Jesús Alcanda Vergara

Energy division of Sacyr Water

It was 1991 when my friend Luis Carlos and I met at the Natural Environment Service of Zamora with José Luis Montero de Burgos (who had served for 20 years as Head of the National Reforestation Service of the Ministry of Agriculture). We were attending a meeting with the Service’s technical staff to hear the guidelines they intended to propose for a reforestation project covering 6,000 hectares devastated by fire in the Sierra de la Culebra—a project whose drafting had been entrusted to us.

Each time the Service presented an approach, Montero de Burgos, supported by decades of experience, insisted on the need to involve local people and respect their traditional practices and livelihoods. He repeated this warning again and again, responding to every new proposal put forward by the technicians.

Eventually, the discussion shifted toward what they considered to be “the problem” posed by the residents of the Sierra, which had already been proposed as a Protected Landscape.

So enthusiastic were these technicians that, with astonishing unanimity and without the slightest embarrassment, they reached an extraordinary conclusion: that what truly did not belong in the Sierra de la Culebra was the people who lived there.

They made it clear that, in order to manage this protected natural space, the local population was “excessive,” and that it should be a priority to remove as many residents as possible.

Today, 35 years later, these technicians—some of whom have since passed away—must feel satisfied. Their wishes have almost been fulfilled: the population of this Protected Landscape has been reduced by half.

Public Administrations are quick to invoke phrases such as “land management,” abstract formulas that promise what is impossible precisely because of their abstraction.

By mobilizing staff and departments around such slogans, they forget their original purpose: to administer, to serve, to allocate resources responsibly, to care for the common good. In doing so, they betray the very etymology of the word administration. Governments and their agencies—ministries, departments, councils—are meant to govern people, not merely manage things.

By replacing the verb to administer with to manage, public institutions forget their essential role: serving society. Instead, they reduce their mission to the technical control of objects and territories, detached from the people who inhabit them.

If it is already misguided to substitute administration with “management,” it is even worse to apply this logic to something as vague and complex as “territory.” This intellectual confusion becomes outright delirium when authorities decide to grant rights not to people, but to things.

To grant rights to land, rather than to human beings, and to place those rights above human needs, is a profoundly dehumanizing act. It separates power from responsibility and regulation from justice.

Following this path leads to the idea that natural spaces themselves must possess rights—an idea that has generated a chain of ecological, economic, labor, administrative, and demographic problems that shape our present. Only willful blindness could deny this.

Let us not look away. The socio-economic decline of medium- and high-mountain regions—especially within protected areas—and their resulting depopulation have a clear main cause: the Natural Environment Administration, whatever name we choose to give it. Other public bodies have played little or no role; in most cases, their involvement has been marginal at best.

For decades, this administration has acted as the absolute “Lord of the Land,” regulating every possible use, activity, and initiative that local residents might attempt. As a result, marginalized and impoverished inhabitants have been forced to abandon their land and their homes.

Congratulations: the “land managers” can now do as they please. The people are no longer in the way. Those who remain have surrendered.
Below are several examples of population decline in municipalities located within Protected Natural Areas in mainland Spain between 1986 and 2022.
These are not just place names. They are real towns that survived for centuries thanks to the efforts of their inhabitants. Today, their descendants are being steadily pushed out. The population figures show percentage changes compared to the population at the beginning of the period. All data come from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).

Let us begin with the Sierra de la Culebra Protected Landscape and Special Conservation Area, where 61,000 hectares were declared protected.

While Spain’s total population grew by 37% between 1986 and 2022, the population of the Sierra de la Culebra fell by 48%. This 85-point gap can rightly be called a demographic hemorrhage.

Next, consider the Montaña de Riaño and Mampodre Regional Park (León), where 101,000 hectares were protected.

The results are equally bleak. Acebedo, Burón, Crémenes, and Maraña have been virtually wiped out. The park has lost half of its population. If this designation had created real economic opportunities, such an exodus would not have occurred.

Finally, let us look at the Baixa Limia–Serra do Xurés Natural Park in Ourense (Galicia), where up to 30,000 hectares were protected, mostly on privately owned land.

Here, population loss reaches 67%. 
 

The figures speak for themselves.

• From 1986 to 2022, the Montes Obarenses–San Zadornil Natural Park (Burgos) experienced a population decline of 41% across its 16 municipalities. 
• The Sierra de Gredos Regional Park (Ávila) lost 51% of its population in 28 villages during the same period. 
• In the Montaña Palentina Natural Park, population fell by 46% in 10 villages.
• The Arribes del Duero Natural Park saw a decline of 52% in its 24 villages in Salamanca and 46% in its 13 villages in Zamora. 
• In the Serranía de Cuenca Natural Park, 43% of the population left its 12 municipalities. 
• The Sierra de Alcudia and Sierra Madrona Natural Park (Ciudad Real) lost 44% of its population across eight major municipalities. 
• Finally, in the Alto Tajo Natural Park (Guadalajara), 35 municipalities experienced a population decline of 51%.

What has happened in these mountain regions bears the unmistakable imprint of environmental administrations, supported by an endless web of national, regional, and European laws, decrees, and regulations. Together, they have turned these agencies into unquestionable rulers of rural land.

This suffocating regulatory framework has been meticulously designed. It imposes countless prohibitions, restrictions, and obligations on both land and activities. Authorities then enforce every rule with rigor, leaving no room for local initiative or economic development.

Any positive counterexample is merely an exception that confirms the rule.

These long-term demographic trends make one thing clear: the creation of Protected Natural Areas has not delivered the promised social and economic benefits. Yet this promise continues to be repeated by new advocates of new protected areas.

When these spaces were declared, residents were promised prosperity and opportunity. We have shown that these promises were false. For half of the population, protection has meant decline, not progress.

This is what happens when rights are systematically granted to things instead of to people.

Planning is a critical task in any infrastructure project, and improving this phase and speeding up its timelines is crucial for subsequent success.

For this reason, we've launched an initial innovation pilot using Miranda AI, an artificial intelligence tool, which will assist our Planning department in this vital task.

This tool was developed in collaboration with CrataAI, a startup that answered our call in the "DesafIA" challenge program of the Madrid City Council.

"We proposed a challenge to reduce deadlines in construction projects, and the Madrid City Council saw its potential to include it within the DesafIA program," explains Raúl Crespo, Planning Manager at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure.

"This project has allowed us to solve a business challenge through open innovation, participating in a Madrid City Council program, and selecting a startup, CrataAI, which convinced us with their thorough understanding of the proposed use case and the flexibility of their solution," adds our Open Innovation Manager, Mario Ibeas.

Miranda AI can provide significant time savings for repetitive tasks, reducing the time it takes to develop the initial planning we do when undertaking a project, automating many of the steps thanks to the use of artificial intelligence.

What does Miranda AI do?

1.    Automatically analyzes technical documentation
2.    Generates complete construction plans in minutes, ready to validate
3.    Identifies measurements, materials, yields, and dependencies
4.    Detects gaps, missing activities, and planning risks

The AI will help the Planning team gain reliability in deadlines and agility to make work hypotheses. "We cannot guess what will go well or badly, but if we know that the weather will be adverse, we can make plans. We would gain a clearer vision of what might happen to us in the future," explains the Planning Manager.

"This is an innovation challenge that we had tried to address in the past, but the technology was not yet mature. Now, with the Crata pilot and the opportunity to collaborate in the DesafIA program, it has become a reality," emphasizes Mario Ibeas.

"The objective is to have a base program to work on, not to replace work, but to change manual work for work of greater value, more focused on being able to do analysis or look for optimizations," explains Raúl Crespo.

For the moment, Sacyr is evaluating the tool. The ultimate goal is for it to be able to execute any type of work: civil, building and industrial. The first stage of this process could be completed in three or four months.
 

ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno

The world's most extreme roads are routes where engineering and risk go hand in hand. The Yungas Road in Bolivia, with its narrow stretches skirting sheer drop-offs, is among the best known for its extreme danger. China’s Tianmen Mountain Road climbs a mountainside via 99 hairpin bends carved directly into the rock. In the Indian Himalayas, high-altitude passes such as Khardung La, at over 5,300 metres, force drivers to contend with ice, fog, and landslides. In Canada, ice roads exist only in winter, crossing frozen lakes and endless tundra. In this article, we investigate which roads truly deserve the title of the world's most extreme.

“The Road of Death”

The North Yungas Road, known as the Road of Death, links La Paz in Bolivia with the subtropical Yungas valleys and the Amazon region. At just 64 km long and with a descent of 3,500 metres, the road has gained global notoriety due to its extreme danger. The highway is narrow, with sections barely three metres wide, and features tight bends, blind turns, and almost no guardrails. Drivers must contend with sheer drop-offs ranging from 400 to 1,000 metres, as well as dense fog, mud, and waterfalls that render the surface treacherously slippery. Some media outlets estimate that this road used to claim between 200 and 300 lives per year. Despite the risks, the road attracts some 25,000 visitors each year, including cyclists and motorcyclists, who willingly brave the potholes, traffic, and constant threat posed by the surrounding cliffs.

The North Yungas Road challenges drivers and cyclists with its narrow stretches. Credit: World Travel Guide

An “Avenue to the Heavens”

Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road, also known as the Avenue to the Heavens or the Road of 99 Curves, is located in Tianmen Mountain National Park in Hunan, China. This 11-kilometre route climbs from the foot of the mountain to Cave Square, reaching an altitude of around 1,100 metres. Due to its extremely tight hairpin turns, narrow sections running alongside precipices, and frequent fog, it is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Given its proximity to the abyss and minimal margin for error, the route is only suitable for experienced drivers.

In recent years, however, it has also become a popular tourist destination and venue for cycling competitions and mountain races. Its dramatic landscape inspired James Cameron when designing the floating mountains in the Avatar films.

Tianmen Shan Big Gate in Zhangjiajie, China, is known as the Avenue to the Heavens. Credit: Travel and Home

One of the world’s most dangerous mountain passes

Khardung La, located in the Ladakh region of India, is one of the world’s most famous and challenging mountain passes. Rising to 5,359 metres (17,582 feet) above sea level, its extreme altitude exposes travellers to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). The road itself is narrow and slippery in places, with several sections in poor condition. Heavy traffic and military convoys can cause delays and increase the risk of accidents on the single lane sections. The pass is also subject to bad weather and geological hazards, such as avalanches, rockfalls, and heavy snowfall, and remains closed for several months each year. The remoteness of the area and poor logistics make the journey even more challenging.

There is no medical assistance available along the entire route, and facilities at the summit are extremely limited. In addition, its proximity to the borders with Pakistan and China results in a heavy military presence, and some travellers require a special permit to cross the pass.

There is usually a military presence at Khardung La. Credit: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Creative Commons.

A road built on ice

The Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road, located in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Nunavut, is the longest heavy-haul ice road in the world. Spanning between 400 and 600 kilometres, it links Tibbitt Lake, near Yellowknife, with diamond mines such as Ekati, Diavik, and Gahcho Kué. It is a seasonal route, rebuilt every year starting in December, and is typically open from February to late March. Around 85% of the road runs over frozen lakes, while the remaining 15% crosses short stretches of permafrost peatland.

Despite being one of the best-managed and safest roads in North America due to strict monitoring and controls, it is still considered dangerous for several reasons. The ice must reach a minimum thickness of 74 centimetres for the road to open and 100 centimetres to support fully loaded trucks. Speed limits for loaded vehicles are restricted to 25 kilometres per hour. Drivers may encounter snowstorms, strong winds and near-zero visibility, and the journey itself can take between 14 and 18 hours in complete isolation. One of the greatest threats to this ice road is climate change, which can shorten the operating season or weaken the ice.

The Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road depends entirely on the thickness of the ice. Credit: Steven TenHave

Tungsteno es un laboratorio periodístico que explora la esencia de la innovación.

ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno

Many modern cities conceal beneath their streets a vast network of secret tunnels that serve various purposes, ranging from former shelters and military command centres to historic ossuaries. Cities like Berlin, London, Paris, and New York reveal that urban life and history extend beyond the surface. Their depths hold a captivating heritage of wartime bunkers, espionage routes, and abandoned infrastructure.

Berlin

Berlin's tunnels have historically served as strategic refuges and military command centres, preserving stories from the Second World War through the Cold War. Several associations are dedicated to exploring and documenting these underground spaces, offering guided access to iconic air-raid shelters and bunkers. Their aim is to show how the city prepared for conflict and how these structures protected its inhabitants during times of crisis.

Beyond shelters, escape tunnels tell stories of ingenuity and resistance. More than 70 tunnels were built beneath the Berlin Wall, enabling some 300 people to flee from East to West. The city’s subterranean past also hides other disused infrastructure, such as abandoned railway tunnels and even former brewery warehouses.

During the Cold War, some tunnels were used as escape routes. Credit: DW Euromaxx

London

The Kingsway Exchange tunnels complex, which stretches across 8,000 square metres beneath High Holborn, was built during the Second World War to protect Londoners during the Blitz. Although it was never used for that purpose, the site hosted the Special Operations Executive (SOE), Winston Churchill's wartime espionage organisation. James Bond author Ian Fleming worked regularly with the SOE in this labyrinth of tunnels, which may have inspired Q Branch in his famous novels.

The tunnels remained strategically important after the war. During the Cold War, they functioned as a strategic communications hub. Following the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, the complex served as a relay point for the famous “red telephone” hotline between the Pentagon and the Kremlin. A government bunker was also built for use in the event of a nuclear attack. Today, there are plans to open the site to the public as a tourist attraction, featuring a military intelligence museum, an exhibition on espionage, and a bar marketed as “the deepest bar in the world in a city.”

The passages that protected London during the Second World War.

Paris

Much of the Parisian subsoil consists of nearly 200 miles (about 320 kilometres) of limestone quarries, originally excavated to build the city. Part of this network forms the Paris Catacombs, one of the largest ossuaries in the world. They contain the remains of some six million Parisians and have been dubbed "the empire of death." These abandoned quarries are sometimes visited illegally by "urban explorers," who have been known to organise secret underground nightclubs and cinemas.

Paris also boasts a complex sewer system spanning 1,662 miles (around 2,675 kilometres), modernised in the 19th century and historically used as escape routes for criminals. The metro network also includes four “ghost” stations closed since the Second World War. Other underground points of interest include a secret military bunker near the Eiffel Tower and the basement of the Opéra Garnier, which houses a real underground lake.

The catacombs of Paris lie 20 metres underground, with 243 steps and 2,000 metres of tunnels. Credit: Paris Musées

New York

In 2024, an illegal tunnel was discovered in Brooklyn, New York, beneath the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in Crown Heights, a busy Jewish site that welcomes thousands of visitors a year. The 60-foot (18-metre) tunnel was dug clandestinely and without structural reinforcements, causing destabilisation under the synagogue sanctuary. Due to safety concerns, New York City issued an emergency order to stabilise the building.

Illegal tunnel discovered beneath an historic synagogue in Brooklyn, New York. Credit: Eyewitness News ABC7NY

The evidence suggests the tunnel was constructed by a group of students known as the Tzfatim, who sought to expand the synagogue in accordance with the vision of their deceased leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. When police arrived to inspect the tunnel, clashes broke out with members of the community. The altercation resulted in nine arrests on charges including criminal damage, reckless endangerment, and obstruction of government administration.

Tungsten is a journalistic laboratory that explores the essence of innovation.

Mining and underground works involve the presence of crystalline silica, a naturally occurring mineral known to be carcinogenic. To address this risk, we have implemented a continuous, real-time monitoring system designed to protect the professionals working on our projects.

Royal Decree 1154/2020 classified Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) as a carcinogenic agent, significantly reinforcing employers’ obligations in the field of occupational health and safety. In addition, the General Regulations on Basic Mining Safety Standards require an accredited Administration Collaborating Entity (ECA) to take dust samples every four months at workstations where there is a risk of exposure.

Our Health and Safety Department has gone beyond regulatory requirements by deploying a mobile system for continuous, real-time silica monitoring: the AIR S Silica Monitor.

“Having access to real-time data raises awareness of RCS exposure for both workers and management,” explains David Barreda, Prevention Manager at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure in Northern Spain.

Crystalline silica is a very common mineral found in rocks, sand, and soil. It is present in construction materials such as concrete and brick, as well as in activities like mining, quarrying, and construction. When its fine dust particles are inhaled, respirable crystalline silica becomes a serious health hazard, increasing the risk of lung cancer, silicosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

​ 
 

The AIR S Silica Monitor was used during excavation works in the tunnels of the Access to the Outer Port of Langosteira project and will later be deployed during ballast spreading for track installation.

RCS levels can vary significantly depending on the stage of construction, with different exposure levels during blasting, debris removal, and drilling operations.

“This new system allows us to make informed decisions and continue reducing our employees’ exposure to RCS,” says David Barreda.

“The company is committed to protecting both our employees and our subcontractors. They value our concern for their health and the continuous control we maintain over the working environment,” he adds.

How the Monitor Works

The system analyzes multiple parameters in real time to detect RCS, including particle size, symmetry, and a range of unique optical markers characteristic of respirable crystalline silica particles.

At the same time, it uses optical refraction technology combined with light-scattering photometry, analyzing each sampled particle and classifying it according to its identifiable optical properties.

This approach allows the system to detect all forms of RCS — including alpha and beta quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite — across all relevant particle sizes within the respirable fraction.

The resulting data is combined with particle mass analysis to provide measurements in both mg/m³ and particles per liter.
Thanks to this comprehensive information, site management can make timely, well-informed decisions to ensure the safety of everyone working on the project.

At Sacyr we build and maintain thousands of kilometers of road infrastructure around the world. Knowing its condition and anticipating its evolution is vital to guarantee its functionality and safety.

The Report on Investment Needs in Conservation 2025 of the Spanish Road Association estimates that the required amount to fine-tune the national road network is €13.5 Bn. This all-time record figure represents a 43% increase compared to 2022.

Recognizing this need, Sacyr is developing Apromac, a tool that predicts the state of road surfaces. To do this, we apply technologies such as Big Data and artificial intelligence to predict the evolution of the main parameters of the condition of road infrastructure.

"Not only do we use data from the infrastructure itself, but in the analysis we also incorporate standardized information from other Sacyr Concesiones roads and studies on the influence of factors like temperature and rainfall," explains Sergio Campos, project manager.

This tool allows us to improve planning through predictive models for deterioration indicators such as macrotexture, ruts (depressions in the wheel path), and the transverse friction coefficient (TFC), an indicator of skid resistance. In addition, various types of models have been trained and validated to identify which one offers greater accuracy in predictions.

The first project milestone was reached at the end of 2023 and the second is planned for the end of 2025.

Apromac was developed using data from several roads managed by Sacyr: Ruta del Desierto and Limarí (Chile); Turia, Pamasa, Eresma and Aunor (Spain); Pamplona-Cúcuta (Colombia); and Pirámides-Tulancingo-Pachuca (Mexico).

This project has a €500,000 budget and will run until December 31, 2025. Once completed, Sacyr Concesiones will have an advanced tool for long-term prediction of road behavior.

Apromac is co-financed by the European Union, with funding from European Funds, the Spanish Ministry of Finance, and CDTI through the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

In the future, this tool will have two major impacts: it will allow for better-informed reinvestment strategies in road tenders, considering factors such as project year and financial impact; and it will facilitate monitoring in the operation phase, enabling more efficient planning and execution of necessary road maintenance based on predicted degradation.

Simón B. Maestra Navarro 

Southern Zone Delegate, Sacyr Conservación

Marco A. García Fraga 
HSE Business Partner, Sacyr Conservación

At Sacyr, accident prevention is not a separate business function, but an integral element considered in all tasks that may involve risk. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is integrated into technical and operational processes, planning, and working conditions from the start.

Sacyr Conservación guarantees a comprehensive service, adhering to the strictest Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) standards, including Road Safety and Quality, to which Sacyr Maintenance has dedicated significant resources in recent years.

While lane closures may not cause the most incidents, they are among the riskiest road maintenance operations. This is due to both the need for vehicles to stop on the shoulder and the exposure of operators crossing the road to place signage and beacons. 

Sacyr Conservación anticipated the guidelines of Service Note 02/2021, "Recommendations for Improving Safety in Maintenance and Other Work Affecting State Roads and Highways." We pioneered aspects outlined in the note, such as in-person road safety training, the acquisition of double-gate vans, and innovative training proposals like "Lane Closures: An Immersive View."

There is no doubt that the advancement in the use of light signaling in maintenance vehicles has greatly improved the protection of equipment, maximizing visibility and minimizing risks. The goal is to visualize the behavior of road maintenance personnel during lane closure setup and takedown and to understand how they are affected by traffic. The goal is not strictly limited to improving the material signalling equipment and compliance with the elements set out in current regulations.

This focuses on visualizing the actions of road maintenance personnel during lane closure setup and takedown and how these actions are impacted by the traffic conditions of the worksite.

New Technologies in Road Management

In an increasingly demanding, digital, and complex environment, where specialization and technology are key factors for the large-scale transformation of service standards, Sacyr Maintenance is committed to innovation, developing a large number of certified projects and lines of research.

The use of drone and 360° camera recording significantly improves the training of our technicians and operators during lane closure setup and takedown on highways. The "immersive vision" approach facilitates interactive training, enabling personnel to minimize on-road risks.

First and foremost, safety

The "Lane Closures: An Immersive View" project involves recording various lane closure setup and takedown operations on highways using drones and 360° cameras in real-world conditions. The aim is to analyze the execution process from an aerial perspective.

The purpose is to analyze the movements of our operators and user reactions to establish procedural guidelines that minimize risks for both workers and road users.

Using these audiovisual media, it is intended to:

1. Identify the critical points of the process in which maintenance teams and road users interact.
2. Reduce risks and improve road safety for both operators and users.
3. Achieve a new approach to improving road safety through the use of new audiovisual technologies.
4. Improve procedures and establish instructions for assembling and disassembling lane closures to reduce risk.
5. Design training actions based on specific actions for the type of risk to which workers are exposed. Analyze the operation with the workers, from a drone view, to define situations of greater risk.
6. Improve the preventive culture in the field of Occupational Road Safety.
7. Complement Sacyr Conservación's Road Safety Management System.
8. Seek new methodologies to improve the influence on user behavior, as well as to raise awareness, through possible media campaigns, of the need for their collaboration to reduce risks on the road.

In short, the drone's perspective during lane closure setup and takedown allows for an in-depth analysis of the associated risks. Interactive sessions with technicians and operators have identified the safest procedures for moving around the work zone with the necessary vehicles, signage, and beacons.

Analyzing the time taken also allows us to assess the available equipment (types of signals, transport supports, etc.), identifying opportunities for improvement and optimization. The aerial perspective also helps us assess the characteristics of the road and identify infrastructure improvements (specific problem areas, narrow shoulders, etc.).

Encarna Mateos

Quality, Environment and Energy Director

The construction and infrastructure development sector plays a crucial role in transitioning to a more circular economic model, given its significant impact on resource consumption and waste generation. However, considerable challenges persist: construction and demolition waste (CDW) accounts for a third of the total waste produced in the European Union, and circularity rates in countries such as Spain lag behind other European nations.

In light of this, the circular economy offers a transformative strategy for redesigning processes, minimizing environmental impacts, and boosting efficiency. Achieving this requires coordinated action from all stakeholders across the value chain, integrating circular principles from the initial design phase through to operation. In my view, the following ten areas are key to advancing towards a circular model:

1.    Changing the mindset

Moving away from the traditional linear model (design-build-use-demolish) and embracing a circular approach (design-reuse-use-recycle-maintain-regenerate). This involves integrating circularity criteria right from the design stage and fostering collaboration among all participants throughout the infrastructure lifecycle.

2.    Boosting the Market for Secondary Raw Materials

Implementing regulatory and economic measures to stimulate demand for recycled and reused materials. This includes establishing quality certifications, technical standards, and traceability mechanisms that build confidence in the market.

3.    Supporting innovation 

Maintaining funding programs, such as those within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (RTRP) and the Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE), that support projects promoting circular solutions in construction, waste management, and digitalization. Simplifying access to these grants is essential.

4.    Digitization and data management 

Promoting the use of tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twins, and collaborative platforms to manage information related to materials, maintenance, and reuse.

5.    Harmonized regulatory framework 

Establishing consistent and stable regulations at the European, national, and regional levels to facilitate the application of circular criteria, the approval of recycled materials, and investment in sustainable solutions.

6.    Green public procurement 

Incorporating environmental criteria into public procurement specifications, favoring proposals that integrate circular economy principles, and establishing monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance.

7.    Public-private partnerships 

Encouraging collaboration between government bodies, businesses, technology centers, and universities to develop standards, methodologies, and pilot projects that advance circularity in the sector.

8.    Transparency in the supply chain

Establish traceability systems that allow information to be shared on the origin, composition and destination of materials, facilitating their reuse and recycling.

9.    Training and sector awareness

Promoting education and training for all actors in the value chain – architects, engineers, companies, manufacturers, and clients – on the principles, tools, and benefits of the circular economy.

10.    Repurposing Waste as a Resource

Encouraging the acceptance of recycled materials as a viable alternative, promoting their use in new construction processes, and reducing reliance on virgin raw materials.

Several years ago, Sacyr made a decisive move towards circular transformation, moving beyond the traditional linear model and embracing a regenerative approach in all our projects. Our Zero Waste Plan has become the cornerstone of our efforts to achieve our circular economy goals, implementing specific actions across all areas of the company.

This plan has three key objectives: to reuse, recycle, or recover 80% of our waste each year; to progressively reduce hazardous waste by 1% annually; and to ensure that 80% of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste is also recovered.

The results are already evident in our projects: over 93% of construction and demolition waste has been recovered, more than 92% of total waste has been recycled or reused, and over 20% of the materials we use now come from sustainable sources. The Zero Waste Plan allows us to embed a circular model throughout the organization, aligning our efforts, creating synergies, and strengthening our commitment to a more responsible future.

Rota de Santa Maria (Sacyr Concesiones) is implementing an innovative high-speed load-control system for trucks on the RSC-287 highway in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).

“This is a decisive step toward a smarter, safer, and future-ready roadway,” says the Concessionaire’s CEO, Leandro Conterato.
The new system, known as HS-WIM (High-Speed Weigh-In-Motion), relies on quartz (piezo-quartz) sensor technology—one of the most advanced solutions available today.

Its purpose is to monitor vehicle weight limits automatically. The process does not affect travel speed: weight sensors embedded in the pavement work together with cameras and laser detectors installed on overhead gantries to classify and identify each vehicle.

 

As vehicles pass under the overhead gates, they are scanned and weighed automatically, providing an instant data readout.

“This technology makes it possible to inspect 100% of freight vehicles, 24 hours a day, with greater efficiency and without disrupting traffic. Beyond helping reduce harmful emissions, it delivers significant gains in sustainability, safety, and logistics competitiveness” the CEO highlights.

HS-WIM represents a major leap compared to traditional weighing stations, which require trucks to slow down or come to a complete stop.

Along with more effective load monitoring, the system brings clear environmental and operational benefits: shorter travel times, fewer accidents, and lower fuel consumption—all of which contribute to reducing atmospheric emissions.

Rota de Santa Maria is developing a calculation tool to estimate the volume of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided through the implementation of the HS-WIM system.

Construction works for this system are well advanced, and testing is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.

About Rota de Santa Maria

Sacyr Concesiones, through the Rota de Santa Maria concessionaire, has been responsible since 2021 for operating 204 km of the RSC-287 highway. Major widening and improvement works are underway, including the duplication of 200 km of road.

This corridor connects the key cities of the central region of Rio Grande do Sul with the state capital, Porto Alegre.

ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky didn’t just design the modern kitchen—she envisioned a more efficient home and a future where women would have more time to themselves. With her iconic 1927 Frankfurt Kitchen, she sought to optimise every movement within the home. Her design introduced features we now take for granted, such as continuous countertops, well-organised drawers, and a meticulously planned workflow. Yet what began as a symbol of female emancipation, intended to free women from endless domestic labour, was eventually criticised as a space that isolated and confined them instead.

"You can kill a person with an apartment."

Schütte-Lihotzky was one of the first women in Austria to graduate in architecture. Although her family held progressive views for the time, they initially disapproved of her career choice, believing that no one would hire a woman to design a house in 1916. Her interest in social housing arose after observing the harsh living conditions of Vienna’s working class. She witnessed nine people sharing a single room and tenants subletting beds for a few hours a day. "You can kill a person with an apartment just as well as with an axe," wrote the German artist Heinrich Zille, a quote that the architect would later include in her own memoirs.

Following the First World War, Germany faced a severe housing shortage, leading to large-scale social housing projects for working-class families. At that time, workers' homes typically had only two main rooms: one served as the space for cooking, bathing, eating and sleeping, and the other functioned as a living area. This layout resulted in poor hygiene and a lack of functional differentiation between the work area and the relaxation area. Schütte-Lihotzky designed the Frankfurt Kitchen as part of an affordable public housing programme. Her goal was to streamline domestic work and reduce the time women spent on kitchen tasks.

The iconic Frankfurt Kitchen. Credit: The Design Museum

The prototype of the modern kitchen

The Frankfurt Kitchen came to be recognised as the prototype of the modern fitted kitchen and as one of the greatest revolutions in 20th-century social housing design. It introduced features that are now standard, such as continuous worktops, tiled splashbacks, built-in drawers, and storage-optimised cabinets. The design featured a sliding door to separate the kitchen from the living room. To maximise efficiency, Schütte-Lihotzky based her layout on studies and interviews with housewives, aiming to minimise unnecessary movement within the space. The kitchen was designed so efficiently that a woman could move from the sink to the stove without taking a single step.

Around 10,000 units of the Frankfurt Kitchen were built for the social housing projects designed by architect Ernst May. Today, original examples can be seen in museums around the world, including the MoMA in New York. For Schütte-Lihotzky, the real goal of this kitchen design was to promote social reform and contribute to the emancipation of women by reducing the burden of unpaid domestic labour. Her intention was to give women more time for education, work, and leisure.

The Frankfurt Kitchen at the MoMA museum. Credit: The Museum of Modern Art

However, over time, that vision came under criticism. Beginning in the 1970s, some feminist movements argued that that, far from liberating women, the kitchen had in fact become a space of confinement, designed exclusively for women's work. Its compact size and tight proportions, intended to reduce costs and optimise movement, meant that it was impossible for more than one person to use the space comfortably. This inadvertently reinforced the notion of the kitchen as a private and solitary realm reserved solely for women.

An overshadowed legacy

Schütte-Lihotzky took her social commitment beyond architecture, becoming actively involved in politics and the anti-fascist resistance. She joined the Austrian Communist Party in 1938 and was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941. Her ideals brought her professional hardships in Cold War-era Austria, and in 1988 she rejected the Austrian Medal for Science and Art in protest against what she saw as the sitting president's complicity in Nazi war crimes.

Her other projects—often overshadowed by the Frankfurt Kitchen—included the design of flats for single working women and groundbreaking innovation in educational spaces. She designed kindergartens using a modular construction system that included cots, changing tables, chairs, desks, and other objects that made the space more flexible. Schütte-Lihotzky died in 2000 at the age of 102. Although the Frankfurt Kitchen remained her most famous work, she ultimately regretted that it had come to define her legacy. At the age of 101, she exclaimed, "If I had known that everyone would keep talking about nothing else, I would never have built that damned kitchen!"

Tungsten is a journalistic laboratory that explores the essence of innovation.

Sandra Angel Gavia, Gerente Calidad, Medio Ambiente y Energía Chile, Germán Silva Higuera, Subgerente Corporativo de Innovación, y Luis Shuffer Mendoza, Jefe General de Terreno, nos explican en el vídeo que acompaña este contenido cómo funciona la industrialización de la construcción, que permite entregar unidades modulares completas, listas para su instalación, con toda la ingeniería y diseño necesarios.

Gracias a este método, la fabricación, el transporte y el conexionado son más rápidos y eficientes. Hasta la fecha, ya se ha instalado el 75% de los 1.000 baños previstos mientras que otros 300 módulos se encuentran en proceso de terminación y montaje.

Beneficios frente a la construcción convencional

Los baños prefabricados ofrecen ventajas clave respecto a la construcción tradicional in situ:

1. Eficiencia en tiempos de ejecución: se fabrican en paralelo al avance de la obra, reduciendo plazos globales.
2. Control de calidad: al producirse en ambientes controlados, se asegura mayor precisión y acabado.
3. Circularidad: se minimiza el desperdicio de materiales, se optimizan recursos y se reduce la generación de residuos.

Próximos desarrollos

Los baños prefabricados son sólo el inicio. Descubre en este vídeo cómo la prefabricación está transformando la construcción en Chile y generando un impacto positivo en tiempos, calidad y circularidad. 

We have a new chapter of Sacyr iPodcast, the space where we talk about innovation with experts who inspire us and help us to broaden our vision.

In this case, the fifth chapter is focused on air quality in confined environments.

To delve deeper into this topic, Patricia Martínez, General Manager of Sustainability, Environment and Innovation, talks with Miguel París, Director of Health and Safety, about how innovation helps us to reduce risks, anticipate problems and ensure safer and more sustainable spaces. "Innovation and safety can be a point of attraction for talent in the sector," explains Miguel Paris.

"In fact, the Community of Madrid has given us the award, in the Large Company category, for considering our innovative practices as the best in safety and health," Paris explains.

"Air quality (amount of oxygen, relative humidity, temperature or certain pollutants, etc) can influence our health, as well as biological pollutants in water, dust in construction, pollution on roads, all are factors that can affect the working conditions of our workers, so we have to put special control capacity," says Paris.

"Our mission is to help on construction sites, above all, to take care of people, the most valuable thing we have in this company," explains Miguel Paris.

Miguel Paris sees the preventive culture more implanted in society, not only in Sacyr, "everything that helps to industrialize and modernize the sector will favor safety and better working conditions for our people," explains this expert.

You can listen to this podcast on Explora.

Monumental Building Project Team
Project Manager: Nuno Pereira

Sacyr Somague was responsible for the comprehensive renovation and rehabilitation of the Monumental Building for Merlin Properties. Located on Praça Duque de Saldanha, one of Lisbon’s main avenues, the building was originally constructed in the 1990s. It occupies a special place in the city’s collective memory, having replaced the legendary Teatro Monumental, a striking urban landmark demolished in the 1980s.

The building comprises 14 above-ground floors and 6 underground levels, designed for a mixed use of offices and retail spaces. The project followed Merlin Properties’ core principles: architectural quality, environmental responsibility, and strict sustainability standards aimed at obtaining LEED and WELL certifications.

Demolition & Waste Management

The project began with an extensive non-structural demolition phase, including façades, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems, and interior partitions. In addition, one of the main access staircases was demolished to improve the building’s access and evacuation conditions.

LEED and WELL criteria required that at least 75% of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste be recycled or reused. To achieve this, a floor-by-floor strategy was implemented, focusing on team awareness, on-site cleanliness, and the provision of clearly identified waste containers.

Access for heavy vehicles was extremely limited—only one truck could load at a time, and the exterior storage area could hold no more than two containers. Given the daily waste volumes, logistics management became one of the most critical aspects of the demolition phase.

To overcome these constraints, a tailored Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) removal plan was developed. Waste was extracted directly from each floor to a truck via plastic chutes and conduits, which required creating openings in the floor slabs and providing localized shoring for structural support.

Thanks to this meticulous approach, the project achieved a 99% recycling and reuse rate—a remarkable success that surpassed the initial sustainability targets.

Structural Reinforcements & Seismic Upgrading

Given the change in the building’s intended use, the project included significant interventions in its structural framework—such as creating new staircase openings, reinforcing open-plan areas, and upgrading the structure to meet modern seismic regulations.

These modifications required reinforcing multiple existing horizontal and vertical structural elements, extending from the affected floors down to the foundations. Reinforcement of the vertical components represented a major undertaking, with considerable cost implications and a defining impact on the project’s critical path.

Facade Transformation & Integration with the Existing Structure

A central aspect of the rehabilitation was the complete replacement of the existing facade with an active curtain wall system. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Broadway in collaboration with a specialist facade contractor, the new solution features double-skin aluminum and glass modules incorporating forced ventilation, air return systems, and internal operable windows.

These modules are anchored to the primary structure through an aluminum fixing system, designed to transmit project loads and accommodate building movement.

Project Completion

The Monumental Building renovation was successfully completed in 2021, delivering high client satisfaction thanks to Sacyr’s added value, on-time delivery, cost efficiency, and commitment to the rigorous quality standards required by Merlin Properties. This success was made possible by the dedication and expertise of the Sacyr Somague team.

ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno

They may be man's best friends, but their loyalty goes far beyond simple companionship. With a sense of smell thousands of times more powerful than our own, and an extraordinary intelligence and trainability, dogs have become modern heroes, able to detect leaks, identify pests, assist in medical diagnoses, and perform feats that have saved many lives.

Leak detection dogs

Some dogs have transformed the way hidden leaks in underground drinking water networks are detected. Suki is a pioneer in Latin America, identifying leaks that would otherwise remain invisible, even beneath asphalt or soil. The process begins with satellite imagery to pinpoint critical areas, after which the dog tracks and accurately marks the precise location of the leak thanks to her remarkable sense of smell, capable of detecting chlorine deep underground. "After rigorous training, Suki has covered 235 kilometres, detecting 608 leaks with a 96% success rate, helping to recover enough water to supply more than 10,000 people for a year," explained Franco Nicoletti, Distribution and Collection Manager at Aguas Andinas, in an interview with the newspaper EL PAÍS.

Suki, a dog trained in Chile to detect hidden underground water leaks. Credit: CNN Chile

Similar programmes have also been implemented in countries such as Belgium, where the company The Sniffers began using dogs in 1991 to detect leaks in rural and hard-to-reach chemical installations. "Our dogs locate gas leaks, oil leaks, leaks in oil-cooled high-voltage cables, and even illegal taps quickly, accurately and efficiently," the company explains.

Dogs that track hidden pests

Termites cause significant damage to buildings around the world, and some dogs are specially trained to detect them. In the 1980s, researchers at Ohio State University certified teams of beagles capable of locating live termite colonies, even when only eight specimens were present in a piece of wood. Canines can also detect mould. According to the company Mold Solutions, they can identify spores and mycotoxins with a sensitivity 1,000 to 10,000 times greater than that of humans. This ability speeds up inspections by pinpointing mould without the need for invasive methods, saving both time and money.

Allies in laboratories

Thanks to their remarkable olfactory ability, which enables them to identify specific volatile organic compounds associated with various pathologies, dogs are also emerging as a powerful tool for the early detection and screening of human diseases. Trained dogs can distinguish between samples from healthy individuals and those with conditions such as different types of cancer (e.g. lung, prostate, breast, ovarian, melanoma and osteosarcoma) or viral infections like COVID-19.

Researchers train dogs to detect COVID-19. Credit: CBS New York

In controlled studies, dogs have demonstrated an ability to detect COVID-19 with a sensitivity from 81% to 97% and a specificity ranging from 91% to 100%. Researchers note that these results are comparable to those of conventional diagnostic tests, although they can vary depending on factors such as the quality of training, how samples are handled, and the dog's experience. However, the use of dogs in hospitals remains limited due to a lack of standardised protocols and the need for larger-scale studies.

Four-legged heroes

Throughout history, many dogs have stood out for their loyalty, courage, and intelligence, accomplishing feats that made them true legends. Laika, a stray dog from Moscow, was the first living creature to orbit the Earth in 1957, a sacrifice that paved the way for human space exploration. Balto and Togo, Siberian sled dogs, led the "Great Race of Mercy" in 1925, transporting diphtheria anti-toxin to Nome, Alaska, and saving numerous lives.

Laika was a stray dog from Moscow who went down in history as the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Credit: Euronews

Other dogs that gained fame and recognition for their extraordinary exploits include Sergeant Stubby, a bull terrier who became the most highly decorated dog of the First World War for his work in detection and rescue missions in the trenches. Another renowned dog is Barry, a St. Bernard who rescued more than 40 people in the Swiss Alps in the 19th century. His embalmed body is on display in a museum in Bern in tribute to his heroism. These examples illustrate how dogs have left an indelible mark on history through their courage and loyalty.

Tungsten is a journalistic laboratory that explores the essence of innovation.

Sacyr has undertaken a pioneering study to assess the impact of exoskeletons in construction environments as part of the Thematic Lab project.

This initiative, led by Sacyr’s Innovation and Health & Safety departments, aims to promote projects that contribute to the prevention of occupational risks. This effort combines technology, health, and workplace safety, analyzing how these devices can reduce physical effort, enhance ergonomics, and reshape the execution of repetitive and demanding tasks.

Through a rigorous protocol of muscular, kinematic, and functional analysis, different exoskeleton models are compared to identify which is most effective for specific activities.

An exoskeleton is an external, flexible structure—based on springs or elastic bands—that functions as a wearable mechanical aid. In engineering, robotic or passive exoskeletons are used to enhance strength and endurance, both for heavy or repetitive work and for the rehabilitation of people with mobility challenges.

The two departments at Sacyr initiated a study to determine how the introduction of an exoskeleton affects the process of replacing railway sleepers.
The study took place in early October on a railway project being developed by Sacyr. Tests were conducted on various tasks, such as handling heavy components, replacing sleepers, and tamping—activities that combine both effort and repetition.

During the trials, workers were equipped with an exoskeleton and body sensors that measured muscle activity and motion dynamics. Their performance was analyzed both with and without the device to compare and monitor the same variables.

Two exoskeleton models providing lumbar support were tested in the experiment. The main difference between them was that one was flexible, while the other was rigid.
 

After the pilot test, participants evaluated the exoskeletons from multiple perspectives, including usability, impact on performance, and their overall comfort and experience during use.

The field data collected will be used to assess the potential effects on muscular effort during different tasks, with the goal of informing decisions regarding their implementation and impact on workers’ safety and health.

Ana Aurora Grande Barriga

Management Systems 
Quality, Environment and Energy

The new Sustainable Mobility Law marks a turning point, recognizing mobility for the first time as an accessible and inclusive right. For the first time, mobility is recognized as a citizen’s right, accessible and inclusive.

It also boosts state funding for urban transportation, accelerates the digitalization of our transport systems, and sets a clear goal: achieving climate neutrality in the transportation sector.

Its pillars include:

•    Clean and healthy mobility: Transportation accounts for 29% of Spain's greenhouse gas emissions. The law demands significant progress in decarbonizing the transportation sector and achieving climate neutrality.
•    Digitalization and innovation: The Integrated Mobility Data Space (EDIM) will be created to centralize mobility information and drive innovation.
•    Increased investment: Almost €10 billion in European funding will be available to support mobility projects.
•    Mobility as a right: The law prioritizes protecting state funding for urban transport, ensuring everyone has access to mobility options.

What does it mean for companies like Sacyr?

The bill mandates that workplaces with over 200 employees, or 100 per shift, must implement a Sustainable Mobility to Work Plan (SMWP). This SMWP, developed in collaboration with employee representatives, must prioritize active transportation (walking, cycling), public transit, carpooling and low-emission vehicles.

It also contemplates the possibility of appointing a mobility manager to coordinate these efforts. 

A monitoring report is required every two years, and non-compliance could result in fines of up to €6,000.
Furthermore, transport hubs and toll roads must meet energy efficiency standards, including:

•    Certification in environmental and energy management systems (ISO 14001/50001)
•    Carbon Footprint Assessment
•    Using energy from renewable sources and securing guarantees of origin for renewable energy.

What are we doing?

Sacyr’s Quality, Environment and Energy Department has already launched initiatives that align with the law's objectives. We provide bicycle and electric scooter parking, electric vehicle charging stations, hybrid and electric vehicles for staff and encourage public transport use through Sacyr Flex, our transit pass program. We also actively promote and encourage carpooling, which benefits the environment and economically incentivizes drivers through Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs) approved by the Spanish Government.

Flexible work arrangements, efficient driving training in our environmental best practices manual, and the use collaborative work tools that minimize commuting between worksites are also integral to our operations.

We also maintain a fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles (powered by cleaner fuels like LPG), which also generate ESCs for the company. We prioritize train travel over air travel for business trips, reducing our carbon footprint. And we are incorporating biofuels, which can reduce net CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional fuels.

Looking Ahead: New Opportunities

This law not only sets requirements, but also inspires innovation. It opens doors for pilot projects in mobility digitalization and encourages public-private partnerships to develop automated vehicles.

In construction, it promotes sustainable infrastructure like transport terminals, bike lanes, and energy-efficient buildings. It also champions rail transport through the creation of new rail freight corridors.

The law also encourages intermodal connections between bicycles and public transportation in concession areas and promotes rapid electric vehicle charging on highways.

Finally, subsidies are planned for companies developing SMWPs, helping them stay competitive while advancing sustainability.
In short, this law bill challenges us all to actively participate in creating a better future. At Sacyr, we’re prepared to lead the way toward cleaner, smarter, and more people-centric mobility.
 

¿Qué estamos haciendo?

Desde la Dirección de Calidad, Medio Ambiente y Energía de Sacyr, ya hemos puesto en marcha varias iniciativas que nos acercan a los objetivos de la ley. Contamos con aparcamientos para bicicletas y patinetes eléctricos, puntos de recarga para vehículos eléctricos, flota de vehículos eléctricos e híbridos para los trabajadores, y fomentamos el uso del transporte público a través de Sacyr Flex, nuestro programa para adquirir tarjetas de transporte. También promovemos y sensibilizamos al personal sobre el coche compartido, que además genera beneficios económicos para los conductores, gracias a los Certificados de Ahorro Energético (CAE) aprobados por e Gobierno de España. 

La flexibilidad horaria, la formación en conducción eficiente en nuestro manual de buenas prácticas ambientales y el fomento de herramientas informáticas de trabajo colaborativo que reducen los desplazamientos entre centros de trabajo son otras medidas que ya forman parte de nuestro día a día.

Además, disponemos de una flota de vehículos eléctricos y coches híbridos (con combustibles menos contaminantes, como el GLP), que también genera CAE’s con beneficios económicos para la empresa. Priorizamos los traslados de trabajo en tren, en sustitución del avión, que es más contaminante. También estamos incorporando el uso de biocombustibles (que puede reducir hasta un 90% de las emisiones netas de CO2 en comparación con el combustible de origen mineral).

Mirando hacia el futuro: oportunidades que se abren

La ley no solo exige, también inspira. Abre la puerta a proyectos piloto de innovación y digitalización en movilidad, fomenta la colaboración público-privada para el desarrollo de vehículos automatizados. 

En el ámbito de la construcción, promueve infraestructuras sostenibles como terminales de transporte, carriles bici y edificios energéticamente eficientes. Además, fomenta el transporte ferroviario, con el desarrollo de nuevas autopistas ferroviarias, para el transporte de mercancías y de personas.  En el área concesional, se impulsa la intermodalidad entre bicicleta y transporte público, y la recarga eléctrica rápida en autopistas. 

Además, se prevén subvenciones para empresas que desarrollen sus PMST, lo que representa una oportunidad para seguir avanzando sin perder competitividad.

En definitiva, este proyecto de ley nos reta a ser parte activa del cambio. En Sacyr, estamos preparados para liderar el camino hacia una movilidad más limpia, inteligente y humana.

The project, funded by the Science and Innovation Missions Programme (CDTI), is being carried out by a consortium led by SisTem and with the participation of Sacyr Conservation, Alsa, Vodafone, Anteral and Grupo Infonorte. With a budget of four million euros, it was launched in October 2024 and will last until December 2025.

A safer, more connected and smarter road

Iconica's objective is clear: to transform road infrastructure into active components of mobility.

To this end, the consortium is working on solutions that:

•    Improve road safety through smart and predictive technologies.
•    Facilitate real-time communication between vehicles and infrastructure over 5G networks.
•    Integrate elements such as intelligent beacons, capable of transmitting alerts or even modifying the use of lanes depending on traffic.
•    Increase the protection of vulnerable users, such as roadside workers, through their geolocation and communication to digital navigation platforms.

The role of Sacyr Conservation

Within the Iconica project, Sacyr Maintenance leads two key lines of research. On the one hand, it develops IoT geopositioning devices to signal temporary or mobile works, which will be integrated into the STEP (Safer Transport for Europe Platform) platform.

Secondly, it investigates flexible beacons, which allow additional lanes to be opened or closed remotely, based on traffic prediction algorithms that use data from the infrastructure and the connected vehicles themselves.

"We already have a prototype of beacons installed in a project in Huelva to study their resistance to the passage of heavy vehicles and the effects of heat, rain and dust," explains Álex Otero, innovation project manager at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructures.

Iconica is integrated into Vodafone's STEP mobility platform, which centralizes data and informs drivers about incidents on the road, such as workers, objects on the side of the road or stationary machinery.

The data and incidents collected are communicated to STEP and also shared with DGT 3.0 (Spanish Traffic Authority), which makes it possible for applications such as Google Maps, Waze or Here to alert drivers of possible risks on their route.

Another of Sacyr Conservation's lines of work focuses on traffic modelling and prediction. The behavior of traffic on the A-3 is currently being analyzed with the aim of planning works, causing as few disruptions as possible to users and anticipating traffic jams.

"The most important thing for Sacyr Conservation is to improve safety and protect people who work on the road, geolocate them and alert drivers in real time," adds Álex Otero.

We are in Palencia, in the works of the high speed section of 20.7km Palencia Norte - Amusco, belonging to the Palencia-Aguilar de Campoo HSR line.

Here we have developed a Krainer type retaining wall with disused concrete sleepers from the old Palencia railroad line. Do you want to know how?

Jorge, Rebeca and Luis tell us about the challenges involved in creating the Krainer wall with reused concrete sleepers instead of traditional wooden logs and the positive impact we generated. The main function of this innovative structure is to stabilize slopes and mitigate erosion problems.

Rewatch other Circular Transformation installments.

ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno

Climate change is fuelling longer and drier fire seasons. According to NASA, heat waves are intensifying, rainfall is declining, and conditions are becoming more favourable for large-scale burns. Recent studies confirm that extreme wildfires are becoming more frequent: their occurrence rose 2.2-fold from 2003 to 2023. In this article, we explore how burned landscapes recover, not only environmentally, but also economically and socially.

Decades for forests to 'breathe' again

The recovery of forests after a fire depends on several factors, including the intensity of the blaze, the type of ecosystem, how frequently fires occur, and the degree of human intervention. Vegetation usually returns gradually. Satellite-based analyses show that within the first five years, only about a third of what was lost reappears; after ten years, nearly half; and after thirteen years, just over half. In other words, while landscapes begin to regenerate quickly, it can take decades for a forest to regain its previous maturity. In some cases, full recovery may stretch beyond 40 years.

To speed up the recovery process, researchers recommend a range of techniques, such as covering the soil with mulch to protect it and help it retain moisture, planting fast-growing plant species to reduce erosion, installing physical barriers such as logs or straw mats on slopes, and introducing beneficial microorganisms that enhance soil fertility and structure.

 Flames advance, destroying vegetation in a forest area. Credit: Unsplash

Mobile factories to speed up housing reconstruction

In 2025, large wildfires struck Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, the United States, Cyprus and Colombia, destroying homes and forcing mass evacuations. After such disasters, rebuilding quickly and affordably becomes a top priority. While authorities often provide financial aid and subsidies for the reconstruction of affected areas, some experts offer technical advice to ensure that newly rebuilt homes act as "firebreaks". The focus is on incorporating fire-resistant materials and systems that reduce future risk.

New initiatives are also emerging to accelerate recovery. One, led by ABB Robotics and Cosmic Buildings, deploys mobile robotic microfactories to assemble modular homes directly in affected areas. "With AI-driven robotics and digital design, we are cutting build times by up to 70% and reducing costs by 30%, with near zero waste," explains Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics.

Mobile robotic microfactories that build modular houses after fires. Credit: ABB Robotics

In addition to destroying homes, forest fires have a major economic impact that spans multiple sectors and can last for decades. The economic impact of wildfires across Europe amounts to several billion euros per year. These fires particularly affect sectors such as agriculture, livestock, tourism and forestry.

When health is threatened by wildfires

Wildfires endanger the health of millions of people. They often cause death, burns, smoke inhalation and displacement. Exposure to smoke raises the risk of respiratory problems, such as asthma and infections, increases hospitalisations, and contributes to cardiovascular disease. It can also worsen pre-existing conditions and have long-lasting impacts on physical and mental health.

Wildfires also take a heavy toll on mental well-being. They can trigger anxiety, depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults and children alike. Research shows that children are particularly vulnerable. The loss of housing, forced displacement, and traumatic experiences can leave lasting psychological scars, hinder academic performance, and cause stress-related physical symptoms.

To mitigate these impacts, experts recommend providing a combination of medical care and psychological support. Detecting anxiety or PTSD in children and ensuring that older adults continue their treatments are crucial. Several studies also highlight the importance of strengthening social assistance through financial and housing support, as well as encouraging activities that relieve stress and foster resilience to aid full recovery.

· — —
Tungsten is a journalistic laboratory that explores the essence of innovation.

Industrialization brings factory-style processes into the construction sector, enhancing productivity and introducing a high degree of automation. It encompasses research and innovation in mechanizing and assembling components in a factory setting, applying these techniques to prefabricate various elements like bathrooms, facades, and technical partitions.

This approach is faster and more sustainable, minimizing waste and requiring fewer energy resources, while also simplifying maintenance.

Bathrooms and facades are among the first elements to undergo this industrialization, according to Mónica Silva Laiz, Head of Building at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure Engineering department in Spain.

"Industrialised construction is here to stay, and we are today one of the pioneering companies in carrying out this transformation. It is a new way of conceiving construction," explains Mónica Silva.

Sacyr is implementing industrialization as a key component in projects across Chile, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy.

In Chile, we operate a factory assembling prefabricated bathrooms for three hospitals: Sótero del Río, Cordillera, and Buine Paine.

The construction of the Milan Hospital in Italy also incorporates industrialized bathrooms and facade sections.

In Spain, we've employed these factory processes at the 12 de Octubre Hospital, installing prefabricated GRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete on a metal frame) facades, among other elements. These methods are also being implemented in residential developments across several Spanish regions.

At the New Velindre Cancer Center in Cardiff (Wales, UK), we're constructing prefabricated facades using light steel frames with external finishes in wood and copper sheets, incorporating windows and glazing. The facade modules are manufactured in Spain and shipped to the UK for on-site assembly.

Furthermore, through the Valdesc project, we're exploring a novel industrialized construction system for facade envelopes using recycled materials, ensuring high rates of circularity and decarbonization. This system will enhance thermal efficiency and simplify component dismantling, combining efficiency, productivity, and safety.