This promise is part of the Gold precertification granted to the project by the Sustainable SITES Initiative® for sustainable environments, making this the only pre-certified mixed-use developoment in South America.

The MARAEY undertaking, which is planned to be built in Maricá on Rio de Janeiro’s Costa del Sol, has just received precertification from SITES (Sustainable SITES Initiative®) in the Gold category. Using renewable energy was one of the key criteria considered when rating the tourist-residential complex for this sustainability seal. More than 50% of the electricity consumed in MARAEY’s outdoor areas will be generated by renewable sources, including solar power, biogas and mini wind energy, serving an estimated population of 70 thousand people including residents, service providers, tourists and workers.

The v2 Credit System uses a 200-point scorecard with four levels of excellence, where SITES Gold is the second-best. SITES is a programme that fosters sustainable environmental development and can be used to boost a project’s sustainability, which includes implementing green infrastructure and enhancing its resilience.

“Sustainability is a mainstay in the project. Our goal is to create a complex that is in harmony with the environment, preserving its wealth and diversity. By investing from different angles, especially in clean energy, we aim to become a self-sustainability benchmark on the tourist-residential scene, and we see this precertification as an acknowledgement and a responsibility that makes us all the more motivated,” explains Emilio Izquierdo, CEO of MARAEY.

As well as using solar panels, the team of technicians on the project are considering various forms of energy production based on renewables, such as biogas produced from treating waste water and wind power generated by mini turbines. Geothermal energy is another option under study which consists in the process of exchanging heat from the ground and using it in air conditioning systems to help lower electric energy consumption in buildings. The power produced by renewable sources will also be used for lighting in public and common areas within the complex and supplying irrigation systems in the gardens, sports facilities and leisure areas.

“Achieving SITES Gold precertification just goes to show how deeply embedded the concept of sustainability is in the MARAEY project, striving for coherence between what we propose, what we believe and what we offer. We will be the first to be pre-certified in the mixed-use category in all of South America. Out of the greatest tourist-residential undertakings, ours will have a cutting-edge structure in terms of the complexity and variety of sustainable energy sources,” stated Marcelo Galvão, MARAEY’s Technical Construction Director.

PIn order to achieve SITES precertification, initiatives are required to include strategic objectives linked to the following aspects during design, construction and operation:

– Preservation and promotion of native ecosystems

– Water conservation

– Sustainable drainage

– Energy efficiency

Repurposing water

When granting MARAEY the SITES Gold precertification, the programme also considered use of renewables and the implementation of strategies linked to water preservation. Along these lines, the project has proven that it will reuse the water obtained from its waste water treatment plants (ETEs). The estimated amount of waste water repurposed every day by the project will average roughly 60 litres per second – enough to irrigate approximately 380 thousand m2 with reused water.

Another sustainable water-related solution planned for the MARAEY project involves catching rainwater and storing it in special tanks to be used.

The water sourced from both the ETE plants and rainfall catchment will be used to water the gardens in common and public areas and the golf course. By doing so, MARAEY can avoid using drinking water for landscaping purposes.

Perpetual preservation of the restinga forest

Being a project that blends into and protects its environment has always been at the core of the MARAEY philosophy. The tourist-real estate complex will house the second-largest Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN) of restinga forest in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Covering nearly 440 hectares, the RPPN will take up almost half of the overall surface of MARAEY and will be fully and perpetually protected.

Another way of preserving local wildlife involves an organic matter management plan for reforestation in degraded areas, as well as rescuing species. The layer of vegetation removed under legal authorisation will be treated and used to restore depleted areas. Following the project’s implementation, it is estimated that native vegetation will be recomposed in over 120 hectares of Maricá’s restinga forest compared to the situation prior to MARAEY.

Sustainable mobility

During the SITES Gold precertification process, MARAEY also scored points for promoting the use of hybrid and electric vehicles and for including a 20 km cycle lane, following the trend set by other large complexes featuring bike lanes that link up to municipal networks. Once it is ready, it will be the longest cycling path in a tourist-residential undertaking in all of Brazil. These lanes will add to Maricá’s existing cycling network, totalling 57.5 km in length.

Sustainable SITES Initiative® (SITES)

Sustainable SITES Initiative® or simply SITES® certification is managed by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and consists in the most comprehensive programme for designing, developing and maintaining sustainable environments.

The SITES credits system promotes best practice in ecological restoration, both on constructed land and in related areas. The programme supports and restores the functions of healthy ecosystems, both in urban and rural areas. From plants and soils to water and materials, SITES improves communities through responsible design, enhancing the functions of buildings and businesses by means of affordable and environmentally-friendly solutions and creating a strong link between people and nature. SITES connects design with ecology and people with places.

SITES was originally developed thanks to the collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the University of Texas’ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United States Botanic Garden.

Its credit system can be applied to undertakings located in areas with or without buildings and provides the experience gained from a two-year pilot programme including over 100 projects. Initiatives having achieved certification include corporate headquarters, national and municipal parks, academic campuses and private residences. For more information, visit www.sustainableSITES.org. It is important to note that SITES precertification goes to projects in the planning phase, whereas SITES certification applies to new constructions or major refurbishments in existing establishments, where a project must be fully constructed to be certified.

About MARAEY

The MARAEY project is set to be developed on Brazil’s Costal del Sol in Maricá. The tourist side of the undertaking will house four five-star hotels welcoming an average 300 thousand tourists per year: a luxurious eco-boutique resort, a luxury themed resort, a hotel designed to be the country’s most iconic seaside events venue, and MARAEY Golf Resort surrounding an international 18-hole golf course.

The project also offers various types of homes (apartment blocks, duplexes and villas) with a comprehensive range of services such as a school, hospital, shops and businesses, as well as a host of leisure activities and sports. MARAEY also includes an international hospitality university to turn Maricá into a hub for specialized training in Latin America.

With barely 6.6% of the undertaking’s land intended to be used for construction, it is set to be home to the second-largest Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN) of restinga forest in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The project also comprises an environmental research centre supported by renowned academic institutions such as UFRJ, UFF, UFRRJ, UFES and FURG.

MARAEY is the first privately-driven tourist destination in the world to receive the BIOSPHERE seal from the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), an organisation backed by the support and acknowledgement of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). With this certification, the project shows its commitment to develop in line with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the latest directives of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Sustainability will also be a guiding principle for mobility within the complex. Covering a total surface of 840 hectares, MARAEY will feature the longest cycle lane in any private initiative in Brazil, spanning 20 km in length, as well as offering shared bikes and encouraging the use of sustainable transport in electric and hybrid vehicles for the movement of tourists and residents.

The private investment forecast for the undertaking is in order of R$ 11 billion, expecting R$ 7.2 billion to be collected in tax over the first 14 years (construction and consolidation of sales), followed by over R$ 1 billion per year once fully up and running. The economy of the State of Rio de Janeiro is predicted to warm up as 36 thousand jobs are created once MARAEY is in full operation.

There are around 200 fishing families living in the Zacarias community inside the area of the project who stand to gain from legalised land use and being given deeds of official ownership and residence. IDB Brazil will also boost the local culture and fishing with programmes to restore the Maricá Lagoon, recover native species, and bring back and raise awareness of the Zacarias family memory by creating the Craft Fisherman’s House.