The head office of Odebrecht Infrastructure – Latin America located in Ecuador in the city of Quito, received the LEED GOLD Certification For Commercial Interiors , granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The recognition is granted to buildings for their adoption of sustainable practices, such as energy and water efficiency.

The certification was granted after the restructuring of the head office, which took place in 2013. The project was viewed as an opportunity for reducing the carbon emissions generated through the use of the building.
“The reduced use of water and the greenhouse gas emissions, management of waste and increased energy efficiency are examples of how the application of “Green” Sustainable Construction standards ensures the efficient use of resources and generates environmental and business productivity benefits,” said Honório Brito, responsible for Sustainability and Quality in Ecuador.

Incentive to Preserve
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an international system developed by the Green Building Council to measure the environmental performance of buildings, from the initial plans for their design to their maintenance. The idea is to reduce carbon emissions and promote the construction of efficient structures within the social, environmental and economic spheres.

With the participation of 143 countries, the LEED created a global standard for sustainable buildings. The levels of certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) are based on a points system determined by the total number of credits granted to the building after evaluating seven different dimensions: Sustainable Space, Efficiency of the Water,, Energy and Atmosphere Use, Materials and Resources, Quality of the Internal Environment, Innovation and Processes and Regional Priority Credits.

Carbon that Benefits the Bahia Southern Lowlands
“A Maracanã and a Half of lawn” of native trees – 1.5 hectares: this is what the Land Conservation Organization (OCT), a Brazilian institution supported by the Odebrecht Foundation, planted in 2013 through the Pratigi Neutral Carbon Initiative. The project allows individuals and companies to calculate how much carbon they release and how many trees they need to plant to zero out this pollution in the atmosphere. After the calculation, the user of the tool pays the corresponding amount to plant and monitor these seedlings.

The differential of this project is that, in order to neutralize the emissions, the Pratigi Neutral Carbon project restores water sources located in the Pratigi  Environmental Protection Area (EPA) located in the Bahia Southern Lowlands, and the farmer that owns the reforested area receives payment for the environmental service offered, thereby promoting environmental preservation and boosting the local economy.

In order to participate in the Pratigi Neutral Carbon project, visit: www.oct.org.br/calculadora