The only residential complex in Europe to be given an LEED Platinum certificate, one of the most prestigious sustainable building certifications in the world, is in the Madrid dormitory town of Tres Cantos.
In June, the USGBCI (US Green Building Council Institute) awarded the cooperative of developers behind the project, Arroyo Bodonal, with the international diploma, recognizing its ecological credentials and ushering it into a club of 21 Spanish buildings with LEED certification, including properties owned by multinationals such as Zara, Repsol and Iberdrola, as well as several public buildings and universities.
Consisting of 80 resource-efficient apartments, Arroyo Bodonal was begun 13 years ago and is now inhabited by 225 people, mostly in the 33 to 43 age bracket, who have paid between €127,000 and €350,000 for a home there.
Modestly priced, the project has succeeded in exploding some of the myths surrounding sustainable construction, while reopening the debate over whether building green homes is a viable option in Spain.
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