Sustainable Architecture: From Idea to Actual NZEB Building

The challenge of sustainable architecture is not to add “green measures,” but to transform intentions into performance. An NZEB (nearly zero-energy building) is not created at the end of the project; it is developed from the initial sketches through passive design decisions, system selection, and operational planning. We’ll share our firsthand experience and construction expertise: 80% of the energy performance and carbon footprint are determined by what you define in the initial phase.

Setting the NZEB goal from day one

Before designing, we establish energy and carbon budgets for the life cycle. This framework guides implementation, orientation, compactness, and the building envelope. Projects in the studio’s portfolio, such as Residencial Garbí, Archie Living, Campus Iberdrola, Oficinas Vizcaya (Madrid), and Bruc Office block (Barcelona), demonstrate this intention from the beginning. Each project is based on an efficiency strategy aligned with its intended use and context (e.g., residential, corporate, or campus). The key is that the NZEB target is a verifiable design criterion, not an adjective.

Passive first: form, shade, and envelope

The most cost-effective step is passive. We seek adequate compactness, sun protection according to orientation, natural ventilation where the typology allows, and a continuous thermal envelope that minimizes thermal bridging. In offices and campuses, glare control and natural light management maintain comfort and reduce internal loads. In collective residential buildings, such as Archie Living, the envelope and active roofs are combined with everyday comfort features that users perceive without thinking about energy. The building “helps” even when everything is turned off.

Active systems are fewer and better adjusted.

Once demand is contained, we opt for active systems that offer seasonal efficiency and ease of operation. In offices like Vizcaya Madrid and Bruc Barcelona, this translates to high-performance air conditioning, adjustable layered lighting, and smart controls that simplify everyday life. At a campus like Iberdrola’s, coordinated management of buildings, schedules, and usage multiplies the effect. It’s not just about the machines you install; it’s also about how and when they work.

Embedded carbon: materials and maintenance

A true NZEB also considers embodied carbon. We prioritize materials with a low environmental impact, a long service life, repairable solutions, and details that facilitate maintenance. In offices, this means durable flooring and cladding, standardized fixtures, and accessible trays that eliminate the need for construction work to access installations. In residential buildings, natural and durable materials that age well reduce the need for replacements and waste. The result is fewer emissions today and tomorrow.

Measurement, verification, and operation

What is not measured cannot be improved. We define indicators, such as consumption per square meter, demand, thermal and lighting comfort, and indoor air quality, as well as an implementation plan. The four reference projects in the study—Residencial Garbí, Archie Living, Campus Iberdrola, and Oficinas Vizcaya and Bruc—focus on performance and sustainability as intrinsic qualities, not decorative elements. The ideal delivery includes an energy use manual and a fine-tuning period to ensure the building performs as designed.

Four perspectives, one purpose

• Residencial Garbí (Sant Adrià): 75 homes in Sant Adrià with terraces, a swimming pool, and common areas. Comfort, natural light, and flexible design for families and young people. Certified as sustainable housing.
• Archie Living (Barcelona): contemporary housing with a focus on efficiency and everyday well-being, where the envelope and roofing strategy is designed to provide daily comfort for users.
• Iberdrola Campus: organization of uses and spaces with sustainable criteria on a campus scale, integrating architecture and efficiency as part of the identity of the complex.
• Vizcaya Offices (Madrid): offices designed with a strategy of energy efficiency and environmental quality, where natural light and climate control add real value to daily work.
• Bruc Offices (Barcelona): a high-performance corporate environment that makes sustainable architecture criteria visible in both design and operation.

These projects from the studio illustrate a common thread: measurable sustainability, consistent with function and user experience.

Let’s take your project from intention to NZEB

If you want your building to transition from “sustainable intention” to an actual NZEB with demonstrable energy efficiency and a controlled carbon footprint, we can work together from day one on the method: objective, passive, active, materials, and operation. We will design a process that transforms your idea into a building that performs well from the beginning and continues to improve over time.