2023-08-25 18:18:58
BarcelonaThese days of a heat wave, those who have no choice but to move around on foot seek shade and brief respite from the high temperatures, for example, while waiting at a traffic light to cross the street. Entering a store is an option to find a few minutes of refreshing weather, but in many cases it is only necessary to walk in the open door of the establishment, without the need to enter, to notice the jet of air conditioning that escapes to the sidewalk. Many businesses in the center of Barcelona are keeping their doors wide open these days, despite the regulations that for almost a year have forced them to close to avoid energy waste.
A year ago, the escalation of energy prices caused the Spanish government to approve a decree to encourage savings that included the obligation for shops to have a door closing system that ensured good thermal insulation, both in winter as in summer. Almost a year after the rule came into force, the Generalitat has not imposed any penalty for non-compliance. “It has been chosen to inform and raise awareness”, according to the Department of Business and Work, which acknowledges that they have detected violations, although the majority “comply”.
The energy saving decree provided for penalties of up to 5,000 euros in case of minor infringements and up to 100,000 in serious cases. Between September of last year and May 31 of this year, 1,071 inspections were carried out in shops in Catalonia due to this decree, but no procedure has been initiated to sanction any of them. The fine is the step that the Government plans to take once the year of grace it gave the establishments to adapt and carry out the necessary works is over. Empresa i Treball acknowledges that it collaborates “with chains of large commercial groups to solve the issues that have not yet been resolved”. This September, if it is detected that they have not done so, they will activate the files, which may result in fines.
The reality is that this week, in the midst of an unprecedented heat wave, it is not difficult to see walking down Calle Pelai in Barcelona, for example, large clothing chains with their doors wide open while inside the air conditioning is on full blast . The same happens if you take La Rambla or Portal de l’Àngel: shops and supermarkets with non-existent doors that make the air conditioning spread beyond the premises and be noticeable when you walk past. The ARA has detected that not only are there cases where the door is not visible, but in many others there is simply a door but it is permanently open.
Air at 27 degrees
The energy saving decree not only established the requirement to insulate businesses well by installing shutters when they face the street (the same is not the case with those inside a shopping center) but also dictated that they had to install highly visible posters informing customers of all the energy saving measures in force. In addition, it was ordered to limit lighting in shop windows. There was room until September 30 so that businesses could adapt.
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