CALEDONIAN has just been distinguished as the most sustainable construction company at the third Community of Madrid Awards held in the Spanish capital, which were attended by the Vice-President of the Community of Madrid, Ignacio Aguado. These awards distinguish companies from all kinds of economic sectors whose successful business undertakings provide an exemplary representation of the rich industrial fabric of Madrid.
The award was collected by the company’s president, Enrique López Granados, who quite naturally highlighted the achievements that the construction company has attained in recent years, most notably the Platinum LEED pre-certification awarded to the CALEDONIAN JAVIER FERRERO development, which that has led it to be officially regarded as the ‘greenest’ residential development in the history of the city of Madrid.
CALEDONIAN’s commitment to sustainability and efficient technology does not stop here, as in all the company’s developments it has sought, and continue to seek, energy autonomy, relying on the surrounding natural landscape to produce their own power which translates into a zero carbon footprint for the future, less wastage of natural resources, and, of course, significant financial savings for their owners and tenants
“In this respect, CALEDONIAN JAVIER FERRERO is possibly the best example of why our company is so deserving of this award from the Community, but there are other equally impressive developments that represent the philosophy that has been a byword at CALEDONIAN ever since its outset: efficiency at the service of comfort and quality,” emphasized Enrique López Granados.
In both the CALEDONIAN ALTOS DEL HIPÓDROMO II and JAVIER FERRERO developments, a geothermal energy system has been installed to take advantage of the direct storage of thermal energy in the form of the heat that builds up on the earth’s surface and its various inner layers, powered by solar photovoltaic installations of 5KW and 90KW respectively, centralized ventilation systems, and adjustable metal slat installations on all the windows to regulate light and solar irradiance. “Both these projects have very superior insulation systems compared to the standard requirement for façades and roofs,” notes López Granados.
Meanwhile, CALEDONIAN HQ – the first office development in CALEDONIAN’s history, featuring more than 9,000 sqm of built space on a plot of 5,000 sqm and 3,500 sqm of landscaped areas, and the closest building to the city of Madrid of all those on the A6 highway to A Coruña – is also in the process of obtaining LEED Platinum and WELL pre-certification. These are the two most important distinctions that can be awarded to a building in recognition of a job well done in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency, and in appreciation of a space that looks after the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
Going back to CALEDONIAN JAVIER FERRERO, it has also been officially corroborated by the US Green Business Council Inc. (which also issues the LEED certificates, the most exacting in terms of sustainability) that the development will use 39% less water and 73% less energy than a standard residential building, thanks to practical and measurable solutions aimed at achieving a high performance in the building’s sustainable development, water savings, energy efficiency, selection of materials and indoor environmental quality.
In addition to the comfort and savings that future owners will benefit from, it is important to point out that the whole construction process is also different from the standard. Among other restrictions, there are penalties for removing debris from the work area, all waste must be classified for recycling, as in domestic settings, and rainwater must not be wasted. “The process is extremely demanding and to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest accolade, is a real feat”, says López Granados.
Outside these three specific examples, when analysing the history of CALEDONIAN we find that each and every one of their developments have followed the most exacting standards to achieve a level of efficiency rarely seen in the sector, all of which seek the utmost comfort of the owners of a CALEDONIAN house. “ALTOS DEL HIPÓDROMO I, CONCEPT VALDEMARÍN, CALEDONIAN SOMOSAGUAS and CALEDONIAN CORTESÍN have built a legacy of respect for the environment and the ecosystem that, unsurprisingly, have led to us receiving distinctions such as this one from the Community of Madrid and others that CALEDONIAN has received over its almost 30 years in the business,” concludes Enrique López Granados.
