Sustainable constructions in the Dominican Republic

As the construction industry advances, it is expected that the issue of sustainability will become increasingly present to the same extent. And that is what happened with this sensitive topic in recent years, especially in the past 12 months, which is the time covered in this edition.

Individually and collectively, entrepreneurs in the sector are in tune with the new times. Just to give an example, in October 2023, architect Yermys Peña presented a study that emphasizes the importance of a Sustainable Construction Guide in the Dominican Republic, whose essential mission is to properly guide the sector in promoting environmentally friendly measures. environment, through which regulations are established to improve the habitat in the country, providing great progress not only for those who are dedicated to work in housing development, but also to make a better community.

“In addition, we are working on the first Leed Community in the region in the southern part of the country,” Peña commented to the Construmedia editorial team.

On the other hand, in an article published in July 2023 by Katheryn Luna, in Acento, it is highlighted that in recent years the Dominican Republic has begun to adopt more sustainable measures in the construction sector, with the erection of green buildings.

On the subject, Felipe Beltrán, director of the board of directors of the National Network of Business Support for Environmental Protection (ECORED), maintains that, for a construction to be green or sustainable, it must comply with three fundamental pillars: the first is the economic one, That is, the construction implies savings and is more efficient. The second is environmental, which means that fewer resources are used and has less impact on the environment and, finally, social, which contributes to the well-being of people.

The also founder of Ecoservices and Ecohomes, has expressed that the important thing in this type of buildings is to plan from the design, that is, that it can be expected to be a construction with less impact at the level of materials, renewable energy, lower consumption of energy, good management of water and the amount of waste it generates.

Although there are challenges to overcome, each year the Dominican Republic advances in the adoption of sustainable and green construction practices. In fact, buildings and plazas such as Ágora Mall and the Vista 311 office building in Santo Domingo have LEED Gold certification, as does the United States Embassy.

On the topic of sustainability, the company Cemex Dominicana also addressed this topic in 2023. Braulio Matos, Infrastructure Advisor at Cemex Dominicana, said during a meeting that “Cemex: Building sustainable cities”, reaffirms the commitment to sustainability through its global Future in Action strategy, which focuses on achieving sustainable excellence through climate action, circularity and natural resource management with the goal of becoming a zero CO2 emissions company.

Through Future in Action, Cemex promotes sustainable products and solutions such as Vertua General Purpose Titan Cement and Vertua Concrete, products with a lower carbon footprint, since they reduce carbon dioxide emissions thanks to the use of alternative raw materials and to the growing use of renewable energy sources.

Cemex has a portfolio of innovative products and solutions that seek to contribute to the construction of resilient infrastructure, climate-smart urban development, promoting economic growth through environmental preservation.

RD green taxonomy project
At the end of November last year, the news was also announced that the Superintendency of the Securities Market (SIMV) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) announced the holding of the socialization event for the project of the RD green taxonomy with more than 100 participants from the public and private sector.

This event had the outstanding participation and opening words of Ernesto Bournigal, superintendent of the stock market; Carolina Cárdenas, resident representative in the Dominican Republic of the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Miguel Ceara, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, and Rosanna Ruiz, president of the Association of Multiple Banks of the Dominican Republic (ABA), who highlighted the relevance of this milestone in the context of environmental sustainability and the economic development of the country.

The green taxonomy stands as a fundamental pillar in the Dominican Republic's commitment to sustainability, the preservation of the environment and the promotion of a green economy, and represents a crucial step towards building a more sustainable and prosperous future for the country.

At the time of going to press, the document has already closed public consultation. The project can be consulted through the websites of the Superintendence of the Stock Market and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.