These 5 buildings were designed and built not only to be beautiful and functional, but also with green awareness

In Latin America, normal buildings consume 21% of treated water and 42% of electricity, and produce 25% of CO2 emissions and 65% of waste. When making the transition to green buildings, it could save up to 50% in energy consumption, 40% in water use, reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 39%, and solid waste up to 70% would also reduce their operating costs, improving the productivity of the work environment and using sustainable materials.

Leer en español: Edificios que salvan al planeta: ¿cuáles son los mejores de Latinoamérica?

The statistics of the US Green Building Council, the US council responsible for eco-certification, reflect the increase in green buildings in Latin America. According to the web portal "PROYECTOFSE", the 5 sustainable buildings in Latin America that have achieved the best LEED certification scores (Acronym in English for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are:

1. Transoceánica Building:

This building is located in Vitacura, Santiago de Chile. It was designed between 2006 and 2008 and its construction was completed in July 2010. The building has three levels of offices and two underground levels of parking, its form seeks to more efficiently manage natural light and develop a treatment of facades that avoid unwanted thermal gains or losses. In addition, thanks to its Quantum system Lutron can increase or decrease the interior lights depending on the intensity of sunlight outside. It is qualified as a green construction that achieves an energy saving of 70% compared to a traditional building and was the first building to obtain the LEED Gold certification in Chile.

2. Museum of Tomorrow:

It is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and inaugurated on December 17, 2015. Among the building's innovations are solar panels that follow the movement of the sun to maximize energy absorption, a rainwater collection system for reuse and the channeling of the water obtained from the depths of the Guanabara Bay for use in the air conditioning systems of the Museum.

3. Reforma Tower:

It is a skyscraper located in Mexico, 246 meters high and 57 floors. It was designed by the LBR&A architectural firm, its construction was completed in May 2016, and it is the second tallest skyscraper in the country. The building is a benchmark in terms of sustainability in Latin America, as it has LEED Platinum pre-certification thanks to its highly efficient management of resources, since it saves 24% of energy and 30% on water consumption. In addition, it captures all the rainwater and uses it for its consumption, and then it is treated again, which avoids having a drainage system. Also, its robotic parking decreases the emission of CO2. One of the most striking innovations is that shelters against earthquakes or fires are the elevators.

4. Torre Argos:

The building that is located in Bogotá, Colombia, was designed and built by Construcciones Planificadas, by Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo, under criteria of sustainability taking advantage of the climate of the savannah to achieve low energy consumption and interior comfort. It has 46 meters high, three basements and ten floors, and is composed of two independent towers that are integrated together under one roof, forming a single volume in the shape of "L". Its shape and its glass facades allow an excellent use of sunlight. The Argos Tower has face-to-face lighting systems through motion detectors and magnetic energy storage elevators, it also has a cross ventilation system, a water platform and a green roof.

5. Infonavit central building:

This building located in Mexico City has vegetable gardens, walkways and a semi-Olympic running track, which is why it has been recognized with the Sustainable Building and Degree of Excellence Certification. It also has the third largest green roof in America consisting of 3 different ecosystems that are found in the country: high forests, desert, and tropical areas, so that the species are in optimal conditions of humidity a system was built to store water and water the plants with the sprinkling and drip method, which allows the plants to be wet in dry seasons, in a more sustainable way.

Latin American Post | Andrea del Pilar Rojas Riaño

Translated from "Edificios que salvan al planeta: ¿cuáles son los mejores de Latinoamérica?"