Integrated management

Those floors will also be home to the process teams devoted to the integrated management of store and online platform inventory, all customer service operations and R&D initiatives; such as the sustainability team working on new sustainable packaging solutions.

Located on the 9,000-m2 fourth floor are the studios, all filled with natural light, in which the photographers, models, stylists and make-up artists bring the clothing and looks available on www.zara.com to life. The fifth floor, which is currently fitted with eight permanent cycloramas, but is designed to cater to the versatility required by Zara's campaigns, is also home to the editors who select the best shots to upload onto the product pages and strive to ensure customers can visualise each product exactly as it is.

The new facilities are connected with the rest of Inditex's head office complex via a glass walkway located on the third floor, while the building's five floors are interconnected by means of three wide stairwells: a main staircase articulated around a 32m-tall vertical atrium and another two staircases which also allow in daylight and provide views outside. They are similarly connected with the underground floors, devoted to parking, including spaces for electric vehicle charging and places for bikes.

Energy efficiency and sustainable materials

One of the most noteworthy aspects of the new building, and one of the areas prioritised when designed, is its sustainability credentials. The building was designed using bioclimatic parameters and environmentally-friendly materials and is equipped with high-efficiency installations. It complies with the stringent requirements of the sustainable building benchmark US Green Building Council (USGBC) –and which it hopes to achieve its highest certification, LEED Platinum.

The building as a whole fosters conservation and efficient use of resources. The roof is fitted with 554 photovoltaic panels which, together with the 2,826 panels installed in the outdoor car park, supply half of the building's electricity. All the building’s energy comes from renewable sources. It also reuses rainwater for watering and sanitation thanks to a subterranean tank. The façade's design, with its high-performance glass modules and light-coloured finishes, also replicated on the roof, delivers energy savings of 22% with respect to the USGBC threshold.

The systems, managed centrally from a monitoring room, also play an essential role in energy efficiency and water consumption. Notably:

• A high-efficiency aerothermal HVAC system that can be adapted for room-specific requirements bringing a 15% energy saving versus a conventional system.

• A lighting system that can be modulated as a function of outside light and indoor occupancy.

• Energy-efficient direct-drive lifts with variable speeds and a stand-by mode for when they are not in use.

• Flushes and taps equipped with flow reduction devices.

• Water-efficient landscaping, comprised of indigenous plants and species adapted to the local climate to help with the water conservation efforts outdoors and preservation of regional biodiversity.

By the same token, the materials used comply with Inditex's environmental and circularity commitments. The pre-fabricated structure was made from recycled materials; the interior finishes are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), so helping improve indoor air quality, and the furniture and fittings come with environmental product certification (EDP); specifically the timber fittings boast FSC certification.