Arriva opens new Madrid base as part of efforts to decrease emissions

Credit: Arriva Group

Arriva Madrid has announced that, on 29 November 2021, it officially opened its new combined headquarters and bus depot facility in Madrid, Spain, which is set to reduce its carbon footprint in the region and facilitate a transition to zero emissions bus operations.

The building has been designed with accreditation from the Passivhaus Institute, an independent research institute which has led research and development of construction concepts for buildings which are especially energy efficient. The accreditation of a public transportation facility is a first for the institute in the Madrid region.

The building will enable significant reductions in energy consumption, with 86 per cent less energy used for heating and a 90 per cent saving for air conditioning. Furthermore, renewable energy sources have been installed, with 242 solar panels providing 88 per cent of the energy required to fuel the building.

Rainwater collection is another key feature, with a 50,000-litre tank installed to provide the water needed for washing buses. This further builds on Arriva Spain’s commitment to responsible water consumption.

Jana Siber, Arriva Group’s Managing Director for Mainland Europe, attended the opening event and commented: “We are extremely proud of the team in Spain for leading this initiative in Madrid. Arriva has a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability, and this building delivers on both. Working in partnership with the Madrid transport authorities, we are on a path towards making sustainable transport a reality.”

The new base is also the operating centre for Arriva’s bus services in Madrid, and the design of the depot accommodates a transition to zero emissions vehicles, with new infrastructure installed to support the charging of hybrid, electric and gas-powered vehicles. This means that new mobility technologies and systems will be supported and able to operate from there.

The long-term ambition for the full electrification of the Arriva fleet in Madrid will deliver a reduction in the annual carbon footprint of 803,960 kg of CO₂.  Arriva currently operates a hybrid fleet and has committed to zero emission vehicles for its urban routes, with around 15 per cent due to be electrified by 2024 and a further acceleration of the plan from 2025, in partnership with the Madrid transport authorities.

Arriva has now moved into the new building and is operating from its new base, with full electric charging capability coming online from mid-2022.