Built environment expert: Maltese homes not built to weather cold winter

A more holistic approach was required to ensure that buildings reach acceptable levels of energy efficiency, particularly during the winter months, the president of the Malta Developers Association (MDA) told MaltaToday.

Sandro Chetcuti said that while the measures introduced by the government in this regard were a step in the right direction, more holistic incentives – such as the opposition’s proposal to reduce capital gains tax for developers who construct “near-zero energy” buildings – were called for.

The relevance of energy-efficient homes became apparent during these past days as temperatures reached lows of 4ºC, leading the health ministry to issue two public warnings to remind people – especially the elderly – to keep themselves and their homes as warm as possible.

The vast majority of residential buildings in Malta have been built with the long, hot summer in mind, rather than the short and mostly mild winter. As a result, they are poorly insulated and, in many cases, difficult to keep warm. 

“Most energy efficiency measures currently employed today in Maltese dwellings, such as solar films on glazing and so on, are in fact measures aimed at predominantly keeping heat out of a building, rather than the other way around,” said Simon Paul Borg, a lecturer in environmental design at the University of Malta’s Faculty for the Built Environment. 

Borg said that in the past, dwellings were built according to the building industry know-how of the time, with legal standards having been introduced only in 2006.

At present, some professional developers are insulating roofs and walls, and in some cases, even floors, however this is not the standard, according to Chetcuti.

“There are minimum energy performance standards and the required level can be achieved just by installing solar panels,” said Chetcuti. “I don’t agree with this approach as I think energy efficiency should be incorporated in the way we build. Prevention is better than cure, and in this case energy efficient design is the prevention.”

Asked whether standards were improving, Chetcuti confirmed they were… in some cases. 

“The vast majority of medium- and high-end development is being built in this way, but people building affordable housing give little consideration to energy efficiency.” 

The EU has set a 20% energy savings target by 2020 for all member states to adhere to. This leaves the government three years to reach the desired level and Chetcuti insisted that in addition to fiscal incentives, a change in culture was also necessary. 

“People have gotten used to asking about the rating of a fridge or freezer, but there is no certificate for buildings, and people do not yet feel that efficiency is a priority,” he said.