Europe
Aparthotel
built
to
Passive
House
standards,
Vitoria-Gasteiz,
Spain
The largest hotel building in the world that is certified according to Passive House standards: KORA GREEN CITY
This hotel in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Autonomous Community in northern Spain, was completed in 2023 by the Basque construction company KATEGORA. In today’s hotel industry, energy consumption and environmental impact have to be taken into account when planning new developments. The KORA GREEN CITY project addresses these challenges and succeeds in combining architectural excellence, energy efficiency, sustainability and comfort.
This residential complex features 180 apartments, each with their own kitchen and bathroom. These can be rented as short-term holiday apartments or for longer stays. Workation – as the name suggests: a mixture work and vacation – is possible thanks to the co-working spaces that are available in the hotel. In addition to a rooftop terrace which offers great views of cinematic sunsets and also has an infinity pool, KOREA GREEN CITY offers residents free access to a nearby fitness studio too.
Sustainability and reducing environmental impact are central components of the philosophy behind this project. The aparthotel is ideally located in the city centre of Vitoria-Gasteiz, which means that visitors have a whole range of museums, restaurants and other leisure activities within walking distance. The complex prioritises the hiring of local staff and other suppliers, and promotes and supports the local urban environment.
The primary energy consumption of the building is significantly reduced thanks to the Passive House construction method used and to the harnessing of geothermal energy for heating and cooling, aerothermal energy (via an air-source heat pump) for hot water provision, and solar energy by means of photovoltaic systems. What’s more, the lifts even employ regenerative drive technology, meaning that they recover some of the energy that they use! The building’s triple-window system reduces noise pollution from outside to practically zero, to improve the visitors’ overall comfort level.
The humidity-variable INTELLO PLUS airtightness membrane from pro clima was used to create the airtightness layer on this building, which allows the thermal insulation to operate to its full potential.
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Location: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain
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Architects: A54 Arquitectos, Bilbao
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Interior design: SV Studio, Leioa
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Developer: KATEGORA, Bilbao
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Passive House standard
Side view of the exterior of this modern hotel
Bird’s eye view of the outdoor area with tables and seating
Infinity pool on the roof terrace of the hotel with views of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the surrounding countryside
Modern, colourful interior design in common areas
More information about this project:
Kora Green City Aparthotel website,
KATEGORA construction contractor - project page,
interior designer - project page
