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Spain: The Law on the Quality of Architecture receives approval

22.06.2022

The law entered into force on 16 June after its approval by the Cortes Generales.

This regulation, promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Affairs, aims to protect and promote the quality of architecture as an  asset of general interest. It includes the creation of two fundamental bodies to guide the actions of the Administrations in achieving their objectives: an Architecture Centre (the House of Architecture) and a Council for the Quality of Architecture.

In competitions for public works, the quality of proposals will take precedence over economic offers. The law will also promote the use of specific electronic tools in public sector projects, such as digital building information modelling (BIM) or similar tools, and the incorporation of innovative techniques. This Law is part of the European legislative initiatives promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and the fight against energy poverty and will provide for the application of the "energy efficiency first" principle, in accordance with Recommendation (EU) 2021/1749 of the Commission of 28 September 2021.

It is also aligned with European initiatives that seek to preserve Europe's urban and rural cultural heritage and shape its future, such as the New European Bauhaus, as well as others that seek to promote transform-ational policies in urban and rural areas such as the actions developed within the framework of the European Green Deal - to achieve a transition towards a clean and circular economy, reduce pollution and emissions and protect biodiversity - and the Renovation Wave Strategy : to create ecological buildings for the future, oriented towards urban rehabilitation and regeneration.

The CSCAE has had an active role in promoting and dialogue with the administrations for the achievement of this Law since 2011.

The Architects’ Council of Europe congratulates the Spanish architectural community on this achievement, which must confirm its effectiveness with the application of guidelines to achieve the proposed objectives. This initiative should serve as a stimulus to other EU Member States, in which the architectural organisations should act as catalysts for such legislation, as the Spanish have done.


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