
• documents attesting the functionality of the installations
• the Final Performance Certificate, attesting the completion of the works.

If it turns out that the performed works don't comply with the terms of the granted building permit, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will require the prior (or simultaneous) legalization of the performed works, or the replacement of the altered physical reality.

Occupation or Utilization License for Buildings without a Building Permit

The legalization of building works performed without a building permit or breaking the conditions of a granted building permit, restores the disturbed legal order, for the sake of its substitute character of the building permit, but it does not provide for itself the licensing of the occupation or utilization, which will have to be the subject of further administrative actions. In fact, the legalization of a building does not even require that the works are completed, contrary to what happens with the occupation. The application of an Occupation or Utilization License is also required for completed buildings recognized in Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO).

Compliance with Urban Planning

The verification of the compliance with the Urban Planning regulations is not an attribution of the Occupation or Utilization License, but obtaining an Occupation or Utilization License for completed parties which are technically and functionally independent of the rest requires that these parties comply with the Urban Planning regulations and that the rest of the building shows no significant disagreements.

Architect Daniel Trujillano

http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html

Legalization Projects for Building Works in Andalusia

Legalization in Andalusian Un-Developable Land

Legalization of Buildings on Un-Developable Land in Andalusia

Regime of Buildings on Un-Developable Land

In Andalusia, the buildings built on un-developable land (with or without planning permission) which comply with current territorial and urban planning, are subject to the regime established by the Andalusian laws on urban planning for all kinds of land. However, in the case of building works performed without a license or violating the conditions of a granted license is always mandatory to apply for a license (IE, the legalization of the works), whether or not they are completed, and no matter how much time elapsed since the end of the works. While in other types of land the general rule is not forcing the legalization of works in which the offense has expired if they are in conformity with the urban planning regulations, the Decree 2/2012, regulating the regime of buildings and settlements on un-developable land in Andalusia, forces the legalization of any building works performed on un-developable land, although the urban infraction has legally expired. That is, in Andalusia, for the restoration of the disturbed legal order on un-developable land, if the legalization of the works is possible, then there is actually no expiring time frame for the urban planning infractions.

Detached Properties Built Before 1975

Andalusian Decree 2/2012 provides that the regime of the detached properties built without a license on un-developable land and completed prior to the entry into force of the Spanish Land Law of 1975 is assimilated to the regime of the properties built with a granted license, but only if they still carry the same use and typological features that they had before the entry into force of the Land Law and they are not in legal status of urban ruin. Depending on whether or not they conform to the current legislation, those buildings are considered:

• legalized, if they comply with all current regulations
• in legal status of outside planning, if they don't comply.

The recognition of the Situation of Assimilated to the Out of Planning regime (SAFO) is not applicable, because the status of this kind of buildings is comparable to that of the properties built under a granted license. For each building performed without any building permit on un-developable land prior to the entry into force of the Land Law of 1975, is necessary to obtain a municipal certification attesting whether the agreement with the urban planning or the legal status of outside planning, depending on the accordance between the performed works and the territorial and urban planning regulations.

Architect Daniel Trujillano
http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html
Legalization Projects for Buildings in Andalusia

Buildings Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime (II)

Properties Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime (II)

Technical Certificate for Particularized Recognition

The particularized recognition of a building assimilated to the outside planning regime provides a valid document for the definitive hiring of the services provided by the suppliers of electricity, water, gas and telecommunications. It also allows access to the Property Registry for the recognized building, by the inscription with notice about its particularized situation. After obtaining recognition, all repair and maintenance works required by the strict preservation of the safety and health conditions of the building will be authorized.

The Technical Certificate

Normally, the inscription in Title Deeds of buildings performed under the prescription of an urban infraction will require a technical certificate stating about the description and the antiquity of the performed works. However, to obtain the resolution of building assimilated to the outside planning regime, such certificate should contain:

• complete identification of the affected property, indicating the number in the Property Registry (if it's already registered) and geographic location by cadastral reference
• date of completion of the building, properly accredited by any valid evidence document
• the use to which the property is intended
• expert opinion about safety, habitability and health conditions, considering the building use
• expert opinion about the installations, considering the autonomous character, the environmental sustainability and the current regulations, and considering the building use
• if the building lacks of some installation, a description of all necessary works needed for the provision of every basic service required.

In other words, the procedure for the recognition of building assimilated to the outside planning situation requires drafting a set of technical construction documents, and not just a certificate of antiquity.

Architect Daniel Trujillano
http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html
Legalization Documents for Buildings in Andalusia

Buildings Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime (I)

Properties Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime (I)

Particularized Recognition. Resolution and Consequences.

The Andalusian Urban Discipline Regulations specify that the works, installations, facilities and buildings made in breach of the Urban Planning regulations, for which is no longer possible to adopt measures for protecting and restoring the legality, because of the time elapsed, become Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime. In this situation, the registration of the building in the Property Registry requires that the competent authority, ex officio or upon request, provides the Particularized Recognition of the situation. The administrative procedure for obtaining the resolution of Assimilated to the Outside Planning Situation is not compulsory and is subject to the payment of a fee.

Consequences of the Particularized Recognition

Although obtaining the Particularized Recognition of Assimilated to the Outside Planning Regime does not mean the legalization of the performed works, it does involve at least one official recognition about the following circumstances:

• the very existence of the building
• the absence of any punitive proceedings
• the legal impossibility of adopting any measure involving the restoration of the disturbed legal order or the replacement of the altered physical reality
• the location outside any special protection un-developable land, outside the Area of Shoreline Influence, and outside areas for public facilities
• the location on a land without risk of erosion, landslides, floods or other natural or artificial risks.

Title Deeds and Particularized Recognition

The granting of the Title Deeds does not require to provide the Particularized Recognition of Building Assimilated to the Outside Planning Situation. The particularized administrative resolution can be obtained afterwards.

Resolution and Administrative Silence

The administrative procedure needed for obtaining the Recognition of Assimilated to the Outside Planning Situation can result in a refusal. In addition, the administrative silence is, in these cases, negative.

Architect Daniel Trujillano
http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html
Legalization Documents for Buildings in Andalusia

Legalization of Buildings in Andalusia (I)

Legalization of Construction Works in Andalusia (I)

Legalization or Replacement. Procedure. Inspection Plans.

Between the provisions established by Decree 60/2010, about Regulation of Urban Infractions in Andalusia, are those governing the legalization of construction works performed with no license or violating the conditions in a granted license.

Legalization or Replacement

In Andalusia, if an act of urbanization, construction, or installation is subject to prior planning permission and is eventually performed without it, or against the conditions in a granted permit, the City Council shall order the immediate suspension of the works. After the suspension, the restoration of the disturbed legal order must be performed by one between the following procedures:

• if the performed works are compatible with current urban planning, through the Legalization of the Works
• if the performed works are not compatible with urban planning, through the Replacement of the Physical Reality to its original state.

All of the above also applies in the case of acts performed in breach of the terms of an Order by the City Council.

Procedure for the Protection of the Urban Law

If the works performed with no license, or against the conditions in a granted license, are compatible with current urban planning, the developer must be required to apply for the legalization or, where appropriate, to fit the performed works to the granted permit. If the developer chooses to legalize, he will have two months to apply for it; however, if the performance is very complex, he can apply for extend this period for two additional months.

Municipal Plans for Urban Inspections

According Andalusian Decree 60/2010, every Municipal Plan for Urban Inspections should count with an inventory containing, for each class and category of land, a relationship of buildings, settlements and other actions which must be subject to legalization, in conformity with all applicable territorial and urban planning regulations.

Architect Daniel Trujillano

http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html

Legalization Documents for Buildings in Andalusia

Legalization Documents for Buildings in Spain (I)

The Legalization of Buildings in Spain (I)

Legalization as a Method to Restore the Perturbed Legal Order

In Spain, when construction works are performed without having a building permit or violating the conditions in a granted building permit, the legal order is considered perturbed. The right method for restoring the legal order depends on whether the performed works are or not compatible with the applicable urban planning. If the performed construction works are not compatible with the urban planning, the only way to restore the legal order will be resetting the physical reality to its original state, which will involve demolishing what has been built, but if the works are compatible with urban planning, there will be another solution: legalizing the performed works.

Deadline for Applying for Legalization

When a developer is required for legalizing construction works performed without a building permit (or violating the conditions in a granted permit) he should apply for the legalization within a specific time frame wich, in Andalusia, is two months. That time frame can be expandable in response to the complexity of the project.

After the Application

It's neccesary to keep in mind that, having applied for legalization, it's still possible that finally the demolition of what was built gets ordered. If the legalization is applied and is denied, it will be neccesary to restore the physical reality and therefore to demolish what was built. The same applies if, after applying for the legalization, the result is the legal inadmissibility of the acts, because of non-conformity with determinations in applicable legislation and urban planning.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

If after the time granted to the developer in order to legalize the construction works, he doesn't apply for the legalization, successive coercive penalties will be imposed. In Andalusia, the amount of such penalties is, each time (penalties are imposed for minimum periods of one month), ten per cent of the value of the completed building works, with a minimum of 600 euros.

Infringement Procedure

When the alleged commission of an urban planning infringement is noticed, it produces the initiation, investigation and resolution of a disciplinary proceeding. This legal procedure is instructed and resolved regardless of the procedure derived from the requirement for the legalization of the construction works, but in a coordinated manner.