Barcelona has raised its first block of flats with an A energy efficient certificate. The building has been designed by the SAAS Studio for the Spanish government’s housing body – El Patronato Municipal de la Vivienda.
This A rating belongs to a European directive for new building construction, where A is the top and G at the bottom of the energy efficiency scale. An A rating makes an enticing prospect for anyone thinking of moving in, as they will make plenty of savings on energy bills.
This new block of 94 apartments is built on seven floors, located in the 22@ technology district. The building is elegant in style featuring wood slat sliding blinds, and consumes only 24% of the amount of energy of a regular building if its size.
With walls built to allow ventilation and wooden blinds to protect from the sun, it has a green inner courtyard, a space intended to create a sense of community.
This block of apartments is also connected to the first district heating network, which produces hot water from a power plant surplus in Besós. In addition to such energy conserving aspects, the architects have maintained strict bio-architecture criteria, meaning to chemicals have been used in paints an no toxic varnish has been used either.
