Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Modular Bahia adopts a low-carbon approach by prioritizing industrialized wood components sourced from sustainably managed eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. Engineered timber (CLT and glulam) serves as the main structural material, storing carbon over its lifecycle and reducing reliance on high-carbon concrete or steel. Prefabrication and dry assembly methods minimize construction waste and shorten build time, resulting in significantly lower embodied emissions compared to conventional construction. All facades, decks, and flooring employ timber from reforested sources, reinforcing a renewable material footprint.
Operational Emissions / Energy
The project incorporates a suite of passive bioclimatic measures tailored to the tropical climate. Wide roof eaves protect glazing and facades from solar gain, while large openings on opposite facades ensure effective cross-ventilation. A sloped roof design supports hot air exhaust, enhancing natural cooling and reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Water reuse systems and passive energy generation measures complement these strategies, ensuring low operational emissions even without advanced mechanical conditioning.
Service and maintenance emissions
The dry construction system, with prefabricated wood panels and modular components, requires minimal interventions during the building’s lifecycle. Exposed timber finishes are durable and easily maintained, while the modular system allows for straightforward replacement of individual components if necessary. This extends building longevity while reducing service emissions associated with repair or refurbishment.
Afterlife
The modular framework was explicitly designed to accommodate adaptive reuse. Independent modules can be reconfigured to serve different programs, demonstrated by the system’s application beyond housing in other typologies such as aerodrome lounges. The open-ended planning allows for future adaptations without structural overhauls, extending the functional lifespan of the building.
All modular components were designed for full disassembly, allowing the building to be dismantled and reassembled in new configurations. This reduces demolition waste and supports the reuse of structural and facade elements within the circular economy. The reliance on renewable materials—reforested eucalyptus and pine boards—further ensures that building components retain value at the end of their service life.
Key products in low carbon design
