Factsheet for measure
PT-2023-29/3363
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Updated
– measures in Portugal
Support programme for more sustainable buildings
Programa de Apoio a Edifícios mais Sustentáveis 2023, updated in 2025
Background information
The 2023 Support Programme for More Sustainable Buildings is included in Component 13 of the Recovery and Resiliance Programme (PRR) - Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
The Programme aims to promote improved thermal comfort in residential buildings, contributing to a reduction in energy bills and the renovation of the existing housing stock.
Content of measure
The 2023 Support Programme for More Sustainable Buildings aims to fund measures that promote rehabilitation, decarbonisation, energy efficiency, water efficiency and the circular economy, helping to improve energy and environmental performance. The goal is for the measures to be supported to lead, on average, to at least a 30% reduction in primary energy consumption in the intervened buildings.
This Programme has a total budget of €100 million, of which €30 million is earmarked for this Notice.
Owners, co-owners and tenants of permanent dwellings from all over Portugal can apply for the incentive.
The incentive programme covers single-family buildings and autonomous fractions of multi-family buildings (i.e. houses and flats) licensed for housing up to and including 31 December 2006.
Type of works included:
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Type 1: Replacement of non-efficient windows with efficient windows with an energy class equal to "A+";
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Type 2: Application or replacement of thermal insulation in roofs, walls or floors;
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Type 3: Heating and/or cooling systems for the environment and domestic hot water (DHW) using renewable energy, with an energy class of "A+" or higher;
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Type 4: Installation of photovoltaic systems and other renewable energy production equipment for self-consumption with or without storage;
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Type 5: Interventions aimed at water efficiency.
A first phase of the Programme ran between 2020 and 2022.
Updates
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
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05 August 2025
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In August 2025, two new programmes have been created — E-Lar and Bairros+Sustentáveis — both aimed at supporting families in vulnerable situations.
The
E-Lar Programme
, within the investment TC-C13-i01 – Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings, is a Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) measure designed to provide financial support for the electrification of equipment in residential buildings. Its main goal is to replace fossil fuel-based solutions (such as gas) with more efficient and sustainable electric alternatives, contributing to the electrification of household energy use.
The objectives are:
To strengthen the fight against energy poverty and promote thermal comfort in homes;
To improve energy efficiency by encouraging the replacement of old appliances with new, low-consumption ones;
To accelerate the electrification of energy consumption and decarbonisation by supporting the replacement of gas-powered appliances (e.g. cookers, ovens, water heaters) with electric alternatives (such as induction hobs, electric cookers, or water heaters);
To support the collection and recycling of old equipment, improving waste performance within a circular economy framework.
This programme covers the entire territory of mainland Portugal. The total funding allocated to this Call for Applications is €30 million. Financial support will be provided for eligible applications until this amount is exhausted.
The beneficiaries are:
Private individuals with an electricity supply contract for the housing units intervened under the PRR Component C-13: “Bairros Mais Sustentáveis”;
Private individuals benefiting from the Social Tariff for Energy (TSEE);
*Other private individuals.
Applications may be submitted by beneficiaries from 30 September 2025, and will remain open until the available funds are expected to be exhausted, no later than 30 June 2026.
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05 August 2025
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In August 2025, two new programmes have been created — E-Lar and Bairros+Sustentáveis — both aimed at supporting families in vulnerable situations
The
Support Programme for More Sustainable Neighbourhoods
(Programa de Apoio a Bairros mais Sustentáveis) is part of the investment TC-C13-i01 – Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings, under Component C13 – “Energy Efficiency in Buildings” of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
The overall objective of the Programme is to finance a set of measures aimed at improving the energy performance of buildings at risk of energy poverty. These buildings must be located in social housing neighbourhoods, historic areas, and/or urban rehabilitation areas.
The programme aims to improve the comfort, health, and well-being of families, tackle energy poverty, contribute to decarbonisation and the reduction of energy consumption, and promote the renovation of the existing residential building stock.
Specific objectives include:
The energy renovation of at least 3,500 individual residential units located in the aforementioned neighbourhoods;
Ensuring that the supported measures lead to an average reduction of at least 30% in primary energy consumption in the buildings that undergo intervention.
The programme includes the following types of eligible measures:
Type 1 – Thermal envelope: insulation and glazing;
Type 2 – Systems: heating, cooling, domestic hot water and ventilation systems;
Type 3 – Renewable energy systems: for on-site production and self-consumption;
Type 4 – Water efficiency measures;
*Type 5 – Intangible expenses, such as energy audits and technical assessments.
The following entities responsible for the legal implementation of operations in the eligible neighbourhoods may apply for support:
Municipalities;
Municipal housing companies;
Private Institutions of Social Solidarity (IPSS);
Residents’ associations;
*Other public entities that carry out social activities.
Applicants must:
Be legally constituted;
Have regularised tax and social security contributions;
Have no outstanding debts related to the reimbursement of European Funds;
Be registered on the Balcão dos Fundos platform and in Attendance Management Information System (Sistema de Informação para Gestão do Atendimento, SIGA).
The programme applies to existing residential buildings, both single-family and multi-family, which are in energy poverty risk. These buildings must be located in social housing neighbourhoods, historic areas, or urban rehabilitation areas (áreas de reabilitação urbana, ARU) within the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto.
The maximum incentive per dwelling unit is €15,000 and the total funding allocation for this call is €60 million;
The application period runs from 25 August until 30 November 2025, or until the available budget is expected to be exhausted. Approved projects must be implemented by 30 June 2026.
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08 November 2024
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The Minister for Environment and Energy announced that the Support Programme for More Sustainable Buildings will end and be replaced by two programmes aimed at vulnerable people. However, before the final point, it will triple the financial allocation for this programme in which the state supports the installation of solar panels, efficient windows and taps, taking advantage of all the funds available for this purpose, i.e. adding further €60 million. The two new programmes will be launched in 2025.
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Use of measure
The following elements on the use of measure are available regarding the first phase of the Programme.
Acoording to a press release issued by the Government on 27 November 2021, considering the extraordinary adherence to the Support Programme for More Sustainable Buildings, an amendment to the regulation was made. This extended the deadline for submitting applications to 31 March 2022 and provided for a €15 million increase in funding, bringing the total to €45 million.
To date, this Programme had received more than 47,000 applications and would have supported nearly 10,500 projects to improve the environmental and energy performance of residential buildings. In addition, it would have contributed to the economy with €15.8 million already paid out by the Environmental Fund to around 9,500 projects, in line with the PRR's economic recovery objectives.
More recent information on the use of measure was made available by an article in the newspaper Expresso on 2 November 2023, according to which the third edition of the "Support Programme for More Sustainable Buildings" has closed, having received 78,082 applications, the Environmental Fund said.
The programme notice was open between 16 August and 31 October and the number of applications received fell short of the 106,000 from the previous edition, which ran from June 2021 to May 2022. But of those 106,000 applications, only just over 70,000 met the requirements to receive support.
The Environmental Fund has not yet released any more details about the results of this third phase, whose applications will now be analysed, and payments to beneficiaries will only be made from January 2024.
This notice made a total of €30 million available, with a maximum support of €7500 per building or autonomous fraction targeted by the interventions.
For applications to be eligible, this programme required that the investments had already been made and the applicant had to have proof of payment for the interventions.
Target groups
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Workers
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Businesses
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Citizens
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Does not apply to workers
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Does not apply to businesses
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Applies to all citizens
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Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
EU (Council, EC, EP)
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National Recovery and Resilience Facility
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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Consulted
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Consulted
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Form
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Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies
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Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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Social partners jointly
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Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level
Involvement
The social partners were consulted in the Social Concertation Standing Committee on the RRP.
The social partners are also members of the National RRP Monitoring Committee.
Views and reactions
The views of social partners on this specific measure are not known.
Sources
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27 November 2021: Government Press Release - Programa de Apoio a Edifícios Mais Sustentáveis reforçado
(www.portugal.gov.pt)
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16 August 2023: Programa de Apoio a Edifícios Mais Sustentáveis
(www.portugal.gov.pt)
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02 November 2023: Programa do Fundo Ambiental que subsidiou painéis solares e janelas fechou com 78 mil candidaturas
(expresso.pt)
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09 November 2024: Apoio às “janelas eficientes” acaba, mas antes vai ter reforço de 60 milhões
(eco.sapo.pt)
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05 August 2025: Aviso de Abertura de Concurso - AAC nº09/C13-i01/2025 - Programa de Apoio a Bairros mais Sustentáveis
(www.fundoambiental.pt)
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05 August 2025: Aviso de Abertura de Concurso - AAC nº10/C13-i01/2025 - Programa E-Lar
(www.fundoambiental.pt)
