100 million for 100 priority schools
Catalan President Salvador Illa has committed to installing full climate control in all 2,530 public education centres and 51 publicly owned elderly and disability care homes by 2031. The pledge was made during his mid-term address at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona on Monday.
An executive agreement set to be approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday includes a direct investment of €100 million to fully climate-proof 100 priority schools by June 2028. These centres have been selected based on vulnerability to heat, solar orientation, and other technical criteria.
We need to bring Catalan education to excellence," said Illa, who plans talks with parliamentary groups and will task the Consell d'Educació de Catalunya with facilitating a broad consensus.
Phased rollout with municipal support
The broader initiative, known as Pla Actualitza Clima, is expected to mobilise around €2.5 billion over the coming years. While the first phase targets 100 schools, most others will not begin works until at least 2027.
To accelerate progress, municipalities are being invited to step forward and assume financing or implementation responsibilities. They may also apply for loans through the Institut Català de Finances (ICF), which could offer subsidised interest rates. Local authorities have two months from publication in the DOGC (Official Journal of the Catalan Government) to express interest.
A technical office will coordinate between the Departments of Education and Economy, Infracat, and local councils. The Department of Economy and Finance will lead financial design, tender processes, and market outreach to attract private investment.
Cooling for care homes and energy efficiency
The same timeline applies to 51 public elderly and disability care homes. An initial €58 million will fast-track cooling installations in these facilities, with work expected to conclude by 2031.
Since most care homes in Catalonia are privately operated under public contracts, a separate ICF financing line of €50 million is planned for 2027 to support up to 45 private centres.
Since April, an emergency measure worth €20 million has already distributed fans to 392 schools. Some schools will require preliminary upgrades, such as window repairs, before full climate control can be installed, and scheduling will aim to avoid disruption during term time.
Primary sources: govern.cat, icaen.gencat.cat, Cugat Mèdia. Reported by laciutat.cat, ACN, David Expósito J, lavanguardia.com, europapress.es, 20minutos.es, TOT Sant Cugat, eldiario.es, Diari de Girona, cronicaglobal.cat, El Periódico (CA), L'Empordà, Regió 7, icebox.es, viaempresa.cat.
