Beronia becomes first winery to be awarded sustainable benchmark
Beronia winery has become the first winery in the world to achieve a sustainable construction certification which recognises buildings which are sustainably constructed and have a low environmental impact.
Awarded by the “US Green Building Council”, LEED is the ‘Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Design’ green building certification programme used worldwide.
Winemaking at Beronia has been directed by Matías Calleja, winemaker and winery manager, for the past 40 years. In designing the new winery, the team worked collaboratively with civil and industrial engineers, architects, ecologists, hydrogeologists, experts in internal environmental quality and physicists to ensure a completely holistic approach.
The design of the Beronia winery, which uses a revolutionary system for harnessing geothermal energy to air-condition the facilities and achieve lower energy consumption, together with state-of-the-art technological innovations, such as the ‘Cleanwood’ system for barrels, make it one of the most efficient and sustainable wineries in the world.
The main part of the winery is built into the ground, wholly integrated into the Rioja landscape thanks to its green roof gardens, consisting of native plants which require little maintenance or water to survive.
Every component used in the winemaking process has been considered, from machinery to fermentation tanks and barrels and the building itself. Ultimately the goal was to produce wines that capture the essence of their environment in the most sustainable way possible.
This philosophy is also apparent in the building’s layout. Inside, natural light creates pleasant spaces in areas normally in shadow, with views over the vineyard and a constant temperature throughout the year. Outside, spectacular areas decorated with different plants, a small lagoon and a succession of terraces comprise an impressive plant amphitheatre in front of the winery.
The new Beronia winery has already won several international architectural awards. The “World Design Awards” organised by The Architecture Community celebrated Beronia as the winner in the “Industrial Architecture” category for its pioneering and sustainable design. The winery also received an award in the “Agricultural Building” category by the “Architecture Masterprize” and recognition at the World Architecture Festival 2021, where it was selected as a finalist in the Mixed-Use Completed Buildings category.
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56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9AN
Registered in England No. 6646125. VAT No. 938 4452 95
