Roche has officially unveiled its new campus in Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona), a completely renovated and expanded facility that represents an investment of 51 million euros and is to accommodate over 1,300 employees of more than 30 different nationalities. Occupying an area of over 30,000 square metres, this is the Swiss group's first carbon neutral centre.

The multinational, which is celebrating its 90^th anniversary in Spain this year, brings together professionals with scientific and technological expertise from its Roche Diabetes Care and Roche Diagnostics subsidiaries at the Barcelona campus. There it will drive research and development into innovative digital solutions and new cross-team collaboration models.

A collaborative working model
The investment, which Roche estimates at around 51 million euros, includes the construction of a new building and the adaptation of the existing one to suit the new collaborative working model. Interaction is encouraged by incorporating state-of-the-art technological systems and simple measures, such as eliminating individual workspaces. The car park has also been extended, and is now underground.

More than half of the teams at the Roche facility in Barcelona work for the company at a global level, and are integrated within a network of research and development teams working on diagnostic solutions, digital ecosystem innovations and developments in genomics spanning 17 countries.

Staff at Roche Diagnostics develop diagnostic tests, devices and digital solutions for clinical laboratories, pathological anatomy and blood banks, as well as for patient self-monitoring, and employees at Roche Diabetes Care work on integrated diabetes solutions.

Sustainable development
The facility has been built with 40% less structural material with a view to reducing its carbon footprint, and it features passive, sustainable design measures that reduce energy consumption. For example, these measures include balanced natural light and the creation of a green roof for added thermal inertia and to assist with cooling in summer.

As well as generating its own electricity by using photovoltaic panels, supplementary needs are met via a 100% sustainable energy contract. Native vegetation has been used outside, with water consumption being minimised and a sustainable drainage system having been installed, one that reuses surplus water rather than sending it to the sewage system.

Committed to innovation
Adriana Rubio, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics in Spain, said the company is “committed to innovation, excellence, scientific rigour, ethics and global access to medical innovations to build a better future”. With regard to the new headquarters, she added, “We have had a presence in Spain for 90 years, and are very proud to continue our commitment with our campus in Sant Cugat del Vallès, where we have a huge pool of talent focused on contributing to improvements in healthcare”.

Her counterpart in the other Barcelona-based subsidiary, which specialises in diabetes, Josep Maria Vallmajó, explained that the investment in the province is due to the “open, multicultural spirit that has made it so attractive to internationally renowned talent, as well as the growth in innovation activity centred on the digital ecosystem experienced in recent years”.

^{Photo: Roche}