Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Carbon emissions were calculated based on material quantities estimated from site photographs and program description (600 m² gross floor area, Bogotá). Emission factors sourced from ICE v3.0 and Ecoinvent 3.9. The existing reinforced concrete structure, columns, and slabs were excluded as no demolition or structural replacement occurred. Materials assessed include: new painted steel tubular profiles and wire mesh for tejo courts, stage, and interior partitions (~3,500 kg, factor 2.46 kg CO₂eq/kg); fired clay floor tiles across all areas (~18 ton, factor 600 kg CO₂eq/ton); glass block facade panels (~800 kg); timber decking on second level and balcony (~3 m³); six cast terrazzo pedestal washbasins; curved bar cladding in ceramic tile; epoxy paint finish on steel elements; and MEP installations. Carbon capture estimated for timber elements only. No formal LCA software was used; calculations performed manually using ICE and Ecoinvent databases.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Operational carbon estimated for a commercial venue (restaurant, bar, tejo courts) operating Tuesday through Sunday (~260 days/year), 600 m², Bogotá. Electricity consumption estimated at ~3,500 kWh/month (42,000 kWh/year), accounting for dramatic LED and neon lighting, sound systems, bar refrigeration, and kitchen equipment; Colombian grid emission factor 0.126 kg CO₂eq/kWh (UPME 2023). Gas natural estimated at ~80 m³/month (960 m³/year) for restaurant cooking; factor 2.04 kg CO₂eq/m³ (UPME). No mechanical heating or cooling — Bogotá's temperate climate eliminates HVAC demand, which would otherwise be the dominant operational load for a venue of this size. Total estimated: ~7,250 kg CO₂eq/year across 600 m².
Service and maintenance emissions
Service and maintenance emissions estimated for a high-frequency commercial venue operating 6 days per week. Main maintenance cycles: epoxy paint touch-ups on steel structure every 3–4 years (~20 kg paint per cycle, annualized); timber deck waterproofing annually; LED and neon tube replacement every 4–5 years; bar and kitchen equipment preventive maintenance and consumables; general cleaning products and supplies for intensive commercial use. Fired clay floor tiles require no replacement within a 20-year horizon — only periodic sealing. Terrazzo washbasins are maintenance-free. Total estimated: ~210 kg CO₂eq/year across 600 m². No formal LCA software used; estimates based on ICE v3.0 and standard commercial maintenance cycles.
Afterlife
Adaptive reuse is the conceptual foundation of the project. The intervention occupies an existing mid-century commercial building in Bogotá, preserving its concrete structure, columns, and slabs entirely. The program, tejo courts, restaurant, bar, and stage, was inserted as a lightweight layer that sits within the existing shell without altering it permanently. The spatial organization is deliberately open and column-free in its main areas, meaning the floor plan could accommodate a market, a cultural venue, a gym, or office space without structural modifications. The exposed concrete ceiling, left untouched, is program-neutral and adds value across any future use. The building has already demonstrated its adaptability by hosting different programs across several decades.
The steel structure, tubular profiles, wire mesh panels, and perimeter frames defining the tejo courts and stage, is a bolted modular assembly that can be fully dismantled, repainted, and reinstalled in a different configuration or location. The fired clay floor tiles are individually removable and reusable without material loss. The curved bar structure can be disassembled and the ceramic tile cladding recovered. Terrazzo pedestal washbasins are freestanding elements that can be relocated or resold as salvage pieces. The timber deck boards can be lifted and reused as flooring or furniture. No bonded composite systems, no spray-applied insulation, and no structural demolition would be required to vacate the space, the existing building would be returned essentially intact.