Centralized Heat and Cold Generation Plant of Barcelona South/Zona Franca

Barcelona, Spain

Photo © Simón García

Drawing © Forgas Arquitectes

Photo © Simón García

Visualization © Forgas Arquitectes

Photo © Simón García

Architects: Forgas Arquitectes

Location: Carrer Número Dos, 08040 Barcelona, Spain
Year: 2009

The central station is pioneer in south Europe in terms of sustainable production and use of energy, with several high-efficiency technologies. It provides an urban network of distribution of hot / cold and will inject self-generated electricity to the distribution network, from the use of residual cold from the reagasification station from the maritime port and from the biomass provided by the urban and metropolitan pruning. The architectural actuation adds to the functional program (industrial and office) spaces to show the public the processes of production through a perimeter route tour to the facilities, and at the same time this actuation sets the façades of the building, contributing as an element of education, training and outreach of environmental and sustainability values, which must guide human activity. Each one of the facades is associated with one of the systems present in the central: water, gas and biomass.