Following the meeting, five members of the jury travelled to Hermosillo in north-eastern Mexico to visit Holcim Apasco’s new 1.6 million tonne plant (pictured above, l-r): Matt Helms, Hermosillo Maintenance Manager, Holcim Apasco; Hans-Rudolf Schalcher, Professor em., Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland (TCC); Marc M Angélil, Dean, Department of Architecture, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich); Partner, agps architecture, Zurich, Switzerland (TCC); Pedro Lluch, Project Manager for the Hermosillo Plant Project; Bruno Stagno, Principal, Bruno Stagno Arquitecto y Asociados, San José, Costa Rica; Vanderley M John, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Construction Engineering, Polytechnic School, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil; Angelo Bucci, Co-founder and Principal, spbr; Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil; and Juan José Dominguez, Hermosillo Plant Manager, Holcim Apasco.

During their tour they found that never before in a cement plant have the "target issues" for sustainable construction been applied so thoroughly as at Hermosillo. Thermal and electrical energy use, and water consumption have been optimized by using the latest generation of technologies in production and control. Non-conventional thermal and photovoltaic systems provide energy used for lighting, heating and air conditioning of the administrative building. Daylighting is channeled to the centre of the building, water is re-circulated for cooling and all greywater is treated in a sanitizing pond and then used for irrigation. Storage areas for primary materials and fuel are covered. The site will be re-planted with native species to restore biodiversity to the local ecosystem, mitigating the effects of the plant’s construction.

The sustainable usage of resources in an industrial environment impressed the Holcim Awards jury members. “Although the specifics may differ, the principles of sustainable construction apply universally, regardless of climate, culture, or economic situation”, Bruno Stagno said.