Sustenta Building
Location. Rosario
2014 - Finished
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Sustenta Building
The Sustenta Building is a sustainable building development, i.e. from the original idea of the project and throughout the construction process the three fundamental viewpoints of sustainability—economic, social, and environmental—were considered.
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Each one of the eighteen apartments has a north-south orientation, which greatly favors natural ventilation. The building’s volume was designed by defining a bioclimatic geometry, thus prioritizing desirable solar gains and winds to reduce the amount of both refrigeration and heating required for each dwelling.
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The apartments were equipped using mostly locally-sourced materials, Araucaria wood from reforestation and building materials which incorporate recycling processes. Through the construction period there was a conscious effort to decrease the negative impact of such activities—reducing waste and reusing when possible.
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Photovoltaic panels provide the energy needed for both the lighting of stairs and hallways, as well as the water pump for the roof tanks. Rainwater and condensed water from the air conditioning process are repurposed for the maintenance of the vertical gardens and sidewalk. Moreover, the green roof has a smart irrigation system.
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With this building we were able to achieve our goal of undertaking both design and construction processes with strict sustainability criteria. It is the first building to comply with the requirements defined by the Ordinance Nº 8757 “Thermal Confort and Energetic Use in Construction” of the Municipality of Rosario.