Bogotá, Colombia – As part of the Green Building Week, Colombia hosted a series of strategic meetings, workshops, technical visits, and high-level spaces that promoted regional collaboration and capacity building around a more sustainable and resilient built environment.

The main event of the week was CONSTRUVERDE 2025, which brought together over 850 leaders from the public, private, financial, academic, and multilateral sectors to discuss the future of sustainable construction in Latin America. This year’s edition was held under the theme “Accelerating Sustainable Places, Together,” a collective call to move from incremental progress to bold, structural, and accelerated action in transforming the built environment.

Among the event’s keynote participants was Helga María Rivas, Colombia’s Minister of Housing, City, and Territory, who officially opened the event and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustainable transformation. Also in attendance were representatives from the World Green Building Council, the world’s largest organization dedicated to sustainable building, along with leaders from Green Building Councils across the Americas, panelists and attendees from 14 countries participated.

During the 16th edition of CONSTRUVERDE, the Colombia Green Building Council (Colombia GBC) and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) in the United States announced that the Corredor de la Carrera Séptima, Segment 3 in Bogotá, has become the first infrastructure project in Colombia to earn Envision Silver certification, an international recognition that validates the sustainable performance of projects such as roads, transportation systems, water networks, and urban parks.

“We’re thrilled to share some great news for Bogotá: our commitment to the proper management of infrastructure projects is being recognized across different platforms. Following a detailed evaluation and verification of several sustainability-related aspects, such as the sustainability strategy and community engagement, the contractor responsible for Lot 1 of Segment 3 of the Corredor Carrera Séptima (Consorcio Vial del Norte), which runs from street 99 to street 127, has received Envision certification. This is the first project in Colombia to achieve this certification, awarded for best environmental and social practices,” said Orlando Molano, Director of Bogotá’s Urban Development Institute (IDU).

The project, led by the Urban Development Institute (IDU) and ICEIN (Indugravas), is a strategic intervention for Bogotá, prioritizing sustainable mobility, landscape integration, and environmental restoration. More than 183,000 square meters will be transformed along the 2.8-kilometer corridor, including dedicated lanes for public transportation, bike paths, green areas, and public space.

The Envision certification, which was introduced in Colombia just a year ago through the alliance between Colombia GBC and ISI, already has four projects registered. The certification evaluates key aspects such as the use of low-carbon materials, responsible construction waste management, implementation of sustainable drainage systems, and community involvement in project design.

“The certification of the Corredor Carrera Séptima as the first ENVISION certified project in Colombia marks a turning point for sustainable infrastructure in the country. Until now, major progress has been made in housing and non residential buildings, but this milestone paves the way for advancing the development of resilient infrastructure—something that is critical in today’s climate context. At Colombia Green Building Council, we see this achievement as a clear signal that the sector is ready to accelerate a profound transformation one that embraces new ways of building to address the social and environmental challenges of our territories,” said Angélica Ospina, CEO of Colombia GBC.

Another key focus of the agenda was the launch of essential studies and tools that strengthen the business case for sustainability and support its large-scale adoption in the sector. The Colombia GBC presented the publication El caso de negocio de la vivienda sostenible y saludable en Colombia (The Business Case for Sustainable and Healthy Housing in Colombia), which highlights that, on average, the additional investment in direct and indirect costs is just 0.42%. It also shows no significant difference in the additional investments required between social housing and non-subsidized housingprojects. This demonstrates that the implementation of sustainable practices, in addition to being cost-effective, can generate tangible benefits for homeowners, communities, and the environment. CASA Colombia certification is a clear example—an evaluation tool designed for the local context with international standards. Today, it drives over 185 projects and improves the quality of life for more than 76,700 families across the country.

Additionally, the publication Más valor y mejor desempeño: El negocio de operar bien (More Value and Better Performance: The Business of Operating Well), produced in collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), compiles real world evidence on the benefits of operating buildings sustainably in Latin America. The study provides concrete data, comparative figures, and regional insights that facilitate informed decision-making, internal policy design, and access to new market opportunities, financing, and investment aligned with ESG standards.

The event also saw the launch of the second edition of the Hoja de Ruta de Sostenibilidad para Materiales de Construcción (Sustainability Roadmap for Construction Materials), a technical framework that guides sector stakeholders in adopting materials with measurable sustainable attributes. This tool aims to align the industry with decarbonization goals and includes a practical instrument to help builders make informed decisions when purchasing materials.

In addition, the first partnership in the country with GRESB was signed, introducing a tool that provides insights into emerging trends in the evaluation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance in real estate assets. This alliance is helping to promote best sustainability practices in asset operations through both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

In terms of results, Colombia now has more than 690 projects registered under LEED, 2,201 hectares of communities registered in LEED for Communities and the first advancements in other certifications such as TRUE, SITES, and ENVISION.

This edition also included public recognition of the projects and individuals leading the transformation of the sector. Awards were given to LEED certified projects, as well as to CASA Colombia projects and leaders, in recognition of their commitment to sustainability through the design, construction, and operation of buildings aligned with holistic sustainability standards.

One of the most meaningful moments was the presentation of the Líderes que Transforman Awards, which in this edition broke records in both participation and visibility. More than 40 nominations were received, and a historic public vote was recorded, with over 96,300 votes cast. The following winners were recognized:

• In the Sustainable Residential Project category, Burano in Bogotá by Ingeurbe.
• In the Commercial and Institutional Project category, Fundación Universitaria de Compensar.
• In the Urban Development and Infrastructure Project category, Ciudad La Salle by Constructora Marval.
• In the Existing Project category, Gratamira Headquarters by Constructora Bolívar.
• In the Sustainable Solutions category, Aquacell by Pavco.
• In the Student category, the Oasis team from Universidad San Buenaventura in Medellín.
• And finally, in the People’s Choice Award for Sustainable Project, Condominio Trento in Neiva by A+C Constructora.

CONSTRUVERDE 2025 has established itself as a key platform for connection, learning, and collaboration among those leading sustainability efforts in Colombia. The Colombia GBC, the country’s only official member of the World Green Building Council, reaffirmed its role as a key driver in aligning knowledge, policies, tools, and capacity building connecting the entire value chain of the sector to transform the way we design, build, and operate the spaces we live in.