Sustainability
Sustainable design
The design of the new campus was entirely conceived to help solve environmental problems. From the choice of lighter, low-impact building materials to the rational use of water and energy efficiency management.
There will be reuse of rainwater; installation of rainwater retention tanks; photovoltaic panels; and use of a green roof, which promotes thermal insulation, reduces the use of air conditioning and conserves the temperature.
The metal structural system will reduce construction’s impact on the environment, generating less waste. Suspended and with a reduced footprint on the ground, the architectural layout of the buildings will allow flora to grow freely and fauna to circulate. The prefabricated block structure will reduce construction time.
Rainwater harvesting and reuse
Rainwater drainage consists of a robust collection system and controlled conduction to the public network, as well as the reuse of water from building roofs in accordance with environmental legislation.
The catchment system includes a water retention basin on an existing site which, with the construction of structured walls and a spillway, will form a lake with the capacity to accumulate 500,000 liters of water. This site is naturally the meeting point of the waters coming from the basin contained in Morro Sete Quedas.
In addition to the retention basin, the system will have a reservoir buried in the lower part of the ground to capture water from the roofs of the buildings. As well as controlling the outflow of water, this reservoir will maintain a permanent water table for reuse throughout the new campus.
Systems of channels and hydraulic ladders will form a protective belt around the houses adjacent to the land.
The public drainage network will also be included in the project, and will be resized to withstand the recent volumes of rain that have been recorded, which flow into the Rio dos Macacos. The network will meet the demands of the project, of Rua Barão de Oliveira Castro, as well as stretches of Rua Pacheco Leão and Rua Marques de Sabará.
Planting native Atlantic Forest seedlings
IMPA brought forward compliance with the compensatory measure for the construction of the project and completed the planting of 5,529 native Atlantic Forest seedlings on the land in July 2022. The planting work was carried out over a period of three months, after which they were monitored and constantly maintained.
The compensation generates forest enrichment, due to the removal of exotic species (jackfruit trees) and the planting of various native species, which will contribute to the proliferation of fauna and flora diversity. In a short time, the land will have more than ten times as many native Atlantic Forest trees as before the intervention.
Watch the video of the symbolic action with employees, researchers, representatives of the Association of Residents Friends of the Botanical Garden (AMAJB) and their families carried out by the institute in 2022, in honor of the National Day of the Atlantic Forest, celebrated on May 27.
Location
Choosing the location of the buildings at the inflection of the existing valley on the land, the area with the lowest slope of the entire property, will allow for less adjustment of the relief in cuts and embankments.
Built on pilotis and across the street, the three-storey above-ground buildings will be staggered in relation to the terrain, creating façades that move on several levels, maintaining the flow of local fauna.
Using a construction methodology with less potential for generating construction waste, the buildings will be erected in metal structures, with cement slab closures and lighter finishes.
The roofs of the buildings will be interspersed with photovoltaic panels and gardens on the higher parts, so that the aerial view of the buildings blends in with the surrounding forest.
Roof gardens are also part of the thermal comfort study for the interior of buildings, reducing the need for artificial air conditioning and, consequently, electricity consumption.
Solar Energy
The photovoltaic system designed for the building consists of panels to capture sunlight and inverters to convert it into electricity. As it is connected to the electricity grid, the system does not require the use of batteries with heavy materials, as the grid itself will compensate for intermittent generation. The projected monthly electricity generation capacity is 26,308.3 kWh.
Environmental compensation
As environmental compensation, IMPA planted 5,529 Atlantic Forest seedlings selected according to the project approved by the licensing body, using techniques to replace exotic and invasive species with native ones.
Reforestation - Methodology
