Yes, you read the title correctly... And you can check here everything you need to know about the “2023 Support Program for More Sustainable Buildings”. To further motivate you to read this article, here are some keywords:
"financial support"
“non-refundable”
“up to 7,500 euros for own and permanent housing”
What do you think? It's worth devoting your attention to this, right?!
Within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) approved for Portugal, on July 18, 2023, the Notice of Opening of the Tender was launched declaring the Support Program for More Sustainable Buildings 2023 open, until 5:59 pm on October 31, 2023, or until the date on which it is foreseeable to exhaust the estimated allocation, whichever occurs first.
As of August 16, 2023, the platform for submitting applications to this Notice has been available.
WHAT IS IT?
This is a Program resulting from government measures that is intended to support investment in 5 major areas of intervention in buildings:
rehabilitation
decarbonization
energy efficiency
water efficiency
circular economy
This Program allows the consumer/investor to be reimbursed for part of the amount already reinvested in improving the energy efficiency of their home.
Program Goal: that the allocated support can contribute to at least a 30% reduction in the consumption of primary energy in the intervened buildings.
WHAT IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE?
Applications can be submitted from August 16th to October 31st, 2023 or as soon as the available budget (30 million euros) runs out.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Natural persons, owners of their own and permanent housing throughout the national territory (Mainland, Madeira and Azores), namely single-family housing buildings (houses) and autonomous fractions or multidisciplinary buildings (apartments).
Tenants of buildings or autonomous housing units, who must present:
the lease agreement valid and duly registered with the Tax Office; and
a certificate proving their tax domicile.
Applicants can only compete with property built (and with a valid use license) until:
December 31, 2006 (inclusive); or
July 1, 2021 (inclusive), in the case of interventions of types 3, 4 and 5.
WHAT INVESTMENTS AND EXPENSES CAN BE REIMBURSED?
Equipment or works that fall into the following typologies may receive support:
Typology 1: Replacement of non-efficient windows with efficient windows, with an energy class equal to “A+”.
Typology 2: application or replacement of thermal insulation on roofs, walls or floors, using natural-based materials (eco-materials), incorporating recycled materials, or using insulation from other materials.
Typology 3: heating and/or cooling systems and/or domestic hot water, using renewable energy, energy class “A+” or higher, namely: heat pumps, solar thermal systems; biomass boilers and stoves.
Typology 4: installation of photovoltaic systems or other renewable energy source equipment for the production of electricity for self-consumption, with or without storage.
Typology 5: interventions aimed at improving water efficiency: replacement of water use devices in the home by other more efficient means and/or installation of solutions that allow for the intelligent monitoring and control of water consumption; and installation of rainwater harvesting systems.
WHAT AMOUNT OF SUPPORT CAN BE OBTAINED?
The amount of support will be calculated taking into account the following:
85% reimbursement on spending on works and equipment covered by the program.
65% reimbursement on the cost of works on roofs, floors and walls using materials other than eco-materials.
Maximum support limits:
do not include VAT;
vary depending on the works and equipment;
may be increased in specific cases;
and these are:
2,000 euros for efficient class “A+” windows;
4,000 euros for thermal insulation on roofs or exterior and interior floors;
4,750 euros for thermal insulation in walls;
2,000 euros for the installation of heat pumps;
2,000 euros for the installation of solar thermal systems;
1,500 euros for the installation of boilers and biomass stoves;
3,000 euros for the installation of photovoltaic panels and other renewable energy production equipment for self-consumption, if these systems include energy storage systems, or 1,000 euros if they do not;
500 euros, for interventions aimed at water efficiency, that is, the installation or replacement of equipment with more efficient ones (e.g. faucets in the bathroom or kitchen sink, showers, cisterns, flowmeters, pressure reducers and flow regulators);
1,500 euros for the installation of rainwater harvesting systems.
Each beneficiary can only receive a total support of 7,500 euros per single-family building or autonomous fraction.
If the beneficiary intends to receive support equal to or greater than 5,000 euros, he must present the energy certificate of the intervened property, before and after the work.
To obtain this certificate, the program allows access to a maximum amount of 85% of the amount invested, up to a maximum limit of 125 euros.
Candidates residing in buildings located outside the districts of Lisbon and Porto, have a 10% increase in the maximum support limit, by type of intervention.
Applicants whose autonomous fractions have applied to the Residential Condominium Support Program also have a 10% increase in the maximum limit of support to be received, if they replace non-efficient windows with windows with an energy class equal to “A+”.
These two increases are cumulative.
If the candidate submits an application for more than one typology at this stage of the program, the maximum contribution amounts for the second and third applications are increased by 5% and 10%, respectively. This increase is also compatible with the previous ones.
WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY BENEFITED FROM THIS SUPPORT, CAN I APPLY AGAIN?
Yes.
However, the application must be made in the same name as the previous application, even if the property has more than 1 owner.
And if you have already benefited from support in another phase of this program, the maximum support limit of €7,500 will be deducted from the amount you previously benefited from.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS SUPPORT FOR WORK CARRIED OUT PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS PHASE OF THE PROGRAM?
Yes.
If you have an invoice and receipt for the work dated after May 1, 2022 and before the application submission date.
WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN SUPPORT FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN AIR CONDITIONING APPLIANCE?
Only this: installation companies must be certified and registered with the Portuguese Environment Agency and installed equipment must have CE marking and an energy label equal to or greater than “A+”.
WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN SUPPORT FOR THE PURCHASE OF BASIN FAUCETS?
Only devices with class “A” or higher listed on the website of the National Association for Quality in Building Installations (ANQIP) are eligible.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS?
In order for the expenses to be accepted in the application, the companies that can carry out these interventions need to be registered in the portals of the respective areas of intervention, namely:
Classe+ (www.classemais.pt)
Casa Eficiente 2020 (www.casaeficiente2020.pt)
Portuguese Environment Agency (www.apambiente.pt)
CasA+ portal (www.portalcasamais.pt)
DGEG application portal (www.apps.dgeg.gov.pt/DGEG)
SCE (www.sce.pt)
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED FOR THE APPLICATION?
When submitting an application, the following documents must be presented:
Proof of regularized (non-debt) status before the Tax Authorities;
Proof of regularized (non-debt) status with Social Security;
Citizen Card or Identity Card number;
Tax Identification Number (NIF);
IBAN number and respective proof, issued less than 1 year ago, which contains the name of the account holder;
Tax Building Booklet, issued less than 6 months ago, given the time of submission of the application;
Invoices and respective receipts, with a date equal to or after May 1, 2022 and before the date of submission of the application on the platform, with the candidate's VAT number and with all expenses and works broken down, together with the mandatory documents by type of intervention which are detailed in the document made available by the Environmental Fund;
Photographs of the intervention target housing and of the installed equipment or systems, before and after the interventions;
Valid energy certification of the property, whenever required in the intervention typology, issued by a qualified expert from the Energy Certification System, before and after the works and which explicitly contains the solutions and updated technical characteristics of the elements targeted for intervention.
MUST ALL SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS BE ISSUED IN THE CANDIDATE'S NAME?
Yes. In your name and with your Tax Identification Number (NIF).
However, if the candidate's name does not appear in the urban land register, another document with legal validity, issued by the competent authority, attesting the co-ownership of the property by the candidate can be presented. This document must make it possible to verify the candidate's NIF, address of the property, type and allocation of the property, as well as the respective matrix article.
HOW AND WHEN WILL THE SUPPORT BE PAID?
Expenses are reimbursed, which means that, firstly, purchases and interventions are carried out and paid, then all documentation relating to expenses is gathered and, finally, the application is submitted.
Note: the reimbursed amounts do not include VAT, that is, this tax paid on the acquisition of equipment or works is not refundable.
Refunds begin to be paid in January 2024.
WHAT ARE THE APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES?
Applications are submitted through the platform available on the "Fundo Ambiental" website (www.fundoambiental.pt).
Applications must be submitted by type of intervention. That is, when applying, they must send as many applications as there are types of interventions carried out.
By way of conclusion of this article, allow me to recommend a few things:
1. Evaluate the condition of your property and the (possible) needs to improve energy efficiency.
2. Budget for the (possible) need to purchase equipment and intervention works.
3. Check if your personal budget has the capacity to make the investment in full and wait for the reimbursement (knowing that it is not guaranteed).
4. Submit your application as soon as possible, so as not to run the risk of exhausting the available budget (30 million euros) in this Program.
Do you need any additional clarification? Do you need support in validating the process (documentary validation and prerequisites) and your submission to Program?
Do not hesitate to contact me:
Marco Moura Marques
+351 967 035 966
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