The Green Office, a project of the Federal Technological University of Paraná: its technological performance, and its impact on the academic, private and public sectors

Abstract

The primary objective of this paper is to show the performance of the technologies implemented in the Green Office, as well as its impact on the academic, private and public sectors. For the construction of this office, a wood-framed structure was used with a view to reducing the carbon footprint during the construction process. A study showed that this building has 7.45 tonnes of carbon stored in its wood-based materials. In addition, the Green Office has a wide variety of sustainable solutions. As a result of the performance of these solutions, it was found that: rain water captured in the office supplies up to 88% of the average daily water demand for one person; the degree of acoustic insulation in the office is 28 dB; and its indoor temperature can be 4.2 ºC higher than the outside temperature during the winter in Curitiba. On the other hand, the photovoltaic system connected to the power grid generated 4,722 kWh during its first 2 years in operation. The interaction between these elements has captured the attention of students, businesspeople and public officials, and has inspired them to carry out interdisciplinary projects related to sustainability and energy efficiency both on the Curitiba campus as well as in the city.