Iturralde y Sagües, Ingenieros

Spanish Pavilion for the Expo 2008
2008

Iturralde y Sagüés Ingenieros in collaboration with the CENER-CIEMAT foundation, developed the project for the technical installations at the Spanish Pavilion for the "Water and Sustainable Development" International Exhibition 2008 held at Zaragoza.

The Pavilion designed by Francisco Mangado is a low-energy building, with regard to the construction materials and systems employed, and to the high standard of energy efficiency achieved by the proposed installations.

Due to the importance given to the use of Water in the Exhibition theme, this resource played a key role in the Pavilion installations. As a result:

• Aerators were used in the plumbing network to reduce water consumption.
• The exterior waiting and queuing area featured what has come to be known as "microclimate generating columns". This adiabatic cooling system shows how it is possible to use water to cool the surroundings, by forcing the movement of air containing vaporised water which wets the interior of some of the ceramic columns.
• The rain water is conducted through downpipes located in the core of non-structural columns and is collected for use in the Pavilion's ponds and to provide the water required for the operation of the "microclimate generating columns".

The Pavilion was also equipped with PV panels, even though this panel installation was not a mandatory requirement at the time when the project was drafted.