Nokian Tyres’ Visitor Centre in Spain awarded green certification for sustainability

The solar-powered Visitor Centre Building at Nokian Tyres’ Spain Test Centre has earned LEED v4 Platinum certification – the highest LEED certification level – for green building leadership.

Nokian Tyres’ 300-hectare Test Centre is situated in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, a small town about one hour’s drive south of Madrid. The Test Centre includes 10 test tracks and the Visitor Centre. Inspectors highlighted the Visitor Centre’s innovation in design, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as key drivers of the high certification level.

”I wish to thank our wonderful team, both in Spain and in Finland. The result of the team’s work is this stunning, beautiful and unique building”, says Juha Pirhonen, director of technology projects at Nokian Tyres. “Platinum is an excellent result on LEED v4 certification. The bar has been set high, and we received good points especially on very good energy efficiency and energy performance”, Pirhonen says.

Solar panels have been installed for the whole test Centre and 21 per cent of the electricity will be utilised in the Visitor Centre building. Innovations in design included sustainable wastewater management with stormwater used for irrigation, and installation of low-flow water fixtures, which reduce water consumption

The company has also preserved 25 hectares of land for wildlife protection in the vicinity of the Test Centre. The area has a nesting house for hawks and owls and water elements for birds, which are surveyed during the next 3 years. Holm oaks and other trees are also planted on the site.

Together with local universities and co-operation partners, Nokian Tyres participates in cultivating and studying guayule, a possible new raw material for eco-friendly tyres. The plantation is managed by local farmers.