Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Carbon emissions were calculated based on material quantities estimated from architectural photographs and project description (350 m² gross floor area, La Calera, Cundinamarca). Emission factors sourced from ICE v3.0, Ecoinvent 3.9, and IPCC AR6. This is a new construction project; the full structural system is included in the calculation. Materials assessed include: reinforced concrete structure — slabs, columns, beams, and foundations (~140 m³, factor 300 kg CO₂eq/m³ including reinforcement steel — the dominant item at 45% of total); pressed industrial brick for exposed façade walls (~45 ton, factor 240 kg CO₂eq/ton); concrete block for interior walls (~20 ton); timber roof structure — beams, purlins, and timber decking (~18 m³, factor 120 kg CO₂eq/m³, partial carbon storage credited); new clay roof tiles (~8 ton); painted steel pergola structure (~800 kg); laminate floating floor in social areas and bedrooms (~220 m²); local quarry stone for exterior terraces and patios (~80 m², factor 5 kg CO₂eq/ton — minimal transport distance); natural stone retaining wall (~15 ton, local quarry); solid wood joinery — doors, windows, and shelving (~4 m³); large-format glazing (~400 kg); and finishes and MEP installations. Carbon capture estimated for structural 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 permanently occupied house in La Calera, Cundinamarca (350 m², altitude ~2,650 m). Electricity: ~450 kWh/month (5,400 kWh/year); Colombian grid emission factor 0.126 kg CO₂eq/kWh (UPME 2023). Gas natural: ~20 m³/month (240 m³/year) for cooking and domestic hot water; factor 2.04 kg CO₂eq/m³ (UPME). Firewood: active use given La Calera's cold climate, estimated ~150 kg/year; factor 1.7 kg CO₂eq/kg (combustion). No mechanical heating or cooling system installed — the thermal mass of brick walls and the timber roof structure provide passive temperature regulation. Total estimated: ~2,870 kg CO₂eq/year across 350 m².
Service and maintenance emissions
Service and maintenance emissions estimated for a new construction house in La Calera. Main maintenance cycles: exposed brick façade requires no coating or painting — periodic joint repointing every 15–20 years only (~0.03 kg CO₂eq/m²/year annualized); clay roof tiles require minimal maintenance, occasional replacement of broken tiles (~0.04 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); timber roof structure requires annual treatment with wood preservative (~0.05 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); laminate flooring subject to normal residential wear, partial replacement expected every 10–12 years (~0.10 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); local stone terraces and retaining wall require no maintenance; painted steel pergola requires touch-up repainting every 5–7 years (~0.03 kg CO₂eq/m²/year); solid wood joinery requires annual oiling; general MEP maintenance (~0.03 kg CO₂eq/m²/year). Total estimated: ~98 kg CO₂eq/year across 350 m². No formal LCA software used; estimates based on ICE v3.0 and standard residential maintenance cycles.
Afterlife
The project is organized as a series of pavilions connected by covered outdoor circulation — a parti that is inherently flexible. The social pavilion (living, dining, kitchen) and the bedroom wing are structurally independent volumes that could be reprogrammed, subdivided, or occupied separately without altering the primary structure. The large open floor plan of the social pavilion, with its exposed timber roof structure and full-height glazing, is program-neutral and could accommodate a studio, workspace, gallery, or hospitality use. The covered pergola connecting volumes provides flexible semi-outdoor space adaptable to different climatic and programmatic needs. The house is designed for the long term: durable materials with minimal maintenance and no trend-dependent finishes ensure the building will remain relevant across multiple occupancy cycles.
The steel pergola structure is a bolted assembly that can be dismantled and reused or recycled at end of life. Clay roof tiles are individually removable and fully reusable — a material that has circulated across generations of Colombian construction. The solid wood joinery — doors, windows, and shelving — uses traditional joinery techniques and can be removed and reused in other projects. Local quarry stone from the exterior terraces and retaining wall can be reclaimed and reused without processing. The timber roof structure, if carefully demounted, can be reused as structural or decorative elements. The reinforced concrete structure is the least recoverable element, as is typical of this system; however, its permanence and structural integrity ensure it will not need replacement within a multi-generational timeframe, which is its own form of circularity — build once, build well.