An NZEB building with a low carbon footprint, designed to achieve climate neutrality

The new building of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), driven by the European Commission, is a benchmark for sustainable architecture in Seville. Located on the Isla de la Cartuja, it has been designed as a highly efficient building committed to sustainability, aiming to become an NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building).

The challenge was significant: to design a building capable of generating more energy than it consumes, with a low carbon footprint and a comfortable user experience. To achieve this, a renowned international team was entrusted: the Danish firm BIG led the design, with collaboration from HCP, Grupo Argenia, Buró Happold, and Ineria Management as sustainability consultants. The project has already been awarded and is pending commencement.

A building that anticipates the future of sustainable architecture in Seville

From the outset, the project was designed according to NZEB standards. Every decision was carefully made to reduce energy demand and maximize the use of renewable resources available in Seville:

Use of low-transmittance glass and optimized solar factor to reduce thermal loads and HVAC demand.
Exterior shading through canopies that balance natural light entry and control solar radiation.
An efficient lighting system, operating below the CTE (HE3) limit values.
A 7,000 m² solar collection surface that generates more than twice the electrical energy demanded by the building.
A passive design and optimized envelope that reduce the overall energy consumption, with special attention to HVAC, lighting, and data center cooling demands.

Carbon neutrality throughout its entire lifecycle

Sustainability doesn’t end when a building is inaugurated. That’s why the JRC Seville has been designed so that, at the end of its lifecycle, its carbon footprint is neutral. According to the life cycle analysis, the renewable energy generated by the building will offset the embodied carbon in about 45 years.

Most of that footprint comes from the initial manufacturing phases, especially from elements such as the load-bearing structure and interior partitions.

What makes this building a benchmark?

JRC Seville is not just an efficient building; it is a success story on multiple fronts:

It generates more energy than it consumes.
It produces 1,979,610 kWh annually compared to a projected consumption of 980,943 kWh.
Recoge y reutiliza aguas pluviales y grises.
It uses materials with EPDs, recycled content, or of biological origin.
It prioritizes comfort: natural light, ventilation, views, acoustics, outdoor spaces.
It meets the 16 sustainability indicators defined by GBCe.
It achieves the VERDE 5 Leaves certification, the highest possible level.

A benchmark of sustainable architecture in Seville

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) building in Seville not only meets the most demanding current sustainability criteria but also anticipates future standards. The combination of energy efficiency, low carbon footprint, user well-being, and renewable generation positions this project as a benchmark example in Europe.

At Ineria Management, we are proud to have contributed to making this vision a reality. We achieved this by working hand in hand with an exceptional international team to advance toward more conscious and transformative architecture.