The sustainability and environmental stewardship pose an enormous challenge for many sectors that inevitably have an impact on the environment. And one of the sectors with the greatest responsibility is construction, because it encompasses a range of activities that, almost by definition, are polluting and involve the use of natural resources.

However, when faced with major problems like this, technology offers important solutions. That is why it is great news that in recent years, many countries—such as Spain— have been using modern construction techniques that allow projects to be carried out in a much more sustainable and balanced way than before.

One could even say that there is currently a boom in green building and sustainable architecture in Spain. In this article, we aim to review the current state of these fields nationwide, as well as their impact on the real estate market—a sector of such significant social and economic importance.

What was the starting point, and why was a change necessary?

The construction industry requires the use of natural resources —such as wood—and involves the emission of pollutants. In fact, it is one of the industries with the greatest environmental impact because, according to the International Energy Agency, it is responsible for 36% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Furthermore, the building’s construction and demolition phases, along with the materials supply chain, are critical from this perspective, because they collectively account for between 10 and 20 percent of its carbon footprint over its entire life cycle. Therefore, working to reduce these emissions is essential to improving results.

Spain is not immune to this problem either, as its construction industry accounts for 40% of the materials extracted in the country—more than half of which are aggregates—and consumes between 30% and 40% of the energy for direct use. These figures underscore the urgent need for a local commitment to green building and sustainable architecture.

All of this takes place within a European framework where the shared commitment for 2050 is to achieve climate neutrality. As noted above, this goal will require a special effort on the part of the construction sector to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, lead the transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, and promote the construction of more energy-efficient buildings.

Green Building and Sustainable Architecture: Solutions to a Difficult Situation

We have previously explained in detail on this blog what green building and sustainable architecture, as well as their advantages. Therefore, in this article, we’ll focus on the role they currently play in our country and how they’re impacting the real estate market.

To understand the current state of green building and sustainable architecture in Spain, we must put the present moment into context. In 2022, an obvious energy crisis arose due to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, which naturally had an impact on the costs of raw materials such as aluminum, steel, copper, lead, and wood.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic also caused major disruptions in the sector, because after a return to normalcy, there were supply shortages due to the aforementioned scarcity of raw materials and transportation difficulties.

All of this, taken together, has resulted in a situation where the construction sector has seen its costs rise and has experienced delays in meeting planned completion dates. As a result, in recent months, builders and developers have been investing in projects based on innovative processes and affordable, accessible materials—with the aim of ensuring that, once completed, these projects will also offer enhanced livability and well-being for their future residents.

What are the goals of green building and sustainable architecture?

Building in a sustainable and efficient manner means reducing the impact that buildings have on the environment with regard to:

• Land use and development, because the goal is for new buildings to blend in properly with their surroundings and not have a negative impact on them.
• The use of raw materials, since the use of naturally sourced materials generates less waste and makes them easier to transport and track.
• The use of energy resources, given that construction processes require large amounts of energy. Thus, turning to renewable sources allows for better use of natural resources—an approach that also helps ensure the home is energy-efficient in its day-to-day use.
• Waste generation, as both contribute to a circular economy that significantly reduces waste. Specifically, by using raw materials that can be reused and recycled, the construction sector minimizes its impact on the planet.
• Emissions of particulate matter into the atmosphere, through advanced construction techniques that emit fewer greenhouse gases, the use of sustainable materials, and a reduction in dependence on fossil fuels.

Is the real estate sector in Spain currently sustainable?

According to data from ITeC, currently only about 15% of existing buildings meet more than two-thirds of environmental requirements. Therefore, this “green” approach is still in its early stages in our country and has a long way to go, both for new construction and for building retrofits.

The problem is that time is running out to meet the EU’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality in the sector by 2050; therefore, at the national level, regulatory and strategic efforts are being made to promote the launch of construction projects that advance energy efficiency and decarbonization.

This effort is in addition to the nearly 6.8 billion euros from the Next Generation fund that the European Commission has allocated as grants and loans to the industry, of which 3,400 million are being allocated to housing renovation.

Sustainable architecture and green building are gaining ground in Spain

In short, the sector is currently undergoing a major transformation in Spain, and is therefore at a critical juncture that, in the short term, must make sustainability and energy efficiency the cornerstones of its projects. And we are already seeing promising progress in this regard.

To verify this, there’s nothing better than looking at the data provided by some of today’s most important independent sustainability and livability certifications. For example, the BREEAM method has been in use in the country since 2010, and in 2022, the number of projects it managed increased by 83%, bringing the total number of sustainable buildings assessed over those 12 years to 2,155. Of these, 937 were assessed last year alone.

For its part, the US Green Building Council, which oversees another widely used standard for energy efficiency and sustainable design in construction— LEED—also reports positive figures. Specifically, it notes that Spain ranks first in Europe and second in Ibero-America in terms of LEED-certified buildings, and sixth worldwide.

As of December 31, 2022, there were 1,220 buildings registered in Spain under the LEED program, of which 651 had already obtained LEED certification and 114 were Platinum-certified. This represents a success rate of 53.36%. These figures, however, still reflect a certain degree of stagnation regarding the implementation of this certification in the country.

There is a long road ahead, and CULMIA is committed to it

As you’ve seen, green building in Spain and sustainable architecture are starting to take off, but the involvement of all stakeholders—construction companies , developers, real estate firms, government agencies, and citizens—is still needed to continue making progress and achieving intermediate goals until we reach the ultimate objective: carbon neutrality in this sector by 2050.

And at CULMIA, we want to take a major step in this direction, because we have our own certifications for sustainable housing (Jade) and healthy construction and design (Cuarzo). Thus, our goal is to apply these standards in the development of approximately 25,000 homes between now and 2030. This will help us become a leader in our industry in creating healthier and more environmentally friendly homes.

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