Constraula, the specialised urban services company in the Sorigué group, opened its new corporate headquarters in 2020, a building that has been completely refurbished in accordance with energy efficiency and sustainability criteria.
 
The company, with a strong presence in the province of Barcelona, where it has been working for over three decades, is currently undergoing business growth. Its workforce has increased by 60 per cent in recent years. Constraula maintains its commitment to the area where the company is based. The new headquarters, located on a site measuring 1,543 m2 in the district of Sant Andreu in Barcelona, is the result of the comprehensive refurbishment of an existing building, with a focus on energy efficiency.
 
Constraula’s new headquarters forms part of the Sorigué 2020 Strategic Plan, which seeks to ensure the sustainable growth of the business group through the improvement of its client services, the commitment to increase the efficiency of the business and its strengthening in the areas in which it works.
 
Energy efficiency
 
The different energy efficiency measures incorporated into the design of the building include: the refurbishment of an existing building; the construction of efficient facilities; the use of renewable energies; the installation of a facility management system for efficient maintenance and control; and parking spaces for electric vehicles.
 
The building attained an energy rating of A with zero associated CO2 emissions. During the refurbishment, one of the most stringent sustainability certification standards was observed, which resulted in the building being granted the BREEAM seal, with a rating of “Very good”.

The comprehensive renovation of the building, the original structure of which was built in 2004, was carried out in 2019. The completed building has a floor area of 4,530.27 m². The decision to refurbish an existing building instead of constructing a new one is part of the sustainability strategy, as it has taken advantage of land previously built upon in order to save on materials for the structure and enclosures, as well as the energy that has been invested in these materials.
 
The new headquarters incorporates a photovoltaic solar power self-production facility with 270 panels, which amounts to a total of 78.3 kWp installed covering most of the roof area of 852.63 m².  This installation is expected to supply 100% of the building’s electricity consumption.
 
The building also has 66 parking spaces for vehicles. Charge points for electric vehicles have been installed in 30 parking spaces. This initiative is a clear endorsement of electric mobility, which will be powered directly by solar photovoltaic energy produced by the building.
 
The building’s sustainable characteristics have allowed the company to organise itself optimally both during and after the state of emergency. Constraula’s facilities allow for the implementation of all the exceptional safety and protection measures in the current health crisis to ensure the safety of its workforce.  From the outset, the company has been able to implement the minimum required safety distance, suitable ventilation systems, new cleaning and disinfection protocols, the limitation of shared spaces, as well as the use of protective equipment like masks, etc.