In January of this year, the Community of Madrid approved the Cognitive Hospital project, a platform designed for the comprehensive management of hospital infrastructure. 

Sacyr leads the consortium developing this project, which includes participation from Sener Mobility, Fracttal, Cuatro Digital, Open Ingenius, Áptica, and the technology centers of Tecnalia, UPM, and CSIC.

We are already working on developing innovative pilot projects utilizing new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, advanced algorithms, 7D BIM, Big Data, and more to transform hospital management. 

Sacyr has developed a smart platform that optimizes the building's operation and maintenance processes. Its implementation enhances energy efficiency and improves the air quality within the hospital.

Additionally, a digital twin based on the hospital's BIM model has been developed and will be integrated with the cognitive platform, enabling predictive maintenance.

Furthermore, through augmented reality, it will be possible to obtain information from any hospital facility and system, facilitating building maintenance tasks. 

Additionally, through the use of LiDAR sensors and AI algorithms, alerts will be generated to detect queue formation, aiming to reduce waiting times and improve patient care.

Sener, using artificial intelligence, processes different types of data to predict thermal behavior and the risk of disease transmission through air and water. The system will automatically adjust equipment operation to improve the quality of life for patients and healthcare workers while minimizing energy consumption. 

Fracttal geolocates the strategic assets of hospitals in real time, significantly reducing the search times for healthcare personnel. Its technology enables detailed control over the status, maintenance, and availability of each asset.
Open Ingenius, using virtual reality, creates environments for continuous staff training on occupational risks and emergencies, without disrupting hospital operations or compromising user care quality. 

Cuatro Digital leverages blockchain technology to ensure circularity by certifying the accuracy, accessibility, and transparency of data. It will collect data on construction materials, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions.

Aptica is deploying a new multi-technology communications network throughout the hospital to support all use cases. The result will be a robust and stable network that allows comprehensive connectivity across sensors, systems, and equipment, facilitating daily hospital operations.

European Funding

The Cognitive Hospital project (file no. 59/178676.9/23) is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the ERDF operational program of the Community of Madrid for the period 2021-2027. Implementation will take place at Hospital del Henares (Coslada, Madrid), managed by Sacyr, over a period of three years (2024-2027).

This ambitious project has a budget of €6.1 million, including a €2.9 million grant from the Community of Madrid. These funds are part of the 2023 grant call to enhance public-private cooperation in R&D&I through projects with a significant "tractor" effect.

At the moment, all sludge generated from Sacyr’s wastewater treatment plants in Chile is transported to a sanitary landfill. 

“Sacyr Water in Chile has turned this challenge into a solution that aims to boost the value of this waste 100% by developing a nutritionally and biologically enriched product through the incorporation of phosphate-solubilising microorganisms, struvite, and other mineral sources that serve as fertiliser for agriculture”, explains Ricardo Herrera, Technical Manager of Sacyr Water in Chile and LodoVerde Project Head. 

Laboratory trials are currently underway at the Curauma Biotech Core (Núcleo Biotecnología Curauma, “NBC”), a branch of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, wherein the sludge passes through a laboratory-scale anaerobic digester and a fluidised bed reactor for the production of  struvite. 

“The project will last roughly two years, beginning with an initial phase in the lab, where actual conditions are simulated, and concluding with the implementation of the results obtained. Partner entities will provide support throughout the process, allowing us to take all the sludge generated at our plants to market as agricultural fertiliser. To achieve this, we rely on collaboration from the supplier Abonos San Francisco”, says Etienne Valdés, R&D Analyst for Sacyr Chile’s Innovation Department.  

The idea is to treat as much as 8,000 tonnes of enriched sludge annually and bring it to market by the end of December 2026, which will increase crop productivity by 20% and promote environmental sustainability through more sustainable waste management practices.  

Concrete is the most durable, versatile, and accessible material for construction, but it is also one of the most polluting, as its manufacturing process generates significant CO₂ emissions.

For this reason, Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure is seeking innovative solutions to mitigate these environmental impacts, a goal achieved with the B-LOW2 project: “Eco-sustainable Cement-Based Materials that Reduce Our Carbon Footprint.” This initiative eliminates one of the most polluting components in concrete production: clinker.

This project is funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, through the State Research Agency under the call for “Public-Private Collaboration Projects.”

Clinker is responsible for 65% of CO₂ emissions in concrete production. This project explores how to eliminate it and replace it with other sustainable materials that meet the performance standards required by current regulations.

The European Commission has set the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, positioning the Spanish cement industry as a key player in this ecological transition. B-LOW2 project aligns with the policies of the “European Green Deal” and the “2030 Agenda,” promoting circular economy principles and the use of recycled materials.

In this project, sustainable resources derived from waste will be used to reduce clinker and conventional aggregates, enabling the development of both structural and non-structural concretes as well as special mortars. This approach aims not only to cut CO₂ emissions but also to limit the consumption of natural resources.

The materials selected to replace clinker include construction and demolition waste (C&D waste), biomass, stainless steel slag, and kaolinite.
This initiative is driven by the Innovation and Operations Departments at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure, in collaboration with Grupo Puma and the Universities of Córdoba and Granada.

Additionally, Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure is researching other types of sustainable concretes, currently under development in pilot projects.

Other Developments in Sustainable Concrete

This is not Sacyr’s first venture into sustainable concretes. In collaboration with Flexofibers, Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure developed new concrete reinforcement fibers that replace traditional steel reinforcements with materials derived from end-of-life tires (ELTs). The first application was for a slope outside the Zumelegi tunnel in Elorrio (Vizcaya). These concretes, certified by the Torroja Institute of Construction Science, foster circular economy practices within the sector.

In addition, Sacyr Chile has developed a new type of concrete using recovered glass waste sourced from major cities such as Santiago and Valparaíso to reduce the proportion of cement content in the material.
Glass contributes an average of 13.4% increased mechanical strength in concrete after 28 days, enhancing durability.

Thanks to its fire-resistant, inert, pozzolanic properties and amorphous atomic structure, glass has various industrial applications, such as urban furniture, 3D printing, and radiation shielding in nuclear facilities.

This innovative concrete contains reduced cement content, water, aggregates, and powdered glass. Currently, the glass powder—provisionally named WG-X—is prepared through various processes including selection, control, crushing, and measurement.

The jury selected two finalists per business unit and the winners from among the 36 candidate projects participating in the awards.

All finalists achieved the highest scores in accident rates, visible leadership, and compliance with preventive culture campaigns. Thus, the safety initiative developed by each project determined the winner's selection.

• In the Concessions category, the winner was Viastur (Spain), which designed and manufactured traffic signs that are lighter and more visible than conventional ones, optimizing road maintenance work. The other finalist was Gesvias (Peru), with its road safety campaign titled "Just like you, my family is waiting for me at home."
• In Engineering and Infrastructure, the winner was the Provincia Cordillera Hospital (Chile), recognized for its awareness campaign through videos and educational tutorials, as well as its alcohol and drug control campaign and promotion of healthy eating. The Belfast Transport Hub was selected as a finalist for group sessions raising awareness about workplace safety.
• In Water, the winner was the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant (Australia), which used drones to mitigate falls from height risks and conducted an AI-driven study to prevent repetitive motion injuries. Sacyr Agua Norte (Chile) was recognized as a finalist for its toxic gas ingestion prevention project.

Sacyr Health Awards

Sacyr Health is the program that encompasses initiatives to care for over 5,000 professionals in the various countries where the company operates. Since its inception in 2019, it has evolved into a more global platform. Initially focused on nutritional, physical, and mental well-being, it now includes social, economic, and environmental well-being to nurture the talent and people that form Sacyr.

In 2024, Sacyr won the Gold Category of the European & International Sport and Healthy Company Awards, the highest recognition in this award funded by the European Union.

The company achieved this distinction in the Gold Category for the Sacyr Health initiative, which was first recognized in 2021. This event acknowledges companies with robust health policies to promote physical activity and health among employees. The evolution and continuous improvement of Sacyr Saludable since 2021 have been crucial in securing the award.

Additionally, in 2024, Sacyr won third place in the Financial Well-Being category at the Corporate Wellbeing Awards, thanks to its compensation and benefits program offered through Sacyr Saludable.

The Human Resources consultancy Intrama presents the Diversity & Wellbeing Awards, recognizing companies with the best practices in corporate well-being and diversity.

The Corporate Wellbeing Awards aim to identify, evaluate, and reward the most significant initiatives that contribute to organizational transformation and positively impact businesses through health and well-being policies from a cross-disciplinary perspective.