The measures are part of a list of proposals released in a statement by the environmental association Zero, who consider them fundamental for energy savings in Portugal.

Other ways to save energy, according to the proposals, are to adjust the temperatures inside buildings (18/19ºC in winter and 25/26ºC in summer), wearing appropriate clothing for the season, and “active climate control”, penalising for example establishments that use air conditioning with doors and windows open to the street.

Another way to save energy is to promote the use of public transport by local authorities and the Government, also making them more attractive. The promotion of teleworking and meetings in a digital format also save energy, as does reducing vehicle speed, says Zero.

Bigger proposals

In the statement, the association also proposes other more structural measures, such as accelerating building rehabilitation initiatives, so that they are more comfortable at a thermal level.

Accelerating the installation of solar hot water solutions and boosting the production of decentralised renewable energy (families and small companies producing renewable energy) are also, according to Zero, good measures to combat the energy crisis.

These are measures that, they say, “can help Portugal to reduce the use of energy, ensuring not only the fulfilment of the objective of solidarity with the countries of the European Union (EU), but also the reduction of the environmental impacts resulting from the production and use that is made of energy”.