The leading trade fair for the installation and energy sector in Catalonia and Spain, EFINTEC brings together manufacturers, software developers, distributors, and all other relevant stakeholders — including installers, industry, architects, engineers, and facility managers — in one shared space.

The annual EFINTEC Fair, organized annually by FEGICAT, took place in Barcelona on 8 and 9 October. This year, for the first time, the modern main pavilion at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Vía venue, near the airport, was occupied. This highlights the Fair’s growing potential, both in terms of both exhibitions and conferences.

EFINTEC is the leading trade fair for the installation sector (energy transition, electricity, photovoltaics, water, gas, air conditioning and other technologies). Once again, this year, it brought together all the decision-makers in the energy and industrial value chain. It provided a platform for manufacturers, distributors, installation companies, institutions, and experts to share knowledge and trends driving the energy transition and, ultimately, a more sustainable future.

The Fair featured three distinct spaces where debates and conferences were held continuously and simultaneously: the Auditorium, where current and future strategies were analysed; the Innovation Zone, where technological innovation in the sector was showcased; and the Energy House, where the challenges posed by the necessary transition to sustainable energy were discussed. The following topics were particularly notable:

– The challenges of the electrical system.

– Distributed electricity storage.

– Designing and maintaining truly sustainable buildings.

– The heat pump as a driver of change.

– The development of charging stations for electric vehicles.

– Industrial automation.

– Energy communities and collective self-consumption.

In addition to other issues such as:

– New regulations for efficient water use.

– The use of greywater.

The shared European challenge of achieving a more sustainable future, has been a constant and enlightening reference in all these sessions, reflecting the collaboration between FEGICAT and EUROPEON in all areas.

However, the topic that dominated the debates and discussions once again was the urgent need to attract and train qualified personnel to address the growing deficit in the sector. This primarily focuses on attracting young people of training age and women, who have traditionally been marginalised in the installation industry, as well as regularising the status of immigrant workers.

Evidence of this interest can be seen in the institutional support that EFINTEC has once again received, with senior officials from the Spanish and Catalan governments, as well as professional associations and bodies, actively participating not only in the opening ceremony, but also in many of the debates.

This year’s edition has further strengthened EFINTEC’s position, establishing it as a meeting place, source of inspiration and collaboration, and the leading platform driving the world of installations and energy towards a more efficient and sustainable model.

FEGICAT is already working on organising the 2026 edition of EFINTEC, which is scheduled for 7 and 8 October. Important developments on the European agenda are expected to allow EFINTEC to become a benchmark event for southern Europe as well as Catalonia and Spain.