Sustainable Building
Sustainable building is the practice of increasing the energy efficiency of a structure, using sustainable building materials in its construction and managing waste responsibly in building and operations.
Sustainability in action
Sustainable building encourages practices that are designed to have the least possible impact on the surrounding ecosystems, while preserving resources whenever possible. This is accomplished by careful site selection and design, consideration of the plants and animals that make their home there and mindful construction that minimizes runoff and other impacts to the environment.
Sustainable building can also be more cost-effective in the long-run by minimizing the need to produce new materials and use heating and air conditioning, thus reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the air. These practices can reduce operation costs through energy efficiency, increase the health and wellbeing of its occupants (which can increase value) and reduce environmental impact.
Within our homes, about a quarter of the energy we need goes toward keeping the lights on. According to the Energy Star group, if every U.S. household replaced one traditional light bulb with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), we would save $600 million in utility bills and enough energy to light 3 million homes each year.
It is also prudent to consider water and energy-efficient appliances. The USEPA reports that EPA-certified Energy Star washing machines may use 35 percent less water per load and that using water-saving shower heads, toilets and faucet aerators will also help cut your water usage.
ACCIONA's commitment
ACCIONA is a pioneer in the construction of sustainable, responsible and energy-efficient projects that optimize comfort and livability. In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ACCIONA Infrastructures constructed the world’s largest lake-source cooling system . The facility uses the deep, cold water in Lake Ontario and transfers this temperature, through an advanced system, to cool up to 100 commercial towers in the heart of downtown Toronto, offsetting the use of air conditioning powered by conventional electricity. This is an excellent example of true sustainable development.
ACCIONA Energy built the first certified “zero emissions” building in Spain. In other words, it covers all its energy needs without emitting any greenhouse gases. The building is ACCIONA Solar’s headquarters in Navarre, Spain. It consumes 52 percent less energy than a conventional building of the same characteristics and the remainder is covered by renewable energy sources. This prevents over 127 tons of carbon-dioxide emissions per year.
Inside the building, the climate control and lighting installations feature sophisticated energy-efficiency solutions, such as light-intensity regulators, presence detectors, radiant floors and ceilings, and intelligent temperature controls. The photovoltaic solar installations (48.3 kW on the façade and roof connect to the grid) and solar hot water installations (110 kW on the roof) cover 89 percent of the total consumption. The remaining 11 percent is provided using biodiesel produced by ACCIONA. The building also has a geothermal system that takes advantage of the temperature difference between the subsoil and the exterior to provide cold or warm air, whichever is necessary.
The additional cost of these energy-efficient systems is offset by the savings in energy bills, which are appreciable within a much shorter time than the useful life of the building.