The ‘Proactive City 2024’ public aid call has chosen Sorigué’s RegCOM proposal as an innovative, sustainable, and effective solution to address the challenges of drought in Barcelona. The contest, promoted by the Barcelona City Council and the BIT Habitat Foundation, awards a grant that funds 80% of the project and facilitates its short-term execution in urban spaces.  

Regenerating Water from the Community, RegCOM, is a greywater phytopurification system designed by Sorigué’s Catalonia Urban Spaces division through its company Constraula. The proposal involves utilizing existing community terraces in buildings to install modules with plants that promote the renaturalization of these shared spaces and contribute to purifying domestic wastewater.  

Citizen involvement  

Communities are the main protagonists of the system, as RegCOM proposes a participatory methodology so that residents lead the installation of the modules. In parallel, they receive training on water usage and conservation habits to reduce the volume of water discharged into the sewage system. The lightweight, high-efficiency ‘kits’ that bring terraces to life can be prefabricated, adaptable, attachable, and scalable. Additionally, they can be combined with co-manufactured solutions for renaturalization and water conservation.  

Phytopurification replicates the system of natural wetlands, which use plant species to filter water impurities. In urban environments, it is a simple and low-cost method that, among other benefits, mitigates the urban heat island effect, promotes biodiversity, and enhances the landscape. In the case of RegCOM, it is used to purify greywater, i.e., water from showers, sinks, or dishwashers.  

Winner among 46 projects  

In addition to reducing the demand for potable water and the associated supply costs, RegCOM can establish itself as a key tool for adapting the city to current and future environmental challenges.  

The ‘Proactive City 2024’ contest celebrated its fifth edition with 46 participating projects, six of which were selected as winners: Regalim, RegeNET, Comunitats de sembra d’aigua (Water Sowing Communities), Mica, RegCOM and SwiftON. The selection committee highlighted their contribution to improving the integrated water cycle and their real, measurable impact on people’s quality of life.  

RegCOM joins other innovative and sustainable projects from Sorigué’s Catalonia Urban Spaces division, which, through its company Constraula, has developed Regenerar Barcelona, a self-supporting wooden structure adaptable to building façades to expand spaces, contribute to energy efficiency, and incorporate environmental solutions such as green roofs or systems for reusing rainwater.