This initiative intends to be pioneer in Zero Energy Buildings design in Spain, anticipating the European regulation where new buildings must be nearly ZEB from 2020. In this scenario, a challenge with triple objective is launched: the design of a representative office building, materialized in a zero consumption building of 850-1000m2, at a ‘reasonable’ cost.

To achieve these objectives, the promoter Kömmerling and ‘Zero City Project’ (ZCp) propose a new methodology that combines IPD contract, LEAN construction, and BIM methodology. In this new workflow, the promoter, project manager, architect and construction agents collaborate from early design stages to optimize the project from the beginning and minimize future waste of money and time due to poor management and lack of foresight.

Proposal:
InBetween proposes two half-buried volumes (showroom and offices), joined together perpendicularly to embrace the reception plaza. The creation of southern back garden allows a green vision to workers that helps to isolate from the industrial context in which the building is inserted.

The descent takes place through the showroom volumes, and heads to the dining area. The different departments and circulation corridor are distributed following a comb structure. Main areas are separated by patios that introduce light, ventilation, and views, allowing maximum flexibility and interior organization. The informal meeting rooms face the south garden, and perform as buffer spaces. The northern service rooms is distributed along the circulation spine and isolate the rest of workers from excess of noise.

The proposal includes a set of passive strategies from early phases of the design, following PassivHaus precepts. This helps to minimise the active systems of heating, cooling and artificial lighting. In summary, the cleanest energy is the one not consumed.

Counting with the collaboration of construction brands during the competition helped us to accurately establish the real budget for the building. Finally, we could reach the triple goal, demonstrating that zero energy buildings consumption can be an affordable reality.