Tribunales de Justicia de Jicaral
The Tribunales de Justicia de Jicaral court building serves the 10,000 inhabitants of Jicaral, a small city on the western coast of Costa Rica. The public building is the first in a series that the Poder Judicial (Judicial Branch) of the Costa Rican government plans to develop in other provinces around the country. Tribunales de Justicia de Jicaral includes a court chamber, cells, social work and administrative offices and other services for residents of Jicaral.
Building green allows the Costa Rican government to save on operating costs and conserve tax dollars. With the use of an energy-efficient air conditioner and solar panels, the building conserves energy, especially during Costa Rica’s warmer summer days. The roof of the court house also contains a rainwater harvesting system, which paired with other features such as low-flow faucets and water-efficient toilets and urinals, saves the building up to 64% in water use.
The developers of Tribunales de Justicia de Jicaral, OPB Arquitectos, are committed to building sustainable projects for both the public and private sector in Costa Rica. They have over 40 years of experience designing innovative solutions for industrial, residential and government buildings and plan to build more court buildings for the government of Costa Rica.
Tribunales de Justicia de Jicaral has received final EDGE certification from GBCCR.
Technical Solutions
Energy
Reduced window to wall ratio, external shading devices, higher thermal performance glass, variable refrigerant volume (VRV) cooling system with a high co-efficient of performance, energy-saving lighting systems, occupancy sensors and solar photovoltaics.
Water
Low-flow faucets, water-efficient urinals and toilets, and a rainwater harvesting system.
Materials
Steel sheets on steel rafters for roof construction, medium weight hollow concrete blocks in internal and external walls and cement fibre boards on metal studs in internal walls.
Location
Los Ángeles, Provincia de Puntarenas Jicaral, Costa Rica
Stage
Final EDGE Certification
Date
January 1, 2019
Floor Space (m2)
1,159
Total CO2 Savings (annually)
4.8
Client Details
Certified By
Green Building Council Costa Rica