The new auditorium at the Odebrecht Group’s Salvador Headquarters is synonymous with innovation and sustainability. Seating up to 300 people, it also has multipurpose rooms, a restaurant and a helipad, in accordance with the standards set for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), certification issued by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the NGO of US origin that is responsible for driving the development of the sustainable construction industry worldwide.

To obtain that certification, the construction team had to ensure that the new auditorium fulfilled several standards, including streamlined use of water and power, control of greenhouse gas emissions and renewable construction materials.

Water use is entirely optimized. Whether it comes from rain, the restrooms, kitchen or air conditioning, that vital liquid is reused to flush toilets, water plants and mop floors. Energy efficiency is also improved. Using special glass and sensor lighting, among other resources, this sort of construction cuts energy consumption by 20%. Another innovation is the use of a new Danish method for making slabs (Bubbledeck), which reduces the use of cement by 35% to 50%.

In addition to lowering the building’s environmental impact and carbon emissions by up to 35%, this design has also slashed energy (40%), water (50%) and maintenance (30%) costs. All told, in seven years, the savings match the amount invested in green buildings.

“Construction cost about 5% more than the normal value of a similar project,” says Henrique Paixão, the Project Director responsible for building the auditorium. “However, in addition to recouping this investment in a short time, we will streamline our environmental resources and influence people to develop a greener, more sustainable mindset.”