Demand for Green Development Brings Alan Scott to Mexico
Alan Scott, principal with The Cadmus Group, Inc. (Cadmus), had a packed schedule on his trip to Guadalajara, Mexico in late May 2013. For over a decade, Cadmus has provided sustainability counseling internationally in addition to capacity building and energy-efficiency planning, design, management and other services we have been trusted for since 1983. Now, the booming interest in green development has increased Cadmus’ international presence and the demand for green building more than ever – and a lot of building development professionals in Mexico were eager to learn from Alan’s expertise. In town to deliver an address at the Universidad Panamericana’s XII Simposium Internacional de Ingeniería Civil, Alan also met with the Cámara Mexicana de la Industria de la Construcción (CMIC) Jalisco Energy and Environment Committee and conducted a videoconference that was broadcast to Comisión Nacional Forestal (CONAFOR) staff in 18 Mexican states.
Said Alan, “I visited Guadalajara for a conference and workshop two years ago and was looking forward to returning. In my experience, the people there are warm, welcoming, and grounded, with a wonderful spirit of creativity, collaboration, and resourcefulness – a perfect mix for sustainable design.”
Alan’s talk at the symposium, “LEED en Latinoamérica,” focused on the importance of using tools like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Living Building Challenge to support the creation of high-performance building projects. He also emphasized the value created for the owners and occupants of such projects. The symposium was attended by students and professors from the university as well as professionals from the community.
Alan Scott speaking on LEED in Latin America at Universidad Panamericana
The presentation included examples of some of Cadmus’ current work in Latin America, such as the Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha in Brazil and the Universidad Católica in Perú, for which Cadmus and Peruvian firm Prenisac are partnered to provide sustainability and LEED consulting, energy modeling, and commissioning.
Cadmus is currently working with DMX Green, the sponsor of Alan’s session, to develop green building projects in Mexico. DMX Green is the new consulting venture of DMX, an established construction company with a long history and a strong reputation across Mexico. DMX is also one of the few Mexican builders that are members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Cadmus’ experience and expertise have proven a complement to DMX’s capabilities, as the two companies work together to create a strong and competitive team for high-performance building projects. DMX Green founder Santiago Orendain expressed an optimistic outlook for the future of green building in Mexico, saying, “Green building momentum is increasing in Mexico: the social consciousness already exists, the planet demands it, and investments are beginning to flow.”
Alan Scott with DMX Green founder Santiago Orendain
For regions like Mexico whose sustainable building markets are still developing, connecting supply with demand is a crucial step. In Alan’s CONAFOR presentation, he addressed the growth of green building rating systems globally and in Mexico and the relationship between ratings systems such as LEED, the Living Building Challenge, and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of forest products. He shared examples of successful certified forest operations in the United States and discussed the importance of connecting industry specifiers, such as architects or manufacturers, with wood producers.
Alan concluded the week with an informal talk and discussion at a breakfast meeting with the CMIC Jalisco Energy and Environment Committee, an intimate gathering of architects, engineers, contractors, and other building professionals from Guadalajara. Alan gave a brief presentation, and then led a discussion on the opportunities and challenges of developing green buildings and using LEED in Mexico.
The green building movement in Mexico, he says, faces many of the same challenges that faced the movement in the United States 10 years ago, and which the U.S. market still faces in some ways: “Decision makers and constituents unaware of benefits, lack of availability of green materials and technologies, and limited infrastructure to support sustainable practices like recycling and alternative transportation. Furthermore, green building advocates in Mexico face some very real and immediate problems, from urbanization, to water scarcity, to strained infrastructure. All of these challenges have the potential to drive creative, local and regional, and bioclimatic-based solutions.
“While by some measures one might consider the sustainable building movement in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America to be where the U.S. and Europe where 10 years ago, I believe this region is poised to leapfrog ahead,” Alan said. “I see a patient persistence, and a mature long-term view that will carry the region ahead rapidly.”
About The Cadmus Group, Inc.
Cadmus is an employee-owned consultancy committed to helping our clients address complex challenges by applying diverse skills and experiences in a highly collaborative environment. By assisting our clients in achieving their goals, we create social and economic value today and for future generations. Founded in 1983, we leverage exceptional expertise across a staff of more than 400 professionals in the physical and life sciences, engineering, social sciences, strategic communication, architecture and design, law, policy analysis, and the liberal arts who provide an array of research and analytical services in the United States and abroad.
Follow us on Twitter @CadmusGroup
Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CadmusGroup
