Sustainable Construction: A Way to Reduce Energy Poverty in Portugal

The article “Lack of knowledge and high costs keep Portugal in energy poverty” in the newspaper Construir highlights how the ignorance of the Portuguese about sustainable construction and energy efficiency may be contributing to energy poverty (inability of a person or family to pay for their basic energy needs) in the country, leading to high energy costs in the future.

The widespread tendency is to save at the time of construction, instead of investing in the future.

Beelt’s main responsibility is to correctly implement its clients’ projects, but we believe that we should have an active voice in the dissemination and recommendation of best practices, aiming for a better future for the community.

It is therefore essential to highlight the importance of sustainable construction and energy efficiency in reducing energy costs and increasing people’s quality of life. Energy-efficient buildings and rehabilitations help reduce energy consumption at home, which in turn leads to lower energy bills and greater financial stability for families.

If you want to move forward with a rehabilitation project, we recommend the following steps:

1. Energy diagnosis – before starting any work, it is important to have an energy diagnosis of the house, which will allow the identification of areas for improvement, avoiding unnecessary expenses and helping to direct investments where they can be most effective. There are energy efficiency support programs offered by some energy companies or the government that provide free or reduced-price energy diagnostic services.
2. (Sustainable) architectural design – ask the studio/architect to incorporate the suggestions provided in the energy diagnostic into the design, and to propose solutions that are more sustainable and appropriate for the space. Some of the more common suggestions, such as natural ventilation of spaces, implementation of systems for collecting and reusing rainwater for flushing toilets or watering gardens, are enough to increase the efficiency of resource use.
3. Choosing more sustainable and energy-efficient materials and equipment – there are more and more options available in the market to consider, such as using faucets with motion sensors (which reduce waste), choosing ecological paints and without VOC (volatile organic compounds) that can cause indoor air pollution, or even choosing efficient LED lighting and light control systems (which reduce electricity consumption), among other more common options such as double or triple glazed windows. Better performance, lower consumption, more sustainability!
4. Renewable energy sources – If possible, consider installing solar thermal or photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, or other renewable energy sources that can significantly reduce energy costs and make the home even more efficient.

These investments can bring economic and environmental benefits that transcend personal benefit. the use of renewable energy sources can reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, which can reduce the volatility of energy prices and increase energy security in the country.

With regard to environmental benefits, investing in clean energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. In addition, the use of renewable energy sources can reduce air, water, and soil pollution associated with the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.

We invite you to share this article, and reinforce the message that energy sustainability is not just a choice, but a necessity to ensure a livable future for future generations, and that we must all do our part to achieve this goal.