There is a very famous expression in Latin America that says
"Not all that glitters is gold"
It is a popular adage that invites us to distrust appearances and,
instead, value the substance of people and the world around us
We can take this same analogy to the aspect of sustainability
in the real estate world,
and more specifically to the market of Tulum and the Riviera Maya in Mexico
Hundreds of real estate projects proclaim themselves
“ecological”, “sustainable” or “eco-chic”
However, a brief look into the guts of some of these projects
will quickly indicate another case of greenwashing
A concept that refers to the bad practices of some companies
that present products as respectful of the environment,
however, they are not
Greenwashing has negative effects that affect
the performance of investments and the environment
Below I share 6 aspects that you should look closely
about the real estate projects in which you are considering investing
so as not to be a victim of greenwashing
Preservation of endemic vegetation
One of the most severe environmental problems
in Tulum & The Riviera Maya
is deforestation, produced mainly by the accelerated development
of urban centers
It is of vital importance
that new real estate developments preserve
an important percentage of endemic vegetation
within the total area that they will be developing
It is important to note that
destroying endemic vegetation
and then planting species foreign to the region
to give projects a "green" touch
is not considered a sustainable strategy
Housing density
In line with the previous point,
try to stay away from projects that offer you
an excessive number of units,
clearly dissonant with the environment, which,
in addition to a clear environmental impact,
will harm the return on your investment
Sewage treatment
Real estate projects
located in areas not connected
to the urban drainage network
must have an internal wastewater treatment system
so as not to compromise
the health of the ecosystem and the community
Bioclimatic architecture
Take advantage of and understand
the different forces of nature (wind, sun, humidity, temperature)
to create energy efficient structures
that will also generate internal spaces
of maximum comfort
Energy of the sun and the wind
To generate significant savings
in energy consumption
and reduce the total carbon footprint of these projects
Sustainable operation
With practices such as classification, management and proper disposal of generated waste,
compost, preference for the use of energy efficient equipment,
proper management of wastewater, mobility and sustainable culture
Analyzing these aspects in depth is essential
when you are going to carry out an investment
that is promoted as sustainable
If the project you are evaluating
lacks solid and verifiable elements in some of these elements,
you could be facing a possible case of greenwashing.
Prevent your investment, the environment and the community
from being negatively affected by a bad purchase decision.
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