Congress approved what the Government said. “first” plan savings to reduce energy consumption in public buildings. Measures resulting from the plan include: four (limits for heating, closing doors, turning off night lighting and controlling boilers) both are not new but they have been in effect since 2009 (limits for heating and closing of doors). Affected buildings are not new either. These are some of the keys to the Government’s austerity plan that has caused many doubts.
What measures were in effect?
In 2009, the Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero mandated the requirement to keep the heating at a maximum of 21 degrees Celsius in winter and a minimum of 27 degrees in summer, as well as “adequate” closing of doors to prevent thermal leaks. 2008-2011 energy saving and efficiency plan. The purpose of these measures, which were not of a temporary nature at that time, as now, reduce imports by 10% Oil in spain. The Sánchez Government has now reduced these limits from 21º to 19º in heating and from 27º to 26º in air conditioning, including those using renewable energy for air conditioning when it comes to open doors.
Which institutions does it affect?
Organizations affected by air conditioning and door closure restrictions are the same as in 2009, those located in buildings and facilities for the following uses: administrative, advertisement (shops, supermarkets, department stores, shopping malls and the like), cultural (theatres, cinemas, auditoriums, convention centers, exhibition halls and the like), “public performances and entertainment events”, bars, restaurants and cafes and stations train or bus and airports. If the lights are turned off, it only affects shop windows and empty public buildings, not monuments.
In no case may the measure affect other buildings such as gyms, hairdressers or nightclubs, or other buildings such as hotel rooms, hospitals or nursing homes (which are protected even in the current emergency plan in case of power outages). And in any case, they will be executed. provided that safe working conditions are guaranteed. For example, look at the air conditioning of a restaurant kitchen. As Teresa Ribera, Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition, has said many times, this is not a barrier so that everyone can try to save as much as possible.
Since when?
this After 10 pm the lights turn off. and heating and air conditioning arrangement It will come into effect in a seven-day period from next Tuesday, August 9th. Signs on which these organizations are obliged to provide information on the implementation of these measures should be launched within one month from 2 September. It has been given until September 30 to have an adequate door closing system, but this measure has been in effect since 2009. The innovation now extends to workplaces that use “renewable energy for air conditioning”.
What happens if the measures are not followed?
It is the autonomous communities who are responsible for monitoring compliance, something they should already do today with the current measures like closing doors and temperatures of 21º and 26º in workplaces. That same Thursday, the room of a government building was marked with a temperature of 26.5º above what is currently allowed.
The Government’s Royal Decree Act clearly states that violations of the Industry Code will apply if these obligations are not complied with, ranging from 60,000 euros to 100 million euros, depending on the severity. Violation of these characteristics amounts to at most a minor offense and the principle of proportionality (if deliberate, for how long, damage caused, etc.) Much less than 60.000 EurosAccording to Ministry of Ecological Transition sources.
Those responsible for oversight will continue to be autonomous communities, so the penalty imposed may also depend on the degree of control of each region. this Community of Madrid He declared that he would not violate the measures.Thus, it is understood that it will not turn off the lights in public buildings, and it can be thought that the degree of supervision for private institutions may be more lax.