Sorigué begins construction for two municipal rental residential buildings in Barcelona using sustainable, prefabricated construction

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Sorigué begins construction for two municipal rental residential buildings in Barcelona using sustainable, prefabricated construction

January 21, 2022

The group is to construct over 80 homes using an innovative and sustainable material: cross-laminated timber (CLT), which is known for having a small environmental footprint, helping mitigate the effects of climate change.

This quarter, the Sorigué group will start the design and construction of two cross-laminated timber residential buildings using prefabricated construction techniques in the Sant Martí area for Barcelona City Council. These construction techniques, coupled with wood as the main material, make this a sustainable and ground-breaking project for Sorigué. 
 
The company will be responsible for constructing 82 homes for two of the four developments awarded last August by the Municipal Housing and Rehabilitation Institute (IMHAB), which are aimed at expanding the city’s affordable social housing stock. Through its companies Constraula and Acsa, Obras e Infraestructuras, the group will construct an eight-story, 42-unit residential building on Carrer de Pallars, in the Besòs neighbourhood, along with a nine-story, 40-unit building on Passatge d’Arriassa, in the La Verneda neighbourhood. This makes the development the tallest wooden building in Catalonia. 
 
Both buildings will be constructed using prefabricated construction techniques, which reduce their environmental impact and mitigate the effects of climate change, thanks to the efficient use of materials and prefabricating structural components. This allows for better site monitoring and a 40% drop in completion time compared to traditional construction. 
 
Both developments will be made of sustainable cross-laminated timber (CLT). During a CLT build almost no water is used, and practically no waste is produced, which are just some features of this material sourced from certified sustainable forests. 
 
Both projects include drafting the design and planning and construction for the developments. These types of tenders seek to encourage an ongoing partnership between architecture firms and construction companies from the moment proposals are drawn up. 
 
These projects follow the Barcelona City Council’s commitment to promoting innovative construction techniques to mitigate the effects of climate change, while at the same time increasing the supply of social housing. 
 
Sorigué and sustainable construction 
 
“Our group’s being awarded these two developments is superb news. Both projects completely line up with our DNA. New construction techniques and the efficient use of innovative materials are key to ensuring sustainable growth”, stated Ana Vallés, Managing Director of Sorigué. 
 
As part of its responsible business strategy, Sorigué boasts over a decade of experience in sustainable and energy-efficient refurbishing projects for industrial and residential buildings, and for facilities. Its refurbishment projects have included the optimisation of the energy, acoustic and thermal efficiency of buildings in accordance with current regulations. In addition, the group is also engaged in self-consumption power production projects, where it mostly installs PV panels for residential buildings, offices, industrial sites and wastewater treatment plants.
 
To strengthen its presence in this field, Sorigué acquired Ecotelia Servicios Energéticos and created its new Energy division last July.  This new business division follows the strategy set out in its 2020 Strategic Plan as part of its commitment to sustainability and its focus on establishing itself in valuable markets for the group.
 
At the same time, the group has completed prefabrication construction projects, particularly following the COVID-19 health crisis. Sorigué has played a role in constructing and expanding a variety of healthcare institutions, one example being the expansion of Badalona’s Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, completed in record time in 2020. 
 
The two developments
 
Through its company Constraula, the group will construct the eight-story, 42-unit residential building on Carrer de Pallars, in the Besòs neighbourhood located in the Sant Martí area. The project is led by Oikosvia Arquitectura and Fabregat & Fabregat arquitectes. 
 
 
It will be designed and constructed using BIM methods. The building will be located on a 706 m² plot, with a gross floor area of 3,432 m². It will have two-bedroom units, and a percentage of the units will be allocated to people with reduced mobility. 
 
The project envisages an almost square building, with a space in the centre helping to improve its energy efficiency by adding more light to the units not facing the street and encouraging cross-ventilation through the entire building. Units will have open balconies with sun shading for the summer, and enclosed balconies for the winter to provide a thermal buffer. The building will be A-level energy certified and incorporate an active renewable energy system using solar panels. 
 
The ground floor will not be built up and will be accessible by the public, leading directly to the interior of the block. 
 
In terms of its structure, the building’s horizontal and vertical components will be constructed using CLT: load-bearing walls and columns, among other elements. The ground floor will make use of concrete frames and columns supporting the timber.  
 
Meanwhile, through its company Acsa, Obras e Infraestructuras, Sorigué will construct a nine-story, 40-unit building on Passatge d’Arriassa, in the La Verneda neighbourhood located in the Sant Martí area. The project is led by Guallart Architects and Daniel Ibañez.
 
The building will be located on a 423 m² plot, with a gross floor area of 3,377 m².  The plans include five, two-bedroom units per floor. Three units will be for people with reduced mobility. This project will be the tallest ever wooden building in Catalonia.
 
The building will be organised around a single courtyard for thermal comfort, ventilation and lighting, and features spacious balconies for all units on three of the four sides of the structure. The project includes pergolas, a communal garden and solar panels on the rooftop. 
 
The ground floor, just like the building on Carrer de Pallars, is to incorporate concrete columns to facilitate its use as public space and integration into the neighbourhood. CLT will be used for construction from the first floor up. 
 
The materials chosen, and the design used for each project, are intended to keep waste and the use of natural resources to a minimum. 
 
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