It seems that when thinking about certifying a building as sustainable using LEED, Breeaam or Green Star guidelines, the only possible way is to start looking for the best technologies available in the market, in order to achieve the expected standards, especially in terms of energy efficiency. The result of this practice has led to the construction of buildings that are increasingly complex and dependent on state-of-the-art technologies, which has undoubtedly made it possible to achieve high-level efficiencies. But is this the true path to sustainability? The definition of sustainability is closely linked to the ability to adjust over time and adapt to extreme situations. In general, in most of the buildings that are being built, efficiency is given by the incorporation of technologies that must work in perfect synchrony to achieve the standards sought, and that is precisely the problem. When something starts to malfunction, no matter how small the mismatch, the system collapses. The good news is that the solution does not lie in another country, in technologies to be developed or new certifications to be obtained. The solution is in the same space where the project is built. The geography of the place, the winds or the average temperature in the different seasons of the year are just some of the variables that we forget to check before starting with the design of a building. Understanding what are the “Natural Capitals” of the place where a project is being developed and adjusting the building design to these conditions in which the structure must operate, is then a crucial step to really achieve a sustainable development. If you are working in a coastal area, why not take advantage of the permanent wind as a source of ventilation? The same for high radiation sectors, why not orient buildings in such a way as to diminish its effect on building facades? The main change generated by the application of this exercise is the transformation from buildings that function hermetically based on installed technology to others that operate in conjunction with their ecosystem and take advantage of their capitals. The result: buildings that require less installed technology, have a higher degree of adaptability and a lower investment cost.
