The Valencian engineering firm Vielca Ingenieros is one of the awardees of the Framework Agreement for the procurement of Technical Assistance for drafting engineering projects, construction supervision, and health and safety coordination for building trade and maintenance works, as well as architectural and engineering technical support services, promoted by Infraestructures de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
The agreement encompasses the implementation of renewable energy installations across more than 1,400 public roofs and terraces. The primary objective is to install a combined capacity of 200 megawatts across all buildings, which will generate one-fifth of all electricity consumed by the Catalan Administration. The photovoltaic panels will power the public buildings where they are installed for self-consumption. In addition, surplus energy will be utilized to supply nearby public services and local households experiencing energy poverty.
The duration of this Framework Agreement is two years, extendable by an additional two years, with an estimated contract value of €43,010,000. The Valencian company is participating in four lots (1, 3, 5, and 6), which involve the maintenance of equipment, properties, and infrastructure; project design and construction supervision (data collection, needs assessments, and installation design); and the procurement management of specialized installations for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Vielca is also responsible for quality control and project reviews, as well as providing technical support in the preparation and execution of supplementary technical tenders required to carry out the planned works and services.
24 Projects and a Single Objective
During this year, Vielca submitted 61 bids under lots 1 and 3 and was awarded 5 contracts, entailing the design of 24 projects alongside their corresponding construction supervision for rooftop photovoltaic installations on public buildings.
The works currently underway primarily involve the design and subsequent construction supervision of electrical energy generation systems using solar panels for self-consumption across all types of public buildings in Catalonia. The projected timeline for these works is four years (an initial two years plus a two-year extension). By implementing these measures, Catalonia is taking a major step toward improving energy efficiency and mitigating climate change.
High Schools, Police Stations, Hospitals, and Landmark Buildings Among Those Selected
The buildings prioritized by the Catalan Administration include secondary schools, Mossos d’Esquadra police stations, fire stations, hospitals, Department of Justice facilities, administrative buildings, and landmark sites such as theaters.
This is a highly ambitious initiative in renewable energy generation, which will continue even after the Framework Agreement concludes. L’Energètica (Catalonia’s public energy agency) intends to complete installations on all selected public rooftops by 2030. The contract encompasses interventions in any designated municipality across the entire autonomous community.
An Efficient Procurement Model
The procurement method chosen by the Generalitat of Catalonia is a framework agreement, which involves a public tender via an open procedure where the works are awarded to a pool of companies; these companies then compete for each specific call-off contract without the need to launch a new public tender each time. This system yields significant savings in time and costs for public administrations and has previously been utilized by other Spanish administrations with great success.
Engineering as a Core Value
Grupo Vielca, composed of firms in engineering, architecture, environmental services, renewable energy, and testing laboratories, holds significant prestige in the engineering sector. With a track record spanning more than 35 years and a staff of over 600 employees across Spain and its international offices, it reported revenue of €12.5 million in 2023, approximately 70% of which came from international markets.
