Colombia.
Paralelo 26 received the LEED Core & Shell sustainable construction certification at the Platinum level with the obtaining of 84 points out of a total of 110. This is the highest score that a building has achieved in LEED certification processes in Colombia.
Paralelo 26 will achieve an approximate annual saving of $600 million pesos (about US$210 thousand) in water and energy consumption during its operation. The sustainability strategies implemented only represented a 5% increase over the direct costs of the project, demonstrating an efficient use of economic and environmental resources.
In terms of indoor air quality, the levels of outdoor air injection and filtration increased (33% more than required by the ASHRAE 62.1- 2007 standard). Similarly, the paints, floors, adhesives and special sealants used are low in volatile substances (VOCs) present in traditional products that are associated with carcinogenic diseases and respiratory problems.
In energy saving, the facades used glass with the capacity to filter 80% of solar radiation and an air conditioning system twice as efficient as a traditional system. It also has an automated lighting control and energy consumption monitoring system in common areas.
Additionally, the building has a system of solar collectors, which supplies 7% of the energy demand. This resource is used for water heating in showers and kitchenettes and is equivalent to a consumption of $20 million pesos per year (about US$7,000). All the strategies implemented allowed to achieve a reduction in energy consumption close to 30%, which is equivalent to 1,493,464 KWh (according to the ASHRAE 90.1- 2007 standard).
Other important aspects of the building were its characteristics in materials, sustainable sites, water use efficiency, among others.
Source: Colombian Council of Sustainable Construction.
