Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Carbon emissions were calculated based on material quantities estimated from site photographs and project description (97 m² gross floor area, Bogotá). Emission factors sourced from ICE v3.0 and Ecoinvent 3.9. The existing reinforced concrete structure was excluded as this is a full renovation, not new construction.
Materials assessed include: melamine-faced MDF/MDP board carpentry covering walls, kitchen, closets, and shelving (~4.5 m³, factor 380 kg CO₂eq/m³); new laminate floating floor ref. Montreal across full area (97 m², factor 90 kg CO₂eq/m²); handmade ceramic tile cladding on kitchen island and backsplash (~0.3 ton); engineered quartz countertop (~3 m²); curved MDF screen divider; fluted glass panel; full interior repaint; and MEP installations. The existing fireplace was conserved without modification. Carbon capture estimated for timber and wood-based elements only.
No formal LCA software was used; calculations performed manually using ICE and Ecoinvent databases.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Operational carbon estimated for a permanently occupied apartment with full-time home office use by two occupants (97 m², Bogotá, Parque 93 area, stratum 4–5).
Electricity consumption estimated at ~280 kWh/month (3,360 kWh/year), reflecting residential use plus daytime home office load (computers, monitors, lighting); Colombian grid emission factor 0.126 kg CO₂eq/kWh (UPME 2023).
Gas natural estimated at ~10 m³/month (120 m³/year) for cooking; factor 2.04 kg CO₂eq/m³ (UPME).
Fireplace: occasional decorative use, ~15 kg wood/year; factor 1.7 kg CO₂eq/kg.
No mechanical heating or cooling — Bogotá's temperate climate eliminates HVAC demand entirely. Total estimated: ~694 kg CO₂eq/year across 97 m².
Service and maintenance emissions
Service and maintenance emissions estimated for a fully renovated apartment with permanent home office occupancy.
Main maintenance cycles: melamine/MDF carpentry requires edge and surface touch-ups periodically but no full replacement within a 15-year horizon under normal conditions (~0.08 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); laminate flooring subject to higher wear due to full-time occupancy, with partial replacement expected every 8–10 years (~0.12 kg CO₂eq/m²/year — the highest maintenance item); interior paint touch-ups every 3–4 years (~0.08 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); handmade ceramic tile requires only occasional regrouting; engineered quartz countertop requires annual sealing only.
General building services and consumables estimated at 0.05 kg CO₂eq/m²/year.
Total estimated: ~35 kg CO₂eq/year across 97 m².
No formal LCA software used; estimates based on ICE v3.0 and standard residential maintenance cycles.
Afterlife
The project intervenes on an existing apartment in a consolidated residential building near Parque 93 in Bogotá, extending the useful life of a unit that was fully renovated rather than replaced.
The spatial organization is open and flexible: the main living, dining, and kitchen areas flow as a single continuous space separated only by the curved slatted screen divider, which is a non-structural element. This layout could accommodate a live-work studio, a one-bedroom reconfiguration, or a professional office without structural modifications.
The home office configuration already demonstrates the program flexibility of the space.
The existing fireplace was conserved, adding long-term value independent of future program.
The curved MDF slatted screen divider is a modular, non-structural element that can be dismantled and relocated.
The laminate flooring is a floating system, not glued, and can be lifted and reinstalled in another space. Kitchen shelving and open storage units in MDF can be disassembled and reused as freestanding furniture.
The handmade ceramic tile on the kitchen island could be carefully removed and recirculated as salvage material.
The fluted glass panel can be demounted and reused.
The main limitation of the project in circular economy terms is the melamine-faced MDF carpentry covering full wall surfaces: bonded and built-in, this material is difficult to recover intact at end of life and cannot be recycled through standard channels.
Future renovations would benefit from specifying demountable joinery systems or solid wood alternatives to improve end-of-life recovery.
