Work to install a new air conditioning system, providing both cooling and heating, at the Ramon Vinyes i Cluet Library in Berga was awarded this week by the City Council. These works, scheduled to last four months, will put an end to the high-temperature problems that have affected the facility for over four years.
Since 2022, the library has been forced to close its doors in the afternoons during the summer months, from June to September, due to excessive heat. In extreme heat episodes, it has even had to close for the entire day because of the lack of an adequate climate control system.
The new system will involve installing a heat pump on the building's roof, replacing the current natural gas boiler to produce hot and cold water. This upgrade will not only provide climate control but also improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. The main task will be placing an air handling unit in the former bibliobus parking area in Plaça Europa, which will utilize existing ducts to condition the interior spaces.
The project also includes a new metal structure to support the unit, replacing facade windows with grilles for air intake and exhaust, soundproofing work, structural perforations, and the installation of a system to optimize overall performance. The company Plan Your Future, the winner of the public tender, will carry out the work at a cost of 313,000 euros. It is anticipated that the construction will not necessitate a full library closure, although normal operations will be affected.
This investment represents one of the most significant allocations in the municipal budgets for 2026, approved by the governing coalition of the CUP and ERC with the support of the PSC. The Barcelona Provincial Council will cover 100% of the climate control costs, and its technicians have made modifications to the initial project to enhance its sustainability. An earlier proposal considered relocating the library to the Sant Francesc convent, but the decision was made to keep it at Plaça Europa and repurpose Sant Francesc as the new headquarters for the Consell Comarcal del Berguedà.
