Existing buildings or developments that demonstrate outstanding performance in improving the health, equity and/or resilience of people in local communities.
SYMA’s business model is based on comprehensive social support to homeowners through financial, social and environmental education processes, which have enabled people with monthly incomes of less than US$225 to achieve financial closure to acquire a sustainable, healthy and quality home. In fact, 85% of the owners are people who, thanks to these processes, were able to access the financial system and the system of national and departmental subsidies, equivalent to 50% of the value of the home. In addition, they are beneficiaries of a discount on the interest rate, thanks to the sustainability levels of the project. This will allow them to pay a lower housing loan installment than what they were paying as renters.
However, this accompaniment process is not limited to obtaining the financial closure of the families, also proposes during the first year of the project’s operation to generate the “El Paraíso Culture” through meetings and education programs that promote sustainable community habits, from the operation of its Business and Cultural Center El Paraíso, located inside the urbanisation.
The main purpose is to accompany people in the construction of their dreams with the development of sustainable habitats, a dignified, balanced, safe, happy life and a healthy community coexistence. This is the first and only housing project in Colombia to obtain the Exceptional Level of Sustainability of the CASA COLOMBIA Certification of the Colombian Council of Sustainable Construction.
It was built through construction processes that optimised water consumption, minimised the generation of waste, prioritised its use, and managed its proper handling.
Its operation demonstrates savings of 20% in water and 35% in energy, housing with optimal lighting and natural ventilation, promotes the local economy through the creation of sustainable complementary service areas, a Contact Center that generates employment, open and green spaces for agro-ecological food production, composting, recreation and connection with nature.
The most important initiative is called Road to my home – SYMA Culture that refers to “El Paraíso Culture” and intends to develop coexistence skills in order to improve people’s quality of life. The attributes of this program are featured below:
“In Latin America, sustainability must go beyond solar panels, complex automation systems or philanthropy exercises. The key to sustainability must be a system of thought and action that allows the generation of social, environmental and economic value from the daily decision making of the people on site, to the most transcendental decisions at the level of the company or society.”
