• A ROA Arquitectura project for Sabadell City Council will receive 1.28 million euros from the Next Generation funds

    Fachada Sud Jean Piaget

    • The refurbishment project, first at the municipal level to meet the criteria of nearly zero energy consumption building (nZEB), is conceived from citizen participation and circular design
    • The building will be able to produce more energy than consumed

     

    The Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has resolved the call for the Plan to Promote the Refurbishment of Public Buildings also known as PIREP. Of a total of 1065 actions nationwide, 405 have been selected and the ROA Arquitectura project has achieved the 5th best score and a subsidized budget of 1,284,114.38 euros. (https://cdn.mitma.gob.es/portal-web-drupal/sede_electronica/documentos/resolucion_provisional_firmada_elec..pdf ).

    The refurbishment located in Plaza Jean Piaget in Sabadell will host the public equipment of the Office of Entities and Volunteering (https://web.sabadell.cat/noticiesurbanisme/item/arriben-a-sabadell-mes-d-16-milions-d-euros-dels-fons-next-generation-per-a-la-rehabilitacio-d-equipaments-municipals). The project has been conceived from a public tender and a rigorous process of citizen participation, where politicians, urban planners, municipal and maintenance technicians, local entities and citizens have been part of the design decisions proposed by ROA. This public facility will be the first to meet the criteria of nearly zero energy consumption building at the municipal level since there has always been a clear desire to improve sustainability, circularity and net positive impact.

    Energy savings are achieved by incorporating cutting-edge systems in sustainability that guarantee the comfort of users through a very low demand and the incorporation of very high efficiency energy production equipment. This is the case of the hybridized air conditioning system that will combine geothermal and aerothermal energy to heat the building in winter and cool it in summer. A special focus has also been placed on the use of natural light, the use of plant walls, the reinterpretation of the workplace and the creation of a main atrium. With the help of a system of Canadian wells and solar chimneys, this atrium passively heats the common spaces and makes it a sustainable, biophilic and healthy environment for users.

    According to Roger Orriols, architect responsible for the project: “The nZEB criteria in this building represent 66% energy savings compared to a conventional building. Although in later phases, they will allow the building to be able to produce more energy than consumed, being able to be used to supply other public facilities and / or urban spaces to be connected to the network”

    During the refurbishment process, the reuse, recycling and redesign of pre-existing materials that are in good condition is planned, which will save 96 tons of CO2, equivalent to 62 diesel cars for 1 year.

    While it is true that the project represents a 9.5% increase in initial investment cost compared to a building designed from conventional architecture, the building is a new investment fund with an Internal Rate of Return of 10.5% and an economic saving over its useful life that is estimated at 1.1 million Euros.