International. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recipients of the annual LEED Homes Awards, which recognize LEED-certified residential projects that positively impact communities through sustainable, healthy and resilient design, as well as builders and developers who are helping to advance green housing construction. The beneficiaries represent multi-family, single-family and affordable housing projects from around the world.
Mexico is the only representative of Latin America within the list within the category of Exceptional Multifamily Project. The rest of the projects are in the United States and Turkey, in the latter country finds the project of the year: Park Mozaik A Block in Ankara.
Guadalajara, Mexico
Iconia Cubes Luxury Living
The LEED Gold complex consists of two towers of 100 units each and is part of a connected hotel and shopping mall. The high-density project provides access to public transportation and various services within walking distance to reduce the need for a car. During construction, a Construction Worker Health program was piloted to provide additional safety measures and promote the dignity of construction workers.
The terraces, as well as the panoramic and operable windows, provide views of the city from most of its regularly occupied areas while keeping thermal comfort a priority. All rainwater is reused on site and hotel greywater is also treated on site and reused in the bathrooms. In addition, the owner adopted and restored the public green areas around the site, providing residents, as well as the city, with access to additional outdoor space.
Project of the Year
Mozaik A Block Park, Ankara, Turkey: The 40-unit LEED Gold building was designed to support middle-income families and focused on decisions that promote sustainability, health and affordability. The energy-efficient building has a high-performance envelope, energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems. Use efficient accessories to reduce water consumption by more than 40%.
Human-centered design prioritizes health through better ventilation, filtration, separation of sources and non-emitting materials. It also provides natural light, access to quality views and improved thermal and acoustic comfort. During construction, the project achieved an outstanding waste recycling rate of over 96% and the money made from the sale of recyclable waste was distributed to construction workers. The integration of sustainability goals from the outset and the use of an integrative design approach helped to ensure that this was a green and affordable residential building.
