G20 Summit focuses on economy in a very green, sustainable facility - Case study
Sustained Green Wall Adds Ambiance, Energy-Efficiency and Utilizes Water Recycling!
With a reported 16,000+ people attending the 2012 G20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, twenty leaders from the world's most powerful economies met in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art green facility - the Los Cabos International Convention Center (ICC). These leaders, which collectively represent around 80% of world's trade volume and more than 2/3 of the world's population, discussed economic policies on how to achieve international financial stability, among other global issues. However, the discussions most likely were not about how the property manages to keep such a large 2700 m2, lush green facade well maintained with a hidden MyFAST wastewater treatment plant.
Los Cabos International Convention Center and World’s largest “Green Wall” installation
As the first such summit to occur in Latin America, new infrastructure and a new convention center in Cabo San Lucas was necessary. 'Built specifically for the purposes (of' hosting conventions and summits such as [the G20 Summit], the [Los Cabos International] Convention Center...can compete with the likes of other Mexican hotspots such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico City.'
The ICC was built with the G20 agenda in mind. Namely, a focus on green infrastructure, energy and water efficiency, and financing the fight against climate change. According to project's consulting engineers, ICA Construction Urbana (http://ica-construccionurbana. com.mx/en), the ICC was built in a record time of six and a half months. 'The project began on November 15, 2011 and was completed on May 31 2012. Usually, a project of this nature takes approximately two years to be completed.'
About the Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Plant
The ICC is a “green” facility, literally! The building is completely engulfed in “Living Green Wall” (or vertical garden), which is the symbol of ‘green-building design’ under which the complex was built and features local flora. Equipped with a 2.65 liter per second MyFAST treatment plant (utilizing fixed integrated treatment technology) hidden beneath the parking lot and a storm water tank to capture rainwater, the used water is piped to the local wastewater treatment plant where it undergoes treatment to meet high standards for irrigating the living architecture, green areas, and toilet flushing. Irrigation is provided at different levels along the wall, using gravity to move the treated water through the growing media. The building’s “Green Wall” naturally cools down the entire building, thereby reduce energy costs for air conditioning.
In order to maintain the best effluent quality, piping under the MyFAST treatment units siphon settled biological sludge into a Biosolids Management System (BMS), located in a third compartment, for further treatment of sludge. This BMS zone (also called a digester) creates an aerobic environment to help further treat and reduce the sludge content. The treated effluent is then recycled back to the building.
The G20 Summit focused on many issues related to solving the world’s economic crisis and political landscapes. With the example of the Los Cabos International Convention Center in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, it is at least a step in the right direction for sustainable, green building design and promoting best management practices – especially with regard to water reuse. Whether seeking green building certifi cations or not, using available water sources, such as from wastewater treatment plants like the MyFAST system from Bio-Microbics, promotes the importance of green buildings to the long-term health and sustainability of our communities.
View ICA Construcción Urbana’s Infographic available on Flickr!
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