By Joan Feliz
El Inmobiliario
Santo Domingo is not only growing, it's overheating. The same is happening in Santiago, Punta Cana, and any other expanding city in the country. Increasingly intense heat waves, water shortages during peak seasons, rising energy consumption, and the loss of green spaces are clear signs that the traditional urban development model has reached its limits.
We are not alone in facing this reality. Cities like Medellín, Colombia, and Barcelona, Spain, began transforming their urban approach with sustainability criteria more than a decade ago. Medellín, for example, has managed to reduce its urban temperature by more than 2°C in critical areas thanks to the implementation of green corridors, green roofs, and the conversion of thermally aggressive structures to eco-friendly materials. In Barcelona, the 2018 Urban Climate Plan promoted the creation of "climate islands," redesigned urban spaces with vegetation, shade, and natural ventilation systems that not only cool the environment but also mitigate heat stress in older adults and children. These cities have become benchmarks because they understood early on that it's not just about building more, but about building better, with climate and well-being as priorities.
Today more than ever, the Dominican Republic needs a new architecture. Not just aesthetically pleasing, but climate-smart, environmentally efficient, and socially responsible. Green building techniques are the most concrete response we have to the threat of climate change, particularly in island territories where the effects of global warming are felt more intensely and rapidly.
Heat as a new urban enemy
Dominican cities are trapped in a vicious cycle: more concrete, fewer trees, more heat, more air conditioning, more energy consumption, and more emissions. According to data from the Caribbean Climate Change Observatory, average temperatures in urban areas of the country have increased between 1.2°C and 1.8°C in the last 30 years. This is significant. An increase of just one degree can boost energy use by up to 20%, increase respiratory illnesses, and worsen the quality of life.
This phenomenon, known as the “urban heat island,” is exacerbated by the indiscriminate use of heat-absorbing and heat-retaining materials—such as asphalt and concrete—the removal of vegetation, and poor natural ventilation in conventional building designs. In cities like Santo Domingo, studies by PUCMM indicate that temperatures in densely populated areas can be up to 5°C higher than in surrounding areas with vegetation.
What does green building propose?
Green architecture is not a luxury; it is a technical, strategic, and urgent solution. Among its most prominent principles and techniques are:
Orientation and cross ventilation: Design homes that take advantage of the northeast trade winds, present for most of the year in the Caribbean, to reduce the need for fans and air conditioners.
Reflective materials and cool roofs: Use special paints, white membranes and reflective ceramic tiles that reduce the absorption of solar heat, lowering the interior temperature by up to 6°C.
Green roofs and facades: Living roofs or walls with endemic plants that reduce heat, retain water, clean the air and contribute to urban biodiversity.
Natural and artificial shade: Incorporate eaves, pergolas, planters, solar panels that, in addition to producing energy, serve as sun protection, and strategically planted trees to protect from the sun without closing off spaces.
Use of local and bioclimatic materials: Such as high-density thermal blocks, treated bamboo, cane bagasse panels, certified wood or pressed mud bricks that insulate, regulate humidity and have a low carbon footprint.
Rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment: Simple systems that collect water for watering gardens, cleaning and even for toilets, reducing pressure on aquifers and promoting the circular use of the resource.
Solar panels, passive systems and climate automation: To generate clean energy, automatically control temperature and consumption, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
These techniques not only improve thermal and energy efficiency, but also reduce monthly utility expenses in homes by up to 40%, according to data from the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL).
Building with climate and territory in mind
One of the great lessons from cities like Medellín, Curitiba, and Barcelona is that sustainability depends not only on technology, but also on a comprehensive approach. It's not enough to simply put a solar panel on the roof: entire neighborhoods need to be planned with shade, air circulation, proper drainage, and access to green spaces.
Here in the Dominican Republic, there are already examples: EDGE and LEED certified projects in Santo Domingo East and Punta Cana that have managed to reduce their energy consumption by 30% and lower the interior temperature by 3 to 5 degrees without relying on air conditioning. These developments are not only more sustainable, but also more profitable, more marketable, and more valued by new generations.
The market demands it too
Buyers are no longer just asking about location or square footage: they're asking about ventilation, materials, natural light, and energy costs. A 2023 ACOPROVI survey revealed that 63% of buyers between 25 and 45 years old would be willing to pay more for a property that guarantees energy efficiency and climate adaptation.
Similarly, financial institutions are beginning to offer better rates for sustainable projects, and multilateral financing organizations are increasingly prioritizing developments that integrate mitigation and adaptation criteria.
Public policy should push, not hinder
However, the current regulatory framework remains out of step with this new reality. The process for obtaining environmental permits continues to be slow, confusing, and highly bureaucratic. This discourages well-intentioned entrepreneurs who want to build in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.
The Dominican Republic needs to update its building codes to mandate the integration of energy efficiency and climate resilience criteria. Just as it is currently illegal to build without structural permits, it should be unthinkable to erect a building without calculating its carbon footprint, energy demand, or impact on urban temperatures.
Conclusion: The future is built today, or it is not built at all
Green architecture is not a fad. It's the new standard. Every project that doesn't incorporate techniques to counteract heat, reduce emissions, and protect water resources will, in just a few years, become a burden for its owners, its users, and the state.
Building with environmental awareness is not only good for the planet, it's smarter, more cost-effective, and more urgent than ever. In a country like the Dominican Republic, where tourism, quality of life, and climate resilience go hand in hand, green building cannot be the exception: it must be the norm.
The author is an MBA, a digital marketing specialist, and the operations manager of the construction company Incaribe, with more than 10 years of experience in the construction and tourism sector.
