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Colombia GBC Takes on Sustainable Housing
Colombia GBC Takes on Sustainable Housing
December 07, 2011 at 9:25 PM
Throughout much of the Americas region, there is a dire need for more sustainable housing, particularly affordable housing. The drivers of this sector are different to those in commercial building and require innovative strategies to tackle this persistent challenge.
The Colombia GBC has been actively engaged in four major initiatives to improve national housing standards to support greater sustainability:
1. Sustainable Urban Design Guidelines (Colombia GBC initiative)
Best practice guidelines for adoption by the Ministry of Housing and aimed at private industry. These guidelines include a range of topics from site selection through aspects such as safety, comfort, qualities of existing urban places, range of users, tenures and density.
2. Sustainable Affordable Housing Awards (Colombia GBC and Mario Santo Domingo Foundation initiative)
Design Awards aimed to promote research at universities towards viable sustainable practices for affordable housing. Participants entered with their thesis/graduation project, keeping in mind affordability and context guidelines (climate, future users, cultural adaptability, etc.). The first edition on the awards were given to four exceptional finalists in June 2011 and the second edition of the awards will be launched first semester 2012.
3. CO2 emissions calculation and abatement cost curve estimation for urban housing (Ministry of Environment initiative with Colombia GBC implementation and Los Andes University support. British government funding)
The project will deliver the Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) for the construction and building sector in Colombia, starting with urban housing in three main cities, representing the major climates in Colombia. This MACC will be an important input for the ongoing project within the Ministry of Environment, the Colombian Low Carbon Development Strategy (CLCDS) formulation, which is a priority in the National Development Plan 2010-2014.
4. Energy Efficiency Code for Affordable Housing (Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Housing initiative. Colombia GBC support)
Both Ministries have started designing a future EE Code (to be mandatory) for housing which receives government subsidy. The initial proposal was presented to stakeholders in May 2011 and Colombia GBC has had several meetings to present recommendations to the proposal.
We look forward to learning more from the the Colombia GBC as their hard work comes to fruition.
The Colombia GBC has been actively engaged in four major initiatives to improve national housing standards to support greater sustainability:
1. Sustainable Urban Design Guidelines (Colombia GBC initiative)
Best practice guidelines for adoption by the Ministry of Housing and aimed at private industry. These guidelines include a range of topics from site selection through aspects such as safety, comfort, qualities of existing urban places, range of users, tenures and density.
2. Sustainable Affordable Housing Awards (Colombia GBC and Mario Santo Domingo Foundation initiative)
Design Awards aimed to promote research at universities towards viable sustainable practices for affordable housing. Participants entered with their thesis/graduation project, keeping in mind affordability and context guidelines (climate, future users, cultural adaptability, etc.). The first edition on the awards were given to four exceptional finalists in June 2011 and the second edition of the awards will be launched first semester 2012.
3. CO2 emissions calculation and abatement cost curve estimation for urban housing (Ministry of Environment initiative with Colombia GBC implementation and Los Andes University support. British government funding)
The project will deliver the Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) for the construction and building sector in Colombia, starting with urban housing in three main cities, representing the major climates in Colombia. This MACC will be an important input for the ongoing project within the Ministry of Environment, the Colombian Low Carbon Development Strategy (CLCDS) formulation, which is a priority in the National Development Plan 2010-2014.
4. Energy Efficiency Code for Affordable Housing (Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Housing initiative. Colombia GBC support)
Both Ministries have started designing a future EE Code (to be mandatory) for housing which receives government subsidy. The initial proposal was presented to stakeholders in May 2011 and Colombia GBC has had several meetings to present recommendations to the proposal.
We look forward to learning more from the the Colombia GBC as their hard work comes to fruition.
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