tierra firme bldg

USGBC CASE STUDY
TIERRA FIRME BLDG
CORE&SHELL LEED GOLD
74% WATER SAVINGS
20% ENERGY SAVINGS
60% CONSTRUCTION
DIVERSION
53
BUSES ROUTES
WASTE
USGBC CASE STUDY
EDIFICIO TIERRA FIRME
Project Description
Tierra Firme is a 29-story, 650,000 square feet, mixed-use hotel, office, retail
project located in Bogota, Colombia in one of the most important financial
districts of Bogota (Complejo Empresarial Santa Barbara). The project has four
levels of complementary services for both the hotel and office users including
a gym, spa, swimming pool, and five levels of underground parking. The land
for the project is a previously developed infill site surrounded by existing
buildings. The area is well-served by public transit and it is well-connected by
pedestrian passages across the site, including a sidewalk staircase to the
north of the site.
PROJECT DATA
LEED C&S V3.0 GOLD
Building Completion: 2014
LEED Certification: 2015
Area: 62000 sqmt, 650,000
sq.ft
Educational Program
CLIMATE
By providing information to tenants regarding the sustainability features of
the building, Tierra Firme aims to encourage its tenants to use and operate
the building sustainably. The educational program consists of a kiosk with
LEED information about sustainable features of the building , construction
process videos, and an educational blog.
Annual precipitation: 972ml
Average temperature: 57F
LOCATION
Ciudad: Bogotá - Colombia
Latitude: 4.41 N
Green roofs
Longitude: 74,2 W
USGBC CASE STUDY
Green Features
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Community connectivity. In the same Santa Barbara office complex
where Tierra Firme is located, there are 5 high-rise office buildings
and two hotels. Less than 400mts from the site there is a university,
a hospital, a church and a mall with more 100 stores. The site is
fully connected with pedestrian walkways. Building users can enter
the project from two access points.
Brownfield redevelopment. The project site was previously
occupied by a former gas station and convenience store. The gas
station was demolished and all remediation work was completed
including the removal of contaminated soil and fuel tanks.
Public transportation. The site is located at the intersection of
three main arterials in Bogotá: 7 Avenue, 9 Avenue and 116th
Street. . There are 53 bus routes less than 200 meters from the
main two building entrances.
Bicycle storage and changing rooms. Tierra Firme has three bike
storage spaces, enclosed and secured to provide building users and
visitors of approx. 70 bike racks. The building is equipped with
changing rooms and 12 showers for bicyclists located at convenient
areas in the underground parking.
Low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles parking. Nearly 27 parking
stalls have been provided for vehicles that use alternative or clean
fuels. The preferred parking is close to the main stairs and elevators
of the building for easy accessibility.
Green roofs and walls. More than 50% of the terraces area is
vegetated with native plants and in case of irrigation is with no
potable water. There are also 3 green walls in the project.
Water Efficiency and Innovative wastewater technologies.
Virtually all rainwater captured in the green roofs is collected,
treated, and reused to flush toilets in the office tower. Grey water
from showers and lavatories in the hotel rooms is collected,
treated, and reused to flush hotel toilets. All combined with water
efficiency fixtures and fittings, the building boasts a 74% reduction
in overall use of water.
Measurement and verification. A Building Automated Systems
(BAS) in building is capable to measure all energy use in real time
including lighting, HVAC systems, and process loads. The building is
also equipped with a sophisticated lighting control software that
HIGH PERFORMANCE
CURTAIN WALL
Back in the early stages of the
design process, the design team
decided to choose a high
performance curtain wall for
the building in order to ensure
the optimal thermal and
acoustic comfort in Tierra
Firme. Using computer energy
modeling, the design team
studied different glazing and
frame material options to
maximize energy efficiency. In
addition, the curtain wall allows
the building to “breathe”
outside air—without the use of
operable windows. Embedded
“respirators”
(high-efficiency
fans) in ceilings of all offices
allow the building to inject fresh
outside air and maximize energy
efficiency and thermal comfort
opportunities using natural
ventilation. This is possible
because Bogota’s climate is very
mild throughout year.
The 2-story curtain wall mockup was tested and approved in
a US testing center, then
contractor started production of
approx.
5400
modules
(27000m2).
USGBC CASE STUDY
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gives detailed information about energy uses per zones at different
periods of day, month, year.
Storage and collection of recyclables. On the building’s 2nd
underground level, an area of 538 sq.ft. (50 square meters) is
dedicated to classify and pack recycled materials. . The room has a
system to press and compact cardboards and organic material.
Every floor of the office tower has a dedicated area with proper
signage for the collection of recycle materials.
Construction waste management. The waste generated during
construction of Tierra Firme was 1,145 tons, however, 60% of this
material was diverted from landfills to later be recycled and reused.
Low emitting materials. Nearly all (99%) of all paints, adhesives
and sealants used during construction for the building core are low
in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). This is an enormous
accomplishment in the construction process for the developer
considering that Tierra Firme was the first LEED project for many
contractors and subs.
Daylights and views. A curtain wall system allows for natural light
and views in all the offices and rooms of the hotel. The glazing was
designed with different types of solar gain controls, which resulted
in significant energy reduction.
Sustainable Design Energy Features. Bogota is one the cities in the
world with some of the best temperate climates. Temperature
averages is 57F during the year. Having mostly even air
temperatures was an opportunity for design engineers to maximize
energy efficiency. Through demand-controlled ventilation, the
building is equipped to maximize the use of outside air for both
ventilation and thermal comfort needs.
Sustainable education. The building is provided in the main
entrance of the office tower with an educational kiosk (interactive
screen) that shows information about the sustainable features of
the project, including a directory, an explanation of LEED
certification, sustainable design and construction strategies, and
online videos that depict the construction process of the entire
building in its different aspects. The program is reinforced with an
educational blog for discussion topics and sustainable tips related
with the bldg. Considering that Tierra Firme was the first LEED
building for the project’s developer, designers, contractors, and
many others involved in its success, the completion of Tierra Firme
has turned into a milestone in sustainable development for the
building industry in Colombia.
THERMAL COMFORT
Through analysis using the
ASHRAE 55.1 standard and a
CFD model, designers realized
that natural ventilation alone
could not guarantee thermal
comfort in the building. The
“respirators” therefore provide
the air changes required to
deliver proper air quality while
at the same time bring outside
air
when
the
outside
temperature
can
provide
naturally comfort for the office
occupants. In order to activate
the “respirators,” the tenants
lease require all office users to
install individual controls. As an
alternative, the operation of the
“respirators” can be triggered
by CO2 sensors.
USGBC CASE STUDY
PHOTOS
Low emitting and fuel efficient
vehicles parking
Educational blog: http://www.integraldc.co/tierra_firme/
LESSONS LEARNED
LEED certification helps to differentiate a building in a competitive real
estate market as is the case of Santa Barbara’s office and financial
district. Currently, the leasing rates that Tierra Firme commands are
the highest not only in Bogota but also in Colombia, exceeding all
investors’ expectations.
In addition, the knowledge acquired through LEED certification of
Tierra Firme has helped to increase the reputation of already wellrecognized designers in Colombia. It wasn’t easy at the beginning—the
learning curve was steep, but eventually all the involved professionals
realized the value-added of learning state-of-the-art sustainable design
Best Practices that are rapidly becoming the norm in Class A office and
commercial buildings in Bogota .
Collaboration and communication are important aspects of any
successful project, even more if it is a sustainable project. It was a
challenge for the project sponsor to have all the design team in group
sessions, including designers, owner, and contractors, to conduct
Integrative Design Collaboration. But the result of this approach was
the delivery of much better solutions for the project.
On the other hand, a sustainable building must operate as designed in
order to meet energy efficiency and other sustainability goals.
Currently, Tierra Firme is in the process of ongoing training for the
Educational kiosk
Efficiency fixtures and fittings
Storage and collection of
recyclables
USGBC CASE STUDY
facilities management personnel so they become familiarized with all
systems and installed equipment as well as all LEED requirements.
Continuous training is the key to ensure that building users and
operators understand the sustainability performance expected in
Tierra Firme.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For developers Aldea and Apotema, Tierra Firme was the first
sustainable building going for a LEED certification. Since then they have
learned how to apply the same principles and best practices on other
projects including residential buildings. In fact, sustainable buildings
and LEED certification is the standard for their new commercial
buildings as well. The next step for Aldea and Apotema developers is to
strengthen their knowledge in building’s operational process across its
portfolio of projects, and starting with ongoing commissioning. When
Aldea and Apotema started construction of Tierra Firme in 2011, only
one LEED certified building existed in Colombia. Three years later in
2014, there a more than 30 LEED certified buildings and more than a
100 registered to be certified.
At the project onset, Tierra Firme attracted investors and capital due
to its excellent location, no necessarily its sustainability attributes or
LEED certification. As the project started to lease faster than expected
and tenants were constantly asking about LEED, investors started to
realize the added-value of LEED certification. Because investors of real
estate development headed by Apotema and Aldea tend to return and
reinvest in other projects, LEED and sustainable development is now
being requested upfront in the next wave of projects. “We are now
convinced that the cost of LEED certification is only marginal while
the value created is very significant”
LEED certification has resulted for Apotema and Aldea developers an
ongoing commitment to building design integration and sustainability.
AUTHORS:
PROJECT TEAM
MEMBERS
Building Architect:
Arq. Ramiro Garrido,
Geométrica Ltda and
Promotora Apotema SAS
Developers:
Aldea Proyectos SA –
Promotora Apotema SAS
Builder:
Promotora Apotema SAS
Sustainability Consultant:
Pristis Sustainability Advisors,
Arq, Gonzalo Mosquera, LEED
AP-ND
LEED Coordination:
Arq. Andres Ramirez CPMP,
LEED AP BD+C, O+M
TIERRA FIRME
BLDG
BOGOTA-COLOMBIA
LEED CORE&SHELL
V3.0
GOLD
71
SUSTAINABLES SITES
27
WATER EFFICIENCY
10
ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE
15
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
5
IEQ
6
INNOVATION IN DESIGN
4
REGIONAL PRIORITY
4
Arq. Andrés Ramírez CPMP, LEED AP BD+C, O+M
Arq. Gonzalo Mosquera AICP, LEED AP ND