Sustainable Building Congress

The Diagonal 233 building was built with hermetic architecture, materials and facility design that ended up generating what is known as sick building syndrome. Since 2010 the building has remained unoccupied. The Barcelona Provincial Council will completely transform it to become the new headquarters of the Tax Management Body, reaching the highest environmental quality standards (LEED Platinum certificate); taking into account occupational health and well-being criteria (WELL certificate); with almost zero energy consumption and with a configuration that favors diversification and collaborative work.

New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary initiative that connects the European Green Deal with our spaces and life experiences. The New European Bauhaus initiative calls on all of us to imagine and build together a sustainable and inclusive future that is beautiful for our eyes, minds and souls." The presentation will offer a conceptual approach to NEB's approach, showing the work of the CSCAE, partner of the initiative, in the defence of the high quality of our built environment and citizen awareness, with special attention to the redefinition of the CSCAE awards based on values close to society and the importance of communicating them effectively.

Exposition of the real case of energy rehabilitation in the building located at 21-27 Turisme Street in the municipality of Calella, consisting of 42 homes and 3 commercial premises. We should highlight the participation of the team of technical architects, the construction company and the president of the community to offer a comprehensive vision of the project, setting out their motivation and concerns and explaining how they’ve experienced the rehabilitation process and its results.

Urban centres are in continuous transformation to adapt to social and economic changes and the needs of their inhabitants and users in general. Spatial and urban planning have a very direct impact on people's lives and the regeneration of the oldest and most central areas of cities is a crucial aspect to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants. Moreover, the environmental impact of cities is key to the sustainability of the planet and must be adjusted to the sustainable parameters of which we are already well aware.

These challenges require a structural strategy to revitalise and improve people's quality of life, balancing economic growth with the preservation of cultural heritage, the improvement of public services, the creation of accessible public spaces, the housing stock, productive fabrics and the need to address the obsolescence of urban infrastructure. public amenities

The Vive Plan of the Community of Madrid advocates innovation in construction by means of the implementation of industrialisation techniques as a key element in all its projects. This kind of construction can shorten execution times by 30%, thus substantially improving its carbon footprint and accelerating the construction of new homes. The development of Lot 3, made up of 1,763 homes, and the single Lot of Vive Plan II with a total of 1,137 homes will be displayed as examples of public housing intended for rental in the Community of Madrid which are designed and built using these industrialised techniques.

Aribau 195 and Casa Pich i Pon are two large-scale rehabilitation projects conceived by the SCOB studio based on the relationship and understanding of the other, working together to promote positive changes in the way in which spaces are built.   The two interventions seek to recover links with nature, the city and the places we inhabit by means of an innovation process that places empathy at the centre of the design process, thus increasing the environmental, social and cultural value of the activity.   This empathic innovation focuses on the user experience and respect for the habitat and serves as the transformational force that energises architectural heritage to provide the appropriate conditions to function as life support.

Presentation of the LaMercedes project. An urban regeneration space covering 185,000 m2 with a rich industrial heritage, designed for the well-being of people and as an intergenerational and inclusive area comprising places to live, work and interact in. A neighbourhood with access to all kinds of facilities within less than five minutes. The first eco-district in Spain, set to be built between 2025 and 2029, will be traffic-free and conceived as an urban recycling model that reduces water and electricity consumption and increases biodiversity.

Some canteens dating back to the textile industry of the early 20th century are revamped as a public office and associative area. Its bioclimatic performance is modified to reduce energy demand by 82%. The project is geared towards the circular economy, constructive innovation, citizen participation and the agents who are involved in order to improve the resilience of the city of Sabadell.

The talk will outline the process for the profound transformation of an urban enclave in the centre of Madrid resulting from an international competition and based on four aims, namely to reduce polluting mobility, establish pedestrian continuity, link large naturalised areas and unveil the historical values of the location.

A guide that aims to make it easier for building technicians to manage construction and demolition waste in building renovation, achieving and justifying the high percentages required by the standard in terms of reuse, recycling and recovery. It includes practical examples of energy rehabilitation works.

The Europace Foundation participates in the REVERTER project with the DOMUS (One-Stop Shop) model to eliminate barriers in the sector and promote energy rehabilitation through 360º advice to citizens. REVERTER Project has created 4 pilots in Europe aimed at vulnerable households.

Winning project of a 2007 ideas competition, construction completed in 2023. The competition postulated a "singular" bridge, as an entrance to Madrid from Terminal 4 and the new neighbourhood of Valdebebas, which has been responsible for its financing. This iconic character found itself with a resounding object in its formal limits.

InnoFAB, an industrialised home renovation model that blends prefabricated techniques, advanced technology and sustainable practices. It optimises the renovation process, reduces execution times, and improves the quality of life for residents. This collaborative approach promotes urban regeneration in an efficient and accessible manner.

This talk will shed light on the main threats to the Mediterranean Sea through the CRAM Foundation's vision of action and hope. We will also find out about the Foundation's work, as an example of an organisation committed to the marine environment.

High-vacuum ceramic nanotechnology provides thermal insulation in buildings and significantly improves energy efficiency and comfort. With no need for any work due to its easy application, it can reduce the huge impact of high temperatures on the building envelope.

This course covers the following points related to accreditation and certification toward the implementation of the UNSDGs:
1- Advancing internationally responsible project management by implementing the goals and visions set by governments, national organizations, and educational institutions worldwide.
2- Ensuring equitable access to the benefits of the certification.
3- Ensuring integrity, credibility, and transparency of services.
4- Creating business value for genuine products and reputable producers involved in the education of the next generation.
5- Bridging Academia with professional.
6- Focusing on continual learning opportunities by participating in seminars, getting involved with higher education institutions, finding professional development openings for professionals and design educators, and enrolling in accredited master classes with continuing education units (CEU)

Although building renovation has been greatly encouraged with the Next Generation funds, it cannot remain only in this area, they must be understood as a boost that must be maintained over time and increased. The data are not very encouraging, so renovation must continue to be encouraged. Improving buildings to improve the living conditions of their users.

Alsina industrialised shoring systems in Spain. The positive influence of the use of on-site shoring systems, the safety of workers as an essential factor in increasing productivity and how the use of these systems can optimise costs by reducing the volume to be dug.

A guide that aims to provide building technicians with a global vision of building renovation, not only in search of reducing consumption and emissions, but also seeking to improve the comfort and health conditions of its occupants, better buildings to improve people's quality of life.

Mass Madera is a network to boost the use of industrialised solid wood in Spain as a solution to reduce the emissions associated with the building industry and meet the need to continue providing housing and urban solutions for a growing population. This round table will address the challenges and opportunities for the transition to this industrialised and decarbonising form of construction.

The dialogue will focus on the different criteria for building renovation; from mimesis in the use of materials, the significance of new construction solutions and spatial re-programming. Three completely different ways of tackling building renovation, with exemplary results.

As part of the New European Bauhaus movement, the LIFE "BIG4LIFE" project addresses the design of maintenance plans, monitoring and impact assessment of vegetation integration systems in buildings. The BIG4LIFE project is under development on eight green roofs and facades in Lleida, Barcelona and El Prat de Llobregat.

During the session, the latest technological developments in the field of cement-based materials to achieve carbon-neutral constructions will be addressed, both in the field of material design and in the field of efficient solutions for use in building and civil engineering works. Over the course of 40 minutes, practical cases will be analysed in which, through the combination of high-performance materials with a low carbon footprint and efficient construction solutions, it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of current constructions.

The management of construction and demolition waste from the perspective of the SDGs and the sustainable use of resources makes it advisable to study the best conditions for the use of these products, so that their characteristics, as well as the treatment necessary for their use, collaborate in the definition of units with the highest possible added value. The particular features of the construction industry in Extremadura, arising both from depopulation and the geographical dispersion of the population, which are differentiating factors in the amount of waste and in the distances it has to be transported, has led to the alliance of the regional government, the College of Technical Engineers of Public Works and Civil Engineers and the University of Extremadura have joined forces with several CDW management companies to define applications of these materials technically and

Honext Material represents significant progress in sustainable construction, as it prioritises the health of people and the planet. By integrating ESG criteria, it promotes circularity in construction with this innovative and fully recyclable material with a low environmental impact. This material innovation highlights the importance of using new materials that are not only safe for occupants but also environment-friendly. Furthermore, its different certifications reinforce its compliance with the highest quality and sustainability standards, reaching a milestone in the evolution towards a healthier and more sustainable future for construction.

Presentation of the Woolband, NITA-COTTON and NITA-WOOL WoolBand products: Wick wool obtained from sheep as insulation for NITA-COTTON door and window joints: new uses of cotton recycled from the textile industry as insulation for building work in the SATE system. NITA-SO: a new format for thermo-acoustic insulation.

Flexofibers, as pioneers of the recovery of steel fibres from end-of-life tyres, is driving innovation in sustainable materials in the construction and other industries. Our mission is to give waste a second life so as to promote a more environment-friendly future. Within a context in which the circular economy is essential, Flexofibers demonstrates how to address challenges and create sustainable opportunities.

Roca Group, a world leader in the design, production and marketing of products for the bathroom space, invests in the world's first electric tunnel kiln for sanitary ceramics. In an effort to decarbonise its traditionally energy- and carbon-intensive production, the company has taken this decisive step towards the electrification of its production processes at its Laufen plant in Gmunden, Austria, thanks to the state-of-the-art technology of Keramischer OFENBAU, a world technological leader in the manufacture of ceramic kilns.

Renovating and extending this highschool building, built in 1950, was a major challenge. The gentle way of life and the alliance between architecture and nature have been successfully preserved. Natural ventilation, cork insulation, and Lisbon stone on the façade were the winning trio on this project.

The session will be devoted to explaining the instruments that support the internationalisation of construction and civil engineering companies offered by ICEX upon the pillars of information, promotion, financing and information. Similarly, two success stories from the sector will be presented, those featuring the Idom and Encofrados Alsina civil engineering companies, which have succeeded in extending their technical and project management excellence from Spain to international markets around the world. Two specialists with their testimonies will outline the global competitive keys with which they’ve built their business careers.

"The construction sector has an urgent need to attract talent to alleviate the problem of generational change.
Within this context, the incorporation of women into the industry is key. Last year there was a 5.1% increase and a total of 154,837,000 female affiliated members in the sector. However, the number of women on building sites remains extremely low (barely 1%). We need to qualify, attract and retain women in an industry of the future that’s increasingly safe and stable."

The paper will present research developed by the IAAC on the potential of combining design with materials and data science. From projects that use catalytic materials that absorb CO2 to graphene, biocarbon or construction waste, the presentation will present solutions from various TRLs that contribute to transforming architecture into a living, decarbonizing and responsive organism.

This session aims to analyse the presence of women in management positions with leading experts in different professional fields of the construction sector. What factors hinder their advancement and how to boost their presence in these job roles and promote equity in the sector will be some of the issues that will be addressed in this round table.

Urban Resources shows the positive environmental, economic and social impacts of designing with reused construction products. Through real projects, strategies for certification, modular construction and digitalisation will be explained.

The renovation of Rambla Modolell in Viladecans stands out as a benchmark in the implementation of sustainable construction systems and the stringent control of carbon emissions during the execution of the project. This pioneering initiative excels by virtue of being one of the first to calculate the carbon footprint throughout the process. To do so it implements a life cycle analysis, a methodology that can calculate and record the environmental impact of each phase of the project.

The need to decarbonise construction stems largely from its enormous impact on biodiversity. This process requires a variety of indicators to be considered, including the impact on human health. For these challenges to be addressed effectively, an understanding of the factors influencing health is essential, and for all stakeholders (technical, management and industry) to recognise and address these strategies in a collaborative and multidisciplinary manner. Inspirational and genuine benchmarks already exist: come and meet them.

The Barcelona Municipal Housing and Rehabilitation Institute (IMHAB) is committed to industrialised public housing to promote the growth of the city’s public provision. This construction system shortens the execution times of works and it’s more sustainable. In addition, it requires a single tender for the project and the work so that they can be completed even more quickly.

As the digital age unfolds, the architectural and design landscapes are undergoing transformative shifts, primarily driven by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This presentation will explore the intersections of design and technology, emphasizing AI's evolving role in shaping responsive, adaptive, and sustainable spaces. We'll delve into how AI's algorithms, particularly generative AI, are revolutionizing traditional architectural paradigms by offering tailored solutions for diverse environmental contexts. By showcasing real-world applications and drawing parallels with historical design movements, we aim to highlight AI's potential not just as a tool, but as a collaborative force that merges human creativity with algorithmic intelligence. The future promises spaces that are not merely built but are dynamically crafted, 

We will look at specific examples of building renovation projects using innovative design approaches to improve people's health from various angles. Whether it is accessibility, indoor air quality, health and energy efficiency through bioclimatic and passive approaches, we will analyse how these strategies can transform built spaces into healthier and more sustainable environments.

Sustainable development must be inclusive. The new Accessibility Code in Catalonia establishes the guidelines to achieve improved accessibility in the broad challenge of urban renewal.

This presentation aims to explain the Khanvian construction system (a new patented system) applied to a multi-family high-rise building. We intend it to be an informative lecture for professionals focusing, once again, on industrialisation and a new revolutionary system, which is unique in the market.

Use of Modern Construction Methods (MMC) in the execution of the work of the New Mayoral Logistics Centre in Málaga, where, with the exception of the foundations and some minor elements, the project has a high degree of industrialisation and modulation, as it’s been possible to execute the off-site construction and assemble it on site in a precise and fast manner. It has two fundamental elements that have been industrialised: the tubular triangular metal structure and the façade with a folded zinc sheet.

This new proposal combines current prefabrication techniques for continuous bridges with a wet joint to achieve spans in the range of 100-250m. The singular part of the roof of the new Sagrera station combines the solution with prefabricated elements of open spaces of 48.00 x 39.08 m, with the aesthetic finish for the platform area.

As the construction industry faces challenges in reducing its ecological footprint and increasing productivity, new technologies such as computational design, digital fabrication, IoT, robotics and artificial intelligence offer the promise of affordable, fast, sustainable and customisable architecture.  

SES, SteelEmbedSystem, is a new integrated pre-industrialised slab system. The system is a very high quality and extremely lightweight slab solution in both mixed and dry designs. SES intelligently combines the design of OSB, galvanised steel sheet, EPS and concrete to maximise performance and deliver a high performance floor.

From the homo technicus animalis to the homo technicus intelligentia artificialis. An intense and far from artificial debate about the evolution and transformation that this technology will lead to. What AI really is, how it poses a challenge for us as a sector, what it can contribute, where it will take us, how we should relate to it, how it’s regulated and numerous other issues. A three-sided dialogue with very human responses.

SES, SteelEmbedSystem, is a new integrated pre-industrialised slab system. The system is a very high quality and extremely lightweight slab solution in both mixed and dry designs. SES intelligently combines the design of OSB, galvanised steel sheet, EPS and concrete to maximise performance and deliver a high-performance floor.

Flexbrick is an industrialised system consisting of flexible ceramic sheets for the construction of coatings (façades, flooring and roofs) that reaches the construction site folded up on pallets to be deployed with a crane and spread out like a carpet on flooring or roofs or hung like a curtain on façades. The latest applications on the international architectural stage are presented.

The discussion will focus on the use of wood as the primary structural element in public facilities. The use of wood in construction presents new structural, programmatic and regulatory constraints, but at the same time offers formal and comfort values that bring them closer to the user.

Denvelops presents a proposal based on hybrid textiles for interior and exterior coverings for walls, ceilings, facades and pergolas. It’s a solution which, from the standpoint of industrialisation, advocates decomposing existing systems into small-format components that are easy to assemble and affordable to manufacture.

Sustainable construction with translucent products. The EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) for Polycarbonate. The Factory Mutual (FM) for skylights and vents.

NASUVINSA, an instrumental company of the Government of Navarre, will present its most innovative projects as part of this region’s strategic commitment to promoting high energy efficiency protected housing, the use of renewable energy sources and high-rise timber buildings and driving sustainability and the circular economy during the building process by means of industrialised construction models and the current commitment to 3D construction solutions.

Bussle is a tool that tries to improve cognitive accessibility on public bus transport through an App for the end user and a Web-based Dashboard for the carer, responding to what is a legal right according to Law 6/2022, of 31 March.

The Mundet complex is on the southern side of Collserola. At the top of the hill is the Pabellón Norte, which offers a residential and care service for dependent persons. The building has been in use since 1957 and needs an overall upgrade to adapt it to current care needs and transform it into an efficient, sustainable and decarbonised building. The renovation is part of Barcelona Provincial Council's Climate Plan, which aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 in most of its buildings and facilities.

The digitalisation trend is also present in the construction sector. In particular, Witeklab has developed sensors that can monitor processes such as the real-time setting of in-plant or precast concrete, or the evolution of corrosion processes in the rebars of reinforced steel structures. These sensors obtain data from inside the materials, which are post-processed in the cloud to provide decision data to the owner or manager of the construction site or infrastructure.

The Madrid Nuevo Norte Sustainability Strategy has helped to shape the identity of the project as a key element driving the agreement between the stakeholders and establish the goals and ambitions for long-term development. The approach to sustainability from the planning phases to the validation with certification standards has led to the definition of a new urban paradigm, with a carbon-neutral development model that provides citizens with better quality of life in the city.

Construction is currently undergoing a sustainable and digital transition. The BCN Professional Training Foundation has prepared a study that analyses the fit between this transition for the sector and the vocational training system, identifying trends with an impact on the demand for talent and emerging professional profiles that are difficult to cover.

This round table aims to debate the role of industrialisation in the construction industry. Providing points of view, assessing progress (fast or slow) in the industry, etc., approaching it from a sustainability, digitalisation, resource optimisation, etc., point of view. What are the benefits? Who benefits the most? Builders, developers, clients, public administration, etc? All of them? Present and future? What lies ahead? Let's look at it from the 2030 Agenda.

The Project Management environment is undergoing a paradigm shift to meet the challenges of the 2030 Agenda, which requires BIM and LEAN Construction methodologies to be adopted. How do these tools influence the efficiency and sustainability of construction projects? We explore the need to integrate them to move towards circular solutions, anticipating the demands of digitisation and sustainability that will emerge in the coming years. Find out about the benefits and challenges that both companies and professionals face when adopting these methodologies in project execution.

Faced with the current drought, find out about greywater reuse and rainwater harnessing systems in buildings, as well as the structure, composition, design, sizing and maintenance of this type of system.

The dialogue will focus on bulk construction systems beyond concrete. The discussion will include two approaches where the choice of material and the implementation demonstrate that there are alternatives to standardised construction in order to reduce the carbon footprint.

The Lean Rehabilitation Kit (LRK) seeks to bring Lean closer to refurbishment work by proposing a minimum set of basic tools which, in a complementary manner, enable construction companies to launch a process geared towards continuously improving their activity.