Green certification ensures sustainability

Achieving a certification for green buildings is a complex process where there is documented all the standards of the certifying company selected.

Comprehensive registration starts with the design and continues with the construction. As completed, the building must be friendly to the environment, to be able to produce significant and measurable savings in the use of resources such as water and energy, which will reduce their carbon footprint

Certification companies take into account that the building is located in an area of easy access, during the construcciónse prevent or reduce pollution, its construction to contemplate the use of recycled materials, that the painting does not produce emissions, protect or restore Habitat, and available parking for alternative transport such as bicycles, whose use does not produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Also, that its u000adesign provides for a reduction in the use of air conditioners - and that those who use efficient-, its design to optimize natural light; to install systems for energy efficiency, savings of water with the use of efficient technology from occurring, and that it has systems for their recycling.

One of the best-known other certifiers is the Council's buildings Green of United States (United States Green Building Council - USGBC), which uses the standard LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ñLiderazgo in energy and environmental design). Architect Neiquel Whitecotton, Manager of architecture of the property company commercial real estate Landmark Realty Corp., - Member of the USGBC since 2008 and whose staff of architecture is accredited to it-, has been reported to have resigned the construction of the commercial Agora Mall complying with the lines of the standard LEED Sustainable site and efficiency of water-related and u000aenergy, which would place as the first of its kind to achieve this certification in the country. The goal is to reach the intermediate level Silver.

Green indicators
Whitecotton defines a green building as the one that uses the least amount of resources of nature, which in its construction has reduced emissions of pollutants and whose operation ensures a better quality of life in regards to the air, thermal comfort, natural light and elements Visual.

Indicates that the certification process has two stages: the architectural design and construction, in which "we must document it, tabulate it and log everything through drawings, videos, photos and narratives, in order to demonstrate compliance with established standards".

For example, documents that trucks carrying the material extracted from the excavation are covered with tarpaulin so that they not staining the streets nor generate dust. "If in the process of" u000a"build are contaminating makes no sense", he says.

Another important line is the amount of recycled components that have the building materials: "steel and concrete, which are increased use in building materials, have a few international standards for recycled components and this is taken into account when making the certification." We have also decided to use divisions and walls that are light, type drywall (gypsum panels), which contain up to 90 per cent of recycled material; "the floor is a component of recycled material and metal doors, the lighting and handrails have selected them have higher recycled components, to comply with the certification".

Another aspect that documented is that the types of paint and sealants used fired no volatile organic compounds. "The painting not only emits these components during the process of painting, but for a lifetime" u000aThis is useful for painting. The same goes for adhesives used, for example, to the health part, furniture and carpets. "There are many elements that are green not because they are recycled, but because they are not toxic at the time of application or during their lifetime," precise Whitecotton.

Carpets installed in each of the entrances to the building, on concerns that they will have the ability to filter 80 percent of dirty which is transported in the shoes.

Energy and water efficiency
the architect Whitecotton suggests that the amount of natural light which penetrates a building is also as important influencing human comfort: "In United States there are statistics that demonstrate the malls that have more natural light to sell more per square metre than those who have no natural light"", because people are more alert, more active, is more prone to buy and feels better. u000a

In the tenor said that the commercial square will have almost 3,000 square meters of translucent ceiling, which at the time of allowing the entry of natural light during the day in common, such as corridors and areas of service areas, will completely block ultraviolet rays and keep the thermal system. With regard to artificial lighting, said they will use low consumption lighting and lights fluorescent

Believes that by concept of energy efficiency will produce savings ranging between 18 and 20 percent calculations that have been estimated at compared to a conventional features and size building similar.

Concerns that another component being documented for the green certification is the use of air conditioners to inject more fresh air than the traditional, "in order to maintain healthy levels of carbon dioxide in the internal air." In addition, you will have a special system that u000a"it makes the cold air that comes out to mix with the hot air that enters, that does not have to spend so much energy to cool it".

It comes to the use of water, have the goal to achieve a 35 per cent of savings with reference to a similar building that does not have the green certification. For these purposes, they placed taps with sensors and toilets and urinals installed fluxómetros - a mechanism to download consuming less water-. In addition, they scheme water product of the condensation of the air conditioners and installed a sewage plant, in order to deal with ultraviolet light before returning it to the ground through the filter. Indicates that the designs of electric and hydraulic systems respond to standards LEED and who were in charge of companies Americans.

For certification also documented the location of the plaza, as it is located in a completely urbanized area, so u000aThey will not negatively impacting any ecosystem.

Profitability and buildings Green
the provision of building sustainably demonstrates not only the degree of social responsibility and commitment to the environment of those who take that decision, but it reveals its business vision. The benefits of green buildings beyond human comfort. They also translate into profitability.

The architect Neiquel Whitecotton concerns that although some of the components used in the sustainable constructions are more expensive than a conventional building, bringing the total investment between 5 and 8 per cent, says that overinvestment recovers from the first month of operation, through the savings that verify the invoices of energy and water.

Calculations made in the case of the square Agora Mall indicate that such return will experience within a period of two u000ayears, time which estimated fairly reasonable taking into account the level of investment.

With respect to the selection of the standard LEED, argues that they accepted this as the most widely used worldwide and by trade relations that keeps the country with United States, so many construction products come with these regulations.

Whitecotton reveals that at the time of contact the contractors they realized that some had no experience with sustainable buildings environmentally, by which the project became a learning and a new and enriching experience for them.

Work began them in late 2009 and projected to finish in the second quarter of 2012. "Now we are in a process of pre certification." We will try to achieve certification in the first months of 2012 or wait for the opening. "We are giving the final touches of that process," concludes Whitecotton.

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