Julio Prestes

The Julio Prestes apartment complex provides a green living environment for residents without sacrificing quality. Developed by the Brazilian government’s PPP Habitacional, a public-private housing partnership, the apartments house mostly low-income residents as a part of the government’s mission to provide more affordable housing in the central region of Brazil. Located in São Paolo, the Julio Prestes apartments consist of eight residential buildings with a total of 1,202 units, of which 914 have been EDGE certified. 1,130 of the housing units are affordable housing reserved for families with lower incomes, while the remaining 72 units are for middle-income families. The complex has indoor recreation areas, a sports court and extensive green areas for residents to enjoy.

Below the residential units, each tower has shops with a total of 67 retail spaces. The complex includes a nursery for up to 200 children and the Tom Jobim School of Music for over 1,300 students. In addition to providing a multi-faceted community, the energy-efficient Julio Prestes complex also offers its residents the opportunity to reduce their environmental footprint and pay fewer utility bills. With the help of less glazing on the facades and low-flow showerheads and faucets, Julio Prestes conserves energy and water and reduces living costs for residents. The apartments also save a significant amount of embodied energy in materials, with a reduction of up to 57% due to the energy-efficient materials used to construct the floors, roof and walls.

PPP Habitacional hopes to revitalize neighborhoods in the central region of Brazil. They plan on building more apartments, including housing units for low-income families, where social services will also be provided. Julio Prestes has received final EDGE certification from GBCI.