HSBC Mexico HQ recognised as greenest office building in Latin America.
HSBC has been awarded Latin America’s first-ever LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certificate for its headquarters building in Mexico. The accreditation, from the Mexico Green Building Council, concluded that the HSBC ‘Torre’ building has significantly outperformed in such areas as energy efficiency, potable water reduction, waste water technologies, waste management and use of environmentally friendly recycled furniture. Key features of the building include: a green roof to enhance biodiversity (Latin America’s largest), a water treatment plant, intelligent lighting systems and specially designed windows to keep the building cool.
Simon Martin, Head of Group Corporate Sustainability, HSBC, said, “Maximising the efficiency of our buildings is fundamental to sustainable business practice. We’re delighted to receive this award, which further illustrates our commitment to reduce HSBC’s environmental impacts.”
Ken Hydes, Chair, World Green Building Council, said, “The LEED Gold certification of the HSBC Tower in Mexico City represents a major milestone in the development of sustainable office buildings in Mexico and throughout the Latin America region.
The new US$150 million headquarters building in Mexico City, 'Torre HSBC', has been designed and built to benefit the local community economically and environmentally, and to reflect local heritage. The environmental initiatives applied to the new building have resulted in 55% less water usage and 40% less energy usage than comparable structures.
During construction, care was taken to avoid negative impacts on the environment, beginning with choosing a site which did not involve cutting down any trees or sacrificing any green areas. The local sewage lines were not damaged thanks to an erosion and sedimentation control system. Seventy-five percent of waste materials were recycled or reused as appropriate and the interior furniture in the building is made from recycled materials.
Reduction of carbon emissions was an important goal for the building and several supporting measures have been employed. Over 15% of the parking spaces are reserved for those who share vehicles and there are spaces for bicycles and shower and locker facilities for those who walk or cycle to work. These measures are designed to decrease travel carbon emissions as well as to encourage employees to think about their everyday impact on the environment. A green roof – the largest in Latin America – was installed to reduce heat absorption from the sun, thereby reducing carbon emissions as air conditioning requirements will be reduced.
Flat computer screens have been installed at all workstations, requiring significantly less energy than traditional monitors and producing less heat, thereby reducing the demands on the air conditioning system. There will be no use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) in the air conditioning and heating systems, avoiding damage to the ozone layer and creating a healthier atmosphere for the inhabitants of the buildings. In addition, the interior atmosphere was made as healthy as possible by avoiding paints or other materials that might release harmful toxins.
Around 75% of the occupied spaces in the building have natural illumination and the light levels are closely monitored by an intelligent system that adjusts artificial lighting as appropriate to reduce energy usage. The system will reduce carbon emissions by around 200 tonnes per year.
Water is one of the most essential and highly used resources in any building, and 'Torre HSBC' has many water-saving measures. Grey water (waste water from sinks and showers) and rain water will be collected, treated locally, and then reused in the building's air conditioning system, toilets, and landscaping. The water requirements are also reduced by low consumption toilets, waterless urinals and efficient irrigation.
HSBC has committed to spending some USD40 million to improve the environmental performance of its office buildings around the world. The funds form part of a USD90 million, five year, global environmental efficiency programme to reduce the Group’s broader impact on the environment. By 2011, the Group is seeking to achieve a minimum of LEED-Gold certification or equivalent in 50 of its major buildings. To date, HSBC has achieved certification in four of its buildings, including LEED-Gold certification for its zero carbon branch in the town of Greece, New York State.
