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The project must demonstrate innovation at the forefront of sustainable construction, a quantum leap in comparison to conventional procedures. Breakthroughs and trend-setting approaches, irrespective of scale, must be transferable to a range of other applications.
- Contributions to the disciplines of architecture, urban and landscape design, civil, urban and environmental engineering and other related fields pertaining to construction.
- Innovative concepts regarding design, integration of materials and products, structure, enclosure and building services.
- Outstanding approaches regarding construction technology and processes, operation and maintenance.
- Long-term monitoring to evaluate the fulfillment of the initial expectations and goals.
- Dissemination of knowledge (project documentation and communication, education and training).
Outstanding examples of sustainable construction should not only mark significant advancement, the innovative idea should be one that can be copied again and again, thus promising the greatest benefit at a global scale. Transferable ideas are those that are affordable, simple, and broadly applicable.
Measuring up to the criteria of sustainable construction: Office building in Costa Rica
The significant achievement of the Holcim Costa Rica office building is the way it at once answers the full range of concerns.
Shading is a simple and direct way to keep indoor climates cooler, and it can be applied anywhere. The Holcim Costa Rica office building has at least seven types of shading systems that reduce thermal gain through the roof and facades.
It uses many (efficient) passive design mechanisms instead of (wasteful) conventional systems, it was built at a relatively modest cost (USD 658/m2), it is a visually intriguing piece of architecture with symbolic power, it serves its purpose fully by providing attractive and functional spaces, it develops the environmental awareness of the occupants (passive building – active people), the landscaping enriches the local ecosystem, and the design meets the client’s wish to incorporate a significant amount of cementitious materials. Considered individually, these are not amazing design feats, but considered together, the way the building looks and works is a radical departure from the norm.
Although some aspects of the design apply specifically to the hot tropical climate, many essential aspects can be advantageously and easily transferred around the world. The concepts employed are affordable, easy to understand, and practical to realize.
In hot climates, preventing thermal gain makes much more sense than allowing it and then counteracting it with expensive, energy- intensive mechanical air-conditioning systems. | | | Target issues:
Definition and example |  | Read more about each of the five target issues for sustainable construction:
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| Technical report |  | Read more about applying the target issues to a construction project.
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| Universal principles of sustainable construction |  | Introduction to the principles of sustainable construction by the architect of the Holcim Costa Rica office building, Bruno Stagno
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| PDF booklet |  | Office building in Costa Rica: measuring up to the criteria of sustainable construction
 Download (PDF, 1.2MB)
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