PRESENTATION
The Museu de les Ciències is part of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened to the public in November 2000, it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year as one of Spain’s leading science museums. With a strong focus on science communication aimed at school and family audiences, it recorded 1,125,954 tickets sold in 2024.
From a construction perspective, the building is inspired by the large pavilions of early 20th-century world expositions. It features a large open interior space, with a single volume of approximately 62,000 m³ housing three exhibition floors. These floors are suspended from the pillars and façades of the structure, creating open areas facing large glass walls that allow for maximum use of natural light.
This project to upgrade and improve the air-conditioning system of the Museu de les Ciències addresses three main needs:
To renew the building‘s original equipment after reaching the end of its useful life, in order to ensure the system continues to function properly.
To improve energy efficiency by installing technologically advanced equipment offering better energy performance, and by incorporating renewable energy sources that reduce external energy consumption while maintaining comfort standards.
To adapt the facilities to meet current comfort requirements by expanding or modifying installations in areas that, after years of use, have shown deficiencies or aspects that can be improved, inherent to their original characteristics and installations.
All of this has been done while taking into account the unique and distinctive architecture of the building, which required an exhaustive preliminary study. In this regard, it is important to highlight the added challenge the project faced: to implement all improvements without affecting the aesthetics of an iconic building like the Museu de les Ciències. Each intervention—whether in terms of equipment placement or the routing of ducts and pipelines—was carefully assessed to ensure full integration without altering Santiago Calatrava’s original architectural design, while also respecting the museum’s educational and outreach mission.
The works included in this project are part of the actions carried out by CACSA under the agreement between the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda and the Valencian Regional Government, for the implementation of the Programme for the Promotion of the Rehabilitation of Public Buildings (PIREP), which is included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The project is funded through the NextGeneration EU funds, with a budget exceeding 16 million euros.
The works, divided into four distinct phases, began in February 2023 and are scheduled for completion within the first quarter of 2026.
THE PROJECT
Use of Renewable Energy
Photovoltaic Plant
The installation of a photovoltaic plant at the Museu de les Ciències represents the greatest challenge in terms of aesthetic integration with the building. After considering several placement options for the solar panels and discarding those that would significantly impact the building’s envelope—especially on the roof—a photovoltaic paving system was proposed. This innovative material encapsulates photovoltaic cells within construction-grade flooring, and is being used to replace the original granite paving on the north and south overhangs of the Museu. In this way, a large surface area is covered by a photovoltaic installation with zero visual impact on the appearance of the building.
The electricity produced by the photovoltaic plant is intended for self-consumption; in other words, it is fed directly into the building’s electrical grid, partially powering the facility and reducing its demand for external energy.
A total of 7,664 photovoltaic tiles, each measuring 750×750 mm, have been installed along both overhangs, covering a photovoltaic surface area of nearly 4,300 m².
The tiles use crystalline silicon technology from the Spanish manufacturer ONYX-SOLAR (more details at onyxsolar.es/ciudad-de-las-artes-y-las-ciencias), reaching a peak power of 553 kWp. The system is divided into five zones that supply power to inverters located in the basement of the Museu, which inject the electricity generated into the building’s internal electrical grid.
One of the key advantages of the photovoltaic installation is that its peak production coincides with the building’s highest cooling demands. As a result, it becomes an ideal partner in reducing the need for imported electricity from the external grid and contributes directly to lowering the building’s carbon footprint.
According to the calculations, the system is expected to generate 744,823 kWh of electricity annually, all of which will be consumed by the building. This represents coverage of approximately 10% of the total energy demand.
A particularly notable figure: since the system is already operational, during the month of March it recorded electricity production peaks that covered up to 55% of the building’s energy demand at that moment.
On the left: an image captured from the photovoltaic plant management software on Wednesday, March 26 at 1:00 p.m., showing the Museu consuming 639.91 kW, of which 284.00 kW came from the external grid and 355.91 kW—equivalent to 55.62%—was generated by the photovoltaic plant.
🔋 Key figures:
Total installed surface: 4,300 m² (7,664 tiles of 750×750 mm)
Technology: Crystalline silicon | Spanish manufacturing (ONYX-SOLAR)
Peak power: 553 kWp
Estimated annual production: 744,823 kWh/year
Demand coverage: up to 10% of the building’s annual consumption
Recorded peak: March 2024 → up to 55% of demand covered
Geotermia
The Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències has begun construction of the largest geothermal plant in the Valencian Community, a project that will allow for the cooling of the Museu de les Ciències with significant energy savings and a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative is part of the complex’s environmental sustainability commitments and aligns with the goals set during Valencia’s time as European Green Capital in 2024.
What is a geothermal plant and how does it work?
Geothermal energy takes advantage of the stable temperature underground to exchange the heat generated during a building’s climate control processes. In this case, 32 vertical boreholes, approximately 30 cm in diameter, are being drilled into the ground next to the Museu. The water that absorbs residual heat from the building’s climate control system will circulate through these boreholes via a closed-loop piping system.
In summer, the water transfers the heat to the ground, cooling down in the process. In winter, the process is reversed: the ground transfers heat to the water, which has been cooled during the climate control cycle. This is possible because the underground temperature remains constant throughout the year, enabling heat exchange both in summer and in winter.
A high-performance DCL® geothermal heat exchanger has been selected, specifically designed for use in boreholes adapted to DCL® technology. The geothermal probe consists of a bundle of small-diameter pipes.
The power output of the geothermal installation is 4,000 kW when operating in cooling mode, and 4,320 kW when operating in heating mode.
Geothermal Plant
Since 2005, the Museu’s climate control production plant has dissipated the heat it generates using seawater. This water is extracted from the port’s dock area, pumped to the Museu, and then returned to the sea after undergoing a thermal exchange with the dissipation circuit.
However, this system presents the following drawbacks:
High operational costs.
System criticality: the entire process depends on the proper functioning of two pumping units located at the port—non-standard equipment that is difficult to replace in the event of a sudden failure.
Low energy efficiency, which has declined in recent years due to the increasing temperature of seawater in the intake area.
High maintenance costs, as the system has aged after 20 years of continuous operation in direct contact with seawater.
As a result of these limitations, an alternative was proposed: the implementation of a geothermal condensation plant. This system consists of a series of boreholes where heat exchange is carried out via geothermal probes with the groundwater found beneath the surface.
The plant is located on municipal land in the Jardí del Túria, within the former riverbed adjacent to the Museu. It consists of 32 boreholes that will house the geothermal probes, with depths ranging from 50 to 70 meters and spacing between 15 and 16 meters.
Key Project Figures:
32 vertical geothermal boreholes
Installed thermal capacity: 4,050 kW
Estimated energy savings: over 1 million kWh per year
Reduction in CO₂ emissions: 335 tons annually
Expected completion: first quarter of 2026
Energy Efficiency: A Comprehensive Project at the Museu de les Ciències
The geothermal plant adds to other ongoing improvements as part of the Museu de les Ciències’ energy efficiency plan, including:
Photovoltaic solar plant installed on the overhangs
Bioclimatic architectural solutions to promote natural ventilation
Optimization of water use in treatment systems
Replacement of climate control systems and lighting with low-consumption (LED) technology
A Project with European Support
This initiative is made possible thanks to the Generalitat’s commitment to renewable energy and the agreement between the Consell and the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA), within the Programme for the Promotion of the Renovation of Public Buildings (PIREP), funded by Next Generation EU through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
Con esta instalación se consigue:
- Reducir el volumen del trasiego de agua, lo que lleva aparejado un menor coste de funcionamiento de la instalación.
- Mejorar la eficiencia energética de la instalación, por la reducción de consumos eléctricos y por las condiciones del terreno, que mantiene una temperatura constante durante todo el año, muy por debajo de las registradas en el agua de mar en verano.
- Reducir la dependencia de los equipos de bombeo de agua, que son mucho más pequeños, y que en caso de fallo de alguno de ellos no resultan críticos para el funcionamiento de la instalación y pueden ser fácilmente sustituidos.
- Incrementar la eficiencia del proceso, dado que los equipos de bombeo funcionan proporcionalmente a las necesidades de condensación de la planta.
- Implantar una fuente de energía limpia, dado que el agua de climatización no altera el agua del terreno, sino que únicamente se produce un intercambio térmico sin contacto de ambos fluidos a través de paredes de las conducciones, por lo que no genera ningún tipo de afección al acuífero.
The modernization of the climate control system at the Museu de les Ciències focuses on improving its energy efficiency and implementing renewable energy sources to maintain optimal operating conditions while reducing the building’s carbon footprint.
To achieve this, the project includes various actions that address the identified needs of the building:
Use of renewable energy sources
Improvement of energy efficiency conditions
Replacement of obsolete equipment
Upgrade of building installations
Improvement of energy efficiency conditions
Optimization of operations through the modernization of the chilled water production plant, as well as the thermally treated water pumping systems.
Upgrade of air handling units by incorporating high-efficiency equipment and more advanced technology.
Installation of fresh air renewal units with heat recovery systems.
Implementation of indoor air return installations in areas that previously lacked them, promoting air recirculation.
Modernization of the automated control system, enabling real-time monitoring of the building’s performance.
Bioclimatic ventilation system through air vents in the façades and roof of the building, with automatic opening via temperature sensors.
Replacement of obsolete equipment in the building
In general, all climate control equipment that had reached the end of its service life has been replaced with new systems offering improved energy performance and more advanced technology compared to the previous ones.
Adequacy of facilities
The building’s original installation has been adapted to achieve comfortable conditions in spaces that, after being in regular use, showed deficiencies or areas for improvement.
The actions carried out are:
In accordance with the project, equipment has been developed exclusively for these spaces: totem-type equipment, which distributes the air in a strip of approximately 2 metres in height.
Given the density of the exhibition elements and their layout creating corridors, which impede the correct circulation of the treated air, an air-conditioning system has been developed, integrated into the elements themselves, which distributes the air over a strip of approximately 2 metres in height.
In different spaces with the possibility of improving air-conditioning conditions, fan-coil type equipment is installed in the enclosures, which improves the distribution of the treated air.
AN INNOVATIVE PROJECT
The action has involved the design and development of highly innovative solutions to respond to the different challenges posed in the Museu de les Ciències.
The innovation lies in the collection material itself, which are glass tiles with the photovoltaic cells inside, and which offer the regulatory features required of a standard paving in terms of anti-slip characteristics, scratch resistance, etc., so that they do not eliminate the possibility of using the spaces in which they are located. Therefore, they allow the entire surface to be available both for occupation by the users of the building and for solar gain.
It should be noted that in all cases these are technological products from Spanish manufacturers which, moreover, have the virtue of fitting in perfectly with the uniqueness of the building.
Geothermal probes represent a technological innovation, as they offer a clean and highly efficient energy solution compared to the previous seawater dissipation system.
The main innovation of this type of probe lies in the way energy is transferred between the water from the condensation plant and the water in the ground. Traditionally, geothermal probes operate using a closed-loop system in which heat is transferred by conduction between the circuit from the condensation plant and the surrounding soil or water in a static manner. However, the DCL technology selected for this project circulates groundwater through the bundle of pipes in the geothermal probe, resulting in a tenfold increase in energy exchange compared to most systems using traditional technology.
This is also a technology undergoing continuous development, and in fact, improvements were made during the period between the project design and its implementation. This has allowed the initially planned probes to be replaced with new, recently marketed equipment that offers higher output and greater efficiency in heat exchange. As a result, the number of original boreholes planned (45) has been reduced by a quarter (ultimately 32 will be executed), while achieving a higher heat exchange capacity.
In terms of environmental impact, since the installation is entirely underground, it does not alter the appearance of the surroundings, aside from the manhole covers for the boreholes. The system produces no waste or disturbances (such as noise or vibrations), so the environment of the Turia Garden will remain unaffected once the works are completed.
It is worth noting that in all cases, the products were sourced from Spanish manufacturers.
These are units specifically developed for this project, with two different types designed for the spaces on floors 1 and 3 of the Museu.
The design of the equipment took into account key requirements regarding the circulation and diffusion of conditioned air:
Providing displacement ventilation at the lower part, ensuring user comfort, and featuring long-range nozzles at the top.
Easy to operate and maintain.
Units designed to be easily relocated in the event of a hypothetical change in the Museu’s layout due to exhibition needs.
The executed project takes advantage of the existing alternatives for thermal dissipation in the climate control production plant, thereby reducing the risk that a failure or maintenance shutdown of a single dissipation system could impact the plant’s operation.
To this end, the project ensures that all three existing alternatives in the building remain active for supplying the water required for thermal dissipation, always prioritizing the use of geothermal energy as the most energy-efficient option. Should there be a high demand or a technical shutdown of the geothermal system, the other alternatives will be activated as needed.
The management of the solutions implemented by means of ventilators on the façades and roof is carried out automatically by the installation’s management system, taking into account the maximum temperature of the air in the Museum, the CO2 levels in the interior air environment and the temperature of the air accumulated under the Museum’s roof, in which case a forced extraction system can also be automatically activated, which extracts the overheated air and favours the entry of renewed air.
CONTROBUTION TO THE ENERGY TRANSITION OBJETIVES
The purpose of the implemented project is, in itself, a contribution to the goals of the energy transition, as its main objective is to improve the efficiency of the system by reducing energy consumption and harnessing renewable energy sources through environmentally friendly technologies, such as groundwater, outdoor air, and solar radiation.
As a result, the building has significantly improved the comfort conditions it offers to its users, not only without increasing the energy cost of the system, but actually reducing it.
One of the requirements for funding under the PIREP program is that this reduction must amount to at least a 30% decrease in the building’s primary energy consumption. This is documented in the project’s initial and final energy performance certificates (theoretical forecast) included in the project file:
📉 From 89.27 kWh/m²·year
➡️ To 52.73 kWh/m²·year
A REPLICABLE PROJECT
The approach taken for the ongoing project at the Museu de les Ciències is transferable to any institution facing the necessary renewal of outdated building installations. In this regard, the initial premise that guided the definition of the intervention was essential, and, as previously mentioned, it aimed to address the following three needs:
Replace equipment that had reached the end of its useful life.
Adapt the installation to provide comfort conditions in spaces where deficiencies existed.
Improve energy efficiency through the use of technologically advanced equipment and the incorporation of renewable energy sources.
Although the unique configuration of the Museu de les Ciències required that some of the technical solutions be specifically developed for this building (such as the climate control totems for the exhibition floors), these elements can be marketed in the future by the manufacturer for climate control in spaces with similar needs.
Likewise, it is worth noting that the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències has already begun working on replicating this study, along with the detailed solutions derived from it, at the Hemisfèric—another iconic building within the complex.
SUSTAINABLE MOVILITY
🔌Charging points for electric vehicles
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The City of Arts and Sciences continues to build on its commitment to sustainability and reducing emissions by installing electric vehicle charging points in its car park.
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This initiative promotes cleaner mobility for our visitors, encouraging the use of alternative energy sources and contributing to a more environmentally friendly transport model.
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This initiative is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, through the Electric Mobility Incentive Scheme (MOVES III), managed by the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness (IVACE) and coordinated by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
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Through initiatives such as this, the City of Arts and Sciences reinforces its role as a venue committed to innovation and a sustainable future.
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Subsidised Project: Installation of electric vehicle charging points and the necessary infrastructure in the Umbracle car park at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
Reference No.: MOVESI/2021/1689
Amount: €111,942.00
The adaptation and improvement of the air conditioning system at the Museu de les Ciències, currently in its final phase of execution, will result in a significant enhancement of the building’s energy performance.
This improvement is made possible thanks to the action lines established in the execution project, following a prior technical audit, which include:
Replacement of all obsolete equipment with more efficient technical solutions, properly sized to meet the current needs of the building.
Adaptation of the original air conditioning system to improve comfort conditions in the spaces, which contributes to better overall performance of the building.
Integration of renewable energy sources in the building.
Generation of electrical energy through a photovoltaic installation for the building’s self-consumption.
Implementation of bioclimatic architecture solutions, such as the opening of ventilation openings in the building envelope to release heat accumulated inside.
Installation of a geothermal plant in the Jardín del Turia, for thermal dissipation via heat exchange with the ground, without affecting the terrain or the aquifer.
Installation of equipment to improve the system’s energy efficiency, enabling it to operate according to real-time demand and avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.
