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EMISSIONS REDUCTION. The materials used to build the pavilion generate up to 50 times fewer emissions than conventional materials such as steel, aluminum, and plastic
ACCIONA Energía, official energy partner of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, has created, as part of its involvement in the event, a pavilion that reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability.
The main material of the pavilion is timber sourced from certified sustainably-managed forests that absorbed over 70 tons of CO2 during its lifecycle. Half of the wood is being reused and comes from a previous event, as do all the textile materials used.
Another key feature of ACCIONA Energía’s pavilion is the incorporation of wind turbine blades, repurposed from the El Cabrito wind farm in Tarifa, following its repowering. Each of these blades avoided the emission of 2,045 tons of CO2 during its lifetime, and are now an example of how to give a second life to wind turbine components in new construction.
The use of natural materials such as wood and recycled textile materials, as well as the reuse of wind turbine blades, means that the construction of this pavilion has a carbon footprint up to 50 times lower than if it had been made with traditional materials such as steel, aluminum and plastics. ACCIONA Energía is thus supporting sustainable, low-carbon design and construction.
In addition, the company has installed solar panels for self-consumption on the roof of its pavilion, at the Official Hospitality Centre, the AC37 Club and at the base of Emirates Team New Zealand.
The pavilion was designed and constructed by the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), and involved several students from the institution who were able to put their knowledge into practice by contributing to the creation of this space.
José Entrecanales, Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer, said that “ACCIONA Energía's pavilion at the America's Cup demonstrates how sustainability and circularity are key values for our company, and it highlights the value of collaborating with educational institutions such as the IAAC, encouraging innovation and the involvement of new generations in creating a cleaner future.”
Daniel Ibañez, director of the IAAC, commented that “the design for the pavilion is not just a symbol of architectural innovation, but also testament of the commitment to innovation, ecology and circularity that ACCIONA Energía and the IAAC share. By incorporating reused wind turbine blades, natural materials such as carbon-storing timber, and an advanced design rooted in circularity, the pavilion becomes an active demonstrator of the future of carbon-negative architecture.”
Grant Dalton, America’s Cup CEO, praised the alliance with ACCIONA Energía. "As a global event the America’s Cup has to show the way not only in sports performance but especially nowadays in sustainability”, he said. “To achieve our sustainability goals, we need credible and reliable partners, and it is no doubt ACCIONA Energía is one of the world leaders in carbon free energy and they are really showcasing it at the event with their state-of-the-art pavilion which is not only net zero, but net positive."