Sorigué starts a pilot test with electric machinery in Barcelona

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Sorigué starts a pilot test with electric machinery in Barcelona

June 30, 2022

The Sorigué business group is carrying out piping works for Aigües de Barcelona with the aim of comparing the pollutant and noise emissions produced by the use of electric machinery and conventional machinery in a pilot test for Barcelona City Council.

The Sorigué Group has begun a pilot test to carry out works with electric machinery in Barcelona for Aigües de Barcelona. The initiative, promoted by Barcelona City Council, will serve as a comparison between pollutant and noise emissions produced by electric machinery and standard diesel-powered machinery. 

The pilot test involves replacing pipes in two locations in the city of Barcelona: Carrer de Balmes and Avinguda d’Esplugues. In both projects, which will last 5 weeks each, the same tasks will be carried out: first with electric machinery, and then will diesel machinery, in order to carry out the appropriate measurements and establish the differences in indicators. 

Specifically, measurements will be taken of the levels of polluting particles, noise emissions and energy consumption of the two types of machinery. During the works, the electric machinery will be charged at Endolla Barcelona EV recharging points.

This pilot project will be carried out through the public-private collaboration between Barcelona City Council and the companies involved in the works: Aigües de Barcelona (developer of the work); Sorigué (execution of the work); Hermanos Homs (machinery providers); and Wacker Neuson (machinery manufacturers). 

Environmental commitment

The aim of the initiative is to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution. 

As such, it is part of Sorigué Group’s commitment to the progressive reduction of environmental pollution in the provision of services to the city.

“For Sorigué, the use of zero-emission machinery is a natural step in our business. We started the green transformation of our vehicles and machinery over a decade ago. Today, most of them are zero-emissions or less polluting. For our company, the search for more environmentally sustainable processes is in our DNA”, said Antonio Díaz Martínez, head of Contracts of the Sorigué Group.

Recent experiences in other European cities, such as Copenhagen, Vienna, Berlin, Stuttgart and Stockholm, have shown that the use of electric machinery has contributed to a reduction in emissions from construction work. This generates a direct benefit for citizens and the neighbourhood, thanks to the reduction in noise and local polluting emissions.

The pilot test will also enable Barcelona City Council to assess the technological viability of using electric machinery, with the aim of approving regulations to allow the gradual incorporation of less polluting machinery, in general, and electric machinery, in particular, to be included in the tender specifications for works projects, as relevant elements for the awarding of contracts.