This first phase of a social housing development in the Madrid conurbation of Vallecas includes replicable innovations and is the subject of an extensive EU funded-monitoring program, with the aim of achieving 70% target reduction in energy use and informing future EMV developments. The project is part of the EC funded SUNRISE programme promoting innovative low energy new build and housing refurbishments.

 This initial phase comprises 140 apartments and a range of 2, 3 and 4 bed units with a number of shop and office units for rent. The overall masterplan for Vallecas will provide homes and other facilities for a community of approximately 80,000 people, including the park of La Gavia, designed by Toyo Ito. 

The scheme incorporates a range of environmental strategies, including 150 square metres of Solar Collectors for domestic hot water. The buildings have much higher levels of insulation than are common in Madrid; the southerly facing, and east and west courtyard facades are fully screened with large sliding timber shutters and the apartments all use a large scale passive stack ventilation system, to benefit from night time cooling. A roof of photovoltaic collectors to each chimney prevents rainwater ingress.