Gaspar Martín (ACTECIR): Renewable climate control systems offer significant opportunities

According to this expert, the shift towards increasingly complex and electrified systems necessitates "training and adapting to this new technological reality".  

Which groups does ACTECIR represent and how has its market evolved in 2025?

ACTECIR is an entity with a diverse membership base, made up of specifiers, installers, manufacturers and other key players in the climate control, refrigeration and renewable energy sectors. The perspective and assessments we provide, therefore, are quite comprehensive and cross-disciplinary. Globally, 2025 has been a positive year for our sector. The push towards renewable HVAC and DHW systems, primarily driven by the massive adoption of air-source heat pump systems within the decarbonisation framework of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), has provided excellent opportunities for professional and business growth.

The implementation of these technologies, both in new construction and in the retrofitting required for existing building renovation, has been and will continue to be a magnificent opportunity for high-level technical profiles.

What are the requirements of these new systems and technologies?

Building on my previous points, the shift towards more complex and electrified systems creates a need to train and adapt to this new technological reality. In addition, this year we anticipate updates to the main regulations governing our sector, such as the CTE (Technical Building Code), the RITE (Regulation on Thermal Installations in Buildings) and the RSIF (Safety Regulation for Refrigeration Installations).

There is no fixed date for these updates, but once they are published and become mandatory, they will require a rapid adaptation from all stakeholders to correctly apply the new criteria. These updates are likely to be closely aligned with European framework texts, such as the EPBD, the Renewable Energy Directive and the F-GAS Regulation, consequently making the assimilation of technical and legal changes a challenge for everyone.

I want to focus specifically on the energy retrofitting of existing buildings. In this area, the challenge is even greater, because it will not always be possible to use HVAC systems that use A3 refrigerants such as R-290 (a clear market trend). We will have to manage alternative solutions such as the use of boilers that ideally use renewable gases such as biomethane (we will have to see how this is integrated into the future CTE), or hybrid approaches that combine heat pumps with boilers.

What kind of professionals will be needed in this new scenario?

I believe it is clear to everyone today how important it is to stay correctly informed and trained, especially given that we are living through a period of major regulatory modifications that imply significant changes in the equipment and technologies used in our installations. Training, therefore, is a key and priority variable for everyone, to design, install and operate increasingly complex and technological systems with sufficient competence and knowledge.

The future scenario offers excellent opportunities, but they will probably only be capitalised on by those professionals who make the effort to invest time in training and adaptation, thereby knowing how to define the best solution based on the type of installation and climate zone.

Electrification is the clear path forward, but it will not always be the only or best possible solution, especially in the retrofitting of tertiary buildings. The field of knowledge required will be broad and diverse: thermal installations, electrical installations, renewable gases, regulation and control in hybrid systems, refrigerant gases, and more.

How do you evaluate the legislative changes underway?

It has already been mentioned that this will be a major year for legislation, with the updates to the CTE, RITE and RSIF. The path towards decarbonisation is unstoppable and necessary, but the key to its successful implementation lies in how realistic and viable the requirements and deadlines are. In this respect, I am thinking less of the local regulations, which have limited room for manoeuvre, and more of the criteria defined in Europe. In my opinion, legislation at the continental level, such as the EPBD or the F-GAS, is defined based on criteria that may be useful for certain Central European countries, but which are not always viable or useful for Southern Europe.

Climate zones, building types, and even purchasing power are not uniform across the continent. This leads to a situation where what Europe wants to implement generically (simplifying: heat pumps with natural refrigerants and water-based emitters), is not always the most viable solution for countries such as Spain. We will see how this evolves to ensure that full decarbonisation by 2050 remains viable and achievable for the entire continent.

What role and influence do associations like yours have in this environment?

In these changing and transitional times, the usefulness of associations like ours becomes even more critical as a hub for consolidating and disseminating knowledge, and for influencing future regulatory changes. We understand that the role of associations in this transition will be key to helping members, industry professionals and other supporters understand which type of systems and technologies should be used to achieve the set objectives. We do this by offering high-quality in-house training, offering agile and rigorous support when required and, in short, creating a high-quality networking space to improve our professional community.