In 2005 AIGUASOL participated, as an energy consultant, in the final development of the Zorrotzaurre Master Plan (Bilbao).  The Master Plan, which was originally designed by the Zaha Hadid Architects, included the remodeling and construction of housing, new industries, tertiary uses, urban zones and recreation areas and the new connections that unite the peninsula, the city and its surroundings.

One of the challenges of the Project was the creation of an energy consumption model for buildings that was lower than the standard consumption in urban planning and new building construction that met current legislation.

AIGUASOL was commissioned to introduce vector energy in the preliminary design, studying open parameters: height and distance between buildings, orientation and use distribution in the new neighborhood.  The goal was to reduce the energy impact of the complete project without yet dealing with the buildings or energy systems in detail.

The necessary analysis was done using provisional data from the original master plan and dynamic simulations.  The height of buildings and street width were simulated in detail, without modifying the total surface area to be built, the orientation of buildings and the proper distribution of uses in all intervention areas, considering the different types and needs of the offices and service sectors in relation to the housing.

Optimizing these parameters led to an energy savings of 18% in regard to the original design, showing the potential for actions in this planning phase.  This assured the foundation for the later development of specific ordinances for the zone, as well as a first evaluation of the energy systems in the neighborhood.  Considering that the EU Concerto neighborhoods have to have a primary energy consumption of 30% less than a neighborhood that simply complies with the national regulation, the savings of 18% achieved with a minimum investment, makes it quite possible that in later phases this area can reach the goal of becoming an “Eco Neighborhood”.