In Sardinia, the shift toward green housing must contend with a housing stock largely built over forty years ago. The European Commission's call to Italy brings renewed focus to an issue intertwined with consumption, utility bills, and families' ability to finance the work. Even before construction begins, however, a national response is lacking: a plan that should guide the redevelopment of buildings.

On October 1, Brussels sent a reasoned opinion to Italy and eight other member states for failing to submit the draft National Renovation Plan, required by the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, known as "green buildings." The deadline was December 31, 2025. After the first formal notice in March, the Commission sent a new warning letter. The delay concerns an instrument that must define interventions, investments, and the path toward a "decarbonized" building stock by 2050.

The delay

This is no easy challenge for the island. According to data provided by SIAP, a database operated by ENEA, the national energy agency, there are 25,072 energy performance certificates: 17.5% concern class F properties and 19.8% class G. Combined, the two least efficient categories account for 37.3%. The best classes, on the other hand, represent approximately 14%. This snapshot should be read carefully: it concerns residential properties certified during the year, not all Sardinian homes. Therefore, it cannot be said that 37.3% of the entire regional property belongs to classes F and G. It does, however, indicate a significant presence of properties with poor energy performance among those subject to certification. The age of the homes also helps explain the scale of the challenge. In the analysis released in 2024 by the Research Office of Confartigianato Sardegna, 61.3% of occupied homes, approximately 442,700 units, were built before 1980. Six out of ten properties are over 44 years old.

Massimiliano Rais

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