The strategy to combat energy poverty "is ambitious, but it is not realistic", argues researcher João Pedro Gouveia.

Regarding Renascença, the Nova FCT specialist considers it "worrying" that "despite the investments" financed by the PRR, the "degradation of housing and the quality of housing does not improve substantially".

“Portugal has a big problem with thermal comfort, families are uncomfortable at home in both winter and summer,” he says.

The country is, alongside Spain, at the top of the list of countries with the most complaints of thermal discomfort.

He also warns that the country is getting worse in terms of thermal comfort, since, in 2023, 21% of the population reported difficulties heating their home, up from 17.5% recorded in 2022.

A problem that can have negative impacts on the health of the population. João Pedro Gouveia recalls that "Portugal is one of the European countries with the most excess mortality in winter", which reports "a link between people getting cold and then having health problems and even dying".

Other problems include the fact that "one third of houses in Portugal have problems with damp and mold".

For the academic, it is necessary to "increase the financing that exists to support both the most and least vulnerable families" and invest in the "passive component of housing", through "improving insulation".

"Only in this way will we be able to improve people's thermal comfort, without promoting energy consumption and consumption of materials. Heat pumps or air conditioning are important, but they can promote more energy expenditure. That's not the point. way", he concludes.

Interview by Jaime Dantas.