Good acoustic insulation means better buildings and better health for occupants. Portugal has significant needs in this regard, and the National Association of Efficient Window Manufacturers (ANFAJE) is calling on the Government to effectively implement programs and public measures that encourage the replacement of old windows with efficient ones.

Windows are the weakest element in a building when it comes to acoustic insulation, allowing much more noise to pass through than any other part of the façade. "If we don't have a window equipped with an effective hardware system and suitable glass, we won’t have the desired acoustic insulation. If we can hear trains or planes inside our home, then we don’t have comfort. We know this has implications for our health, which has been thoroughly demonstrated in several studies,” explains João Ferreira Gomes, president of ANFAJE, in an interview with Público Imobiliário. According to experts from the World Health Organization, the impacts occur at the level of chronic stress, increasing the risk of various diseases such as stroke, hypertension, coronary heart disease, anxiety, depression, metabolic problems, or even cancer.

However, windows are also the easiest element of the façade to change. The comfort gains achieved when an old window is replaced by an efficient one are very significant. “Installing an efficient window solves three problems — not only acoustic, but also thermal and anti-burglary. That’s why any financial support aimed at improving the comfort of homes is very important.”

When choosing an acoustically efficient window, one should opt for windows with Class 4 air permeability. These are more airtight windows. If complemented with specific, more insulating glass, the noise stays outside. Moreover, sliding windows should be avoided, as they tend to perform worse.

Infrastructures must also be called to minimize the impacts

The president of ANFAJE reminds that there is already a General Noise Regulation and specific requirements for new construction, and that “it is necessary to define the noisier zones of cities, and local councils have a great responsibility in identifying these areas.” He believes it makes sense to implement the “polluter pays” principle regarding public infrastructures such as airports, highways, or railways. “Entities that own or manage infrastructure must also be called upon to minimize the noise impacts resulting from their activity, as they benefit from its use. In Lisbon, the noise impact in areas influenced by the airport is all too evident. With increasing traffic, the noise only grows.”

Back in March, the Government announced the launch of the Menos Ruído ("Less Noise") Program, part of a set of mitigation measures for the noise impact caused by Lisbon Airport on the populations of the municipalities of Lisbon, Loures, Vila Franca de Xira, and Almada. This initiative announced support for the installation of efficient windows in residential buildings located in flight corridors. The total planned investment is around 10 million euros. João Ferreira Gomes considers this amount clearly insufficient for the actual needs and hopes the program will now be resumed.

João Ferreira Gomes calls for “a more robust program in this area to be presented, one that also includes urban areas that are truly more affected by noise — whether near airports, highways, or railway lines.”

“We expect the Government to have, in fact, an ambitious policy”

In its new program, the Government does not include a specific commitment to the issue of acoustics in homes but does promise to approve and implement the Social Climate Plan, with new support for decarbonization and the fight against energy poverty, including the More Sustainable Neighborhoods program, which was announced last year but never moved forward. It also announces “a program for energy efficiency in housing.” In line with the Climate Framework Law, the Government aims to operationalize the Climate Agency, which, according to Público, will integrate the competencies of the now-defunct General Secretariat for the Environment and the Climate Division of the Portuguese Environment Agency.

ANFAJE “patiently awaits that the Government will indeed have an ambitious policy regarding this Climate Agency and that it will resume public policies and measures that were successful in the past, such as the Support Program for More Sustainable Buildings, which was useful for the Portuguese people, for companies, and for the national economy.” This program closed applications for its last phase in October 2023 and has since been suspended. ANFAJE believes it is important that support be made available to the entire population, not just low-income families. Homes most affected by noise, for instance, could receive maximized support for window replacement, it suggests. It also advocates for incentives such as a 6% VAT on the installation of efficient windows or personal income tax (IRS) benefits.

João Ferreira Gomes hopes that the announced Climate Agency “will have the capacity to fulfill the various plans already approved for combating energy poverty and improving the comfort and energy efficiency of buildings.” More than just incentives, he believes that a global strategy is needed — one that can actually be implemented.

Therefore, “we will continue to call for the need for a program that includes window replacement for homeowners. We need to think outside the box and seek new solutions to existing problems. That’s how we must approach all the challenges the country faces.”

In any case, he assures that companies in the efficient window sector are equipped and ready to help in this energy transition and in improving the living conditions of the Portuguese people.