Noticias
Visit to the headquarters of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology and the Catalan Institute of Palaeontology (ICTA-ICP)
On 12th December 2014, the students of the Master’s Degree in Architecture and Sustainability visited the new headquarters of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology and the Catalan Institute of Palaeontology (ICTA-ICP) of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB – Autonomous University of Barcelona), in Cerdanyola del Vallès.
The objective of the ICTA is to become one of the reference centres in environmental studies in Europe. Its differentiating factors are its internationalisation, multi-disciplinary nature and interaction with various interested parties within a framework of sustainability based on values relating to social responsibility. The office H Arquitectes and Data AE have taken advantage of this vision to produce an almost cubical bioclimatic building, which has a continuous semi-transparent facade along all four of its sides (inspired by greenhouse technology), with vegetation and large openings framed with wood. The latter mainly correspond to spaces for access and exchange and to rest areas for the scientists.
In this new building, which is unique in Catalonia in terms of the sustainability criteria with which it has been constructed, the internal temperature is controlled by means of a bioclimatic “outer skin”’. This reduces the consumption of energy by up to 62% and reduces water consumption by up to 90%, with respect to a conventional building.
The visit was guided by the architect Roger Tudó (H Arquitectes).
