Sustainability has become a requirement for entrepreneurs around the world and that includes the construction industry which, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), is responsible for 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In Colombia, representatives of the sector are seeking to reduce this indicator through the development of infrastructures that provide significant savings in the use of water and energy. In the case of Amarilo, a leader in the country’s real estate sector, priority has been given to the ongoing calculation of its carbon footprint and to increasing the scope of sustainable construction projects.
The company’s environmental strategies have made Colombia a benchmark in terms of sustainable infrastructure in Latin America; for example, its Amarilo corporate building, located in Bogotá, where Green Loop was fortunate enough to advise the project in terms of sustainability, is considered an icon in the region. The 8,729-square-meter building saves about 42 percent of water through rainwater harvesting and treatment and an average of 57 percent of energy thanks to its 78 solar panels incorporated into the structure. In addition, the managers’ offices are located in the center of the building to take advantage of natural light.
The planning of this building took about two and a half years, and from the beginning the goal was to obtain LEED platinum, the international certification system for sustainable buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, which the company managed to obtain in 2020, first for construction and then for operation. In Latin America there are only four other projects with this certification, and Amarilo is the largest in area that has achieved this distinction in the region. Additionally, it is the first EBOM 4.1 certified project in Colombia (highest level of distinction).
Article taken from: https://www.semana.com/mejor-colombia/articulo/edificios-de-amarilo-en-colombia-un-referente-de-infraestructura-sostenible-en-america-latina/202100-2/
