We have already talked here about the importance of the Floresta com Araucárias e Campos Naturais for the biodiversity of São Luiz do Purunã. We have also defended the need to cultivate the local natural heritage, such as the Escarpa Devoniana, as well as stimulate the turismo ecológico to explore and appreciate the benefits that the region offers us. However, how to combine development with quality of life with nature? One of the possibilities are sustainable buildings.

But what are sustainable buildings?

 

This type of building represents the result of a more harmonized approach with nature, from the way of planning to its execution. Sustainable buildings require extra attention with regard to the environmental impacts caused, and seek to optimize the use of natural resources to maximize the efficiency of buildings as an example to make the most of natural lighting, create efficient facilities for the use of water, and use forms of alternative energy, focusing on eficiência energética.

We emphasize that this process has already started in the planning of the constructions, when choosing the materials and thinking exactly about the location of each item. And it extends to post-construction, when maintaining the enterprise or residence, in the proper destination of the construction waste, but nothing prevents an already built property from receiving the necessary adjustments to adapt to this technology.

 The sustainability of São Luiz do Purunã constructions

These construction alternatives consolidate their principles linked to sustainable practices, in the quest to minimize the damage caused to nature by the excess of waste produced and by the overexploitation of natural resources.

In other words, these buildings are important because they propose a balance between nature and the impacting segment of civil construction, they are actions linked with the objective of developing a SMART CITY, that is, cities that use technology to promote the well-being of residents , economic growth and, at the same time, improve sustainability. Examples such as the use of containers to create covered spaces, strategies for reuse/recycling water and even new possibilities for composting are already applied measures in our daily lives.

To inspire you and show that it is possible to live with quality within the essence of sustainable buildings, we have listed some properties in the region that already follow this concept. Check them out: 

Varshana Boutique Hotel

Credit: Varshana Boutique Hotel Archive

Located in a privileged region, in front of the Faxina Canyon, Varshana Boutique Hotel is an enterprise that already applies sustainable construction and operation strategies, promoting new practices in the tourism market in the region. Starting with the generation of the electric energy itself, through a photovoltaic plant that is in the installation period, until the heating of all the hot water used, which happens from the solar heat. In addition, all the black and gray water of Varshana is already treated by the aero flotation system and returned clean to nature, thus closing one of the sustainable cycles that the Hotel encourages.

Not to mention that the entire construction was designed respecting the limits and the local geography, which provides a breathtaking view, bringing the guest closer and giving them an enigmatic contact with nature, thus creating a unique experience.

Get to know Varshana by clicking aqui

Cristal do Horizonte Inn 

Credit: Cristal do Horizonte Inn Archive

In line with the ideals of energy efficiency and self-sufficient buildings, Cristal do Horizonte Inn adopts measures that contribute to nature, as well as the development of sustainable tourism in São Luiz do Purunã. One of the strategies that is already part of your daily life is the use of solar panels to generate electricity.

Learn more and get to know Cristal no Horizonte by accessing the link.

Container House 

Taking advantage of natural resources and giving a new way of using materials that would be discarded, the idea of the container house also came up. Container construction is considered more sustainable because it is cleaner and faster and due to the reuse of the material that has a useful life of approximately 8 years in the nautical market, and with proper care the material could have a real life of 100 years. In other words, its disposal would generate an average of 92 years of “forced uselessness”.

There are a huge number of empty containers around the world, just taking up space at ports. One reason for this is that it is very expensive to resend the empty containers back to their origin in most cases, it is cheaper to buy new ones. The result of this surplus can be transformed into a home, office, school, studio, emergency shelters, among other possibilities. And in São Luiz do Purunã this already happening! Project signed by the architect Paola Burkot.

To meet the desire of a filmmaker and a journalist and also an artist, to combine comfort, quality of life and environmental awareness, the architect Paola Burkot idealized for these residents of São Luiz do Purunã, the container house, designed for maximum use of natural lighting and with openings designed in a cross ventilation system that makes it possible, through the use of the strong wind characteristic of the region, to dispense with the installation of an air conditioning system. In addition to these and other benefits, it includes a biodigester pit and a system to use rainwater. The construction prioritized in all possible aspects the use of natural resources and respect for nature.

Credit: Owners Archives

Cainã Farm Hotel

Arquivo Hotel Fazenda Cainã

In a region that was once a resting place for tropeiros, the Farm Hotel is located on the old Estrada do Real Caminho do Viamão. It has a variety of cottages, with different options of facilities, where you can enjoy the bucolic landscape of the place with peace and tranquility.

But, in addition to thinking about the visitor’s well-being, at the Cainã Farm Hotel, respect for nature is also a differential. With constructions in containers idealized in compliance with all environmental standards, the commitment to the environment is also a differential. Combining comfort and technology with the existing scenic beauty, Cainã once again innovated in its constructions that now count with the “Casa de Avatar” a reinterpretation of the houses in the trees, idealized to expand the accommodations and provide comfort to the guest, respecting the natural line of vegetation, thus avoiding the cutting of any original tree on the property.

Learn more about it by clicking aqui.

Field of the Arts

Crédit Daniel Snege

According to research carried out by journalist Rafaela Cortes, the constructions in containers, in addition to reusing an item that would be in disuse, come out ahead through the following concepts: Cleaner Constructions with the reduction of debris and other materials reduces waste in nature, preventing the environment from being polluted; Saving natural resources, because by using a container the construction process reduces the usual consumption of water, sand, cement, iron, etc … in addition to being economically viable, as it is cheaper if well managed, it is possible to save at least 30% than in a traditional building;

It was with this in mind that the dramaturgy master Luis Melo idealized the Field of Arts that integrates the APA area of the Devonian Escarpment, mixing the bold culture in line with the regional valorization of the general fields in an essentially multidisciplinary space, which values the meeting, the research, the processes and seeks to promote intersections between the most diverse artistic languages and areas of knowledge, such as art, design and gastronomy.

In a very planned way, the Field of Arts values nature when it comes to rainwater harvesting for garden irrigation and environment cleaning.

Sewage treatment is carried out by filtering and separating water from other fluids, thus avoiding water contamination, in the decoration they bet on the use of demolition materials from constructions (such as wood used in the concrete box) these are destined for the lining the internal walls. That is, the utilization is almost total. 

These habits of conservation and care for nature are also reflected in food: the Field of Arts practice composting organic waste and also created a vegetable garden for the production and consumption of food without pesticides, all maintaining the native vegetation of the area.

Meet the Campo das Artes.

Cabanha Esperança 

Cabanha Esperança is a space created for those who want to find harmony between nature and the passion for horses. Counts with rental of coach house and training track, besides containing structure to receive people for experiences and practices such as archery, meditations, trails, night walk, campfire, abseiling, camping and more.

It has a railway sleepers deck, where reuse is done with sustainability in mind!

The future idea is to use wind energy and have an artesian well.

In Cabanha, there are also more than 480 fruit seedlings around the Oca Ventania, the owners are transforming the area into a large forest.

 Meet the Cabanha Esperança do AEC.


Credit Daniel Cruz