Bioclimatic orientation
Containers with long axis north-south. Long facades face east-west receiving morning and evening sun, not direct solar gain. Short facades face south (controllable sun) and north (indirect light).
The site and hydrology
The site as starting point
Before building, we read the place. Hermosillo is hot dry desert (Köppen BWh) with 365 mm of rain and summers above 45°C. The design doesn't impose — it responds.
The site
La Victoria, Hermosillo, Sonora
The Predio Benjamina sits in La Victoria, south of Hermosillo, on Camino al Tazajal. Industrial-residential developing zone, connected by main avenues, 12 km from city center.
It's urbanized land, not virgin terrain. This qualifies for LEED SSp1 (Minimize Site Disturbance): building on previously intervened soil is the least environmentally disruptive option.
The climate
What the desert demands of the building
25°C
Annual average temperature
45°C+
July maximum
365 mm
Annual precipitation (Jul-Sep)
6.0-6.5
kWh/m²/day solar radiation
BWh
Köppen classification
2B
ASHRAE Climate Zone (hot-dry)
Passive responses
Six decisions the site dictates
The building doesn't fight the desert. It reads it. Each architectural decision responds to specific climate data.
Tree shading
Mesquite, palo verde and ironwood placed strategically. Natural shade + heat island reduction + native wildlife habitat.
R-18 envelope
Thermal insulation 50% above Mexican NOM-020-ENER code (R-12). Significantly reduces peak thermal loads.
Low-E double-pane windows
Low-emissivity coating blocks solar thermal gains without sacrificing natural light. Passive solar control.
Corten pergola
Common areas with passive shading + HVLS fan for outdoor comfort without air conditioning.
Central courtyard
Self-contained microclimate. Vegetation + shading + evapotranspiration create cool island at campus heart.
Passive hydrology
Elevated foundations as system
Campus CIAE containers rest on elevated concrete foundations, not on a slab. This leaves bare soil between supports and allows natural stormwater infiltration to subsoil.
It's pure LID (Low-Impact Development) design: the site's natural hydrology is not altered. July-September rains — intense but brief — infiltrate where they fall. The aquifer recharges. No runoff to treat.
→ For the full campus water cycle, see The water.
Native biodiversity
519 m² that belong to the desert
Campus CIAE green areas are 100% native Sonoran desert species. No grass. No invasive exotic species. The list includes ocotillo, agave, palo verde, ironwood, mesquite and palo brea — all endemic trees and shrubs.
This creates real habitat for local fauna: desert birds, native pollinators (including migrating monarch butterfly), small reptiles. It's not decorative landscaping — it's functional restoration within the lot.
→ Full species list at The water.
Heat island reduction
The dark corten challenge
Corten steel develops dark patina. In desert climates, a large dark surface can contribute to urban heat island. Campus CIAE offsets with four strategies:
- Native vegetation absorbing radiation and cooling via evapotranspiration.
- Dense tree shading with mesquite and palo verde to shade dark surfaces.
- PV canopies shading structure and reducing thermal gains.
- Light permeable pavements in outdoor zones where applicable.
Result: SSc5 Heat Island Reduction 2/2 LEED points.
Light pollution
The stars belong to the desert.
We didn't come to compete.
All outdoor luminaires have horizontal cut-off: directing light downward, no skyward reflection.
Lighting automatically reduces at nighttime hours via BMS. We don't light for the sake of lighting — we light where and when needed for safety or transit.
This protects Sonoran desert nighttime sky visibility, region of relevance for regional astronomical observation.
LEED v5
How this translates into LEED points
SS category complete at 100%: 11/11 possible points.
SSc1 Anticipated
Biodiverse Habitat
2
/ 2 points
- 519 m² of green areas with native Sonoran desert species (ocotillo, agave, palo verde, mesquite, ironwood, palo brea)
SSc3 Anticipated
Stormwater Management
3
/ 3 points
- Elevated container foundations allow natural subsurface infiltration. LID design without active capture, optimal for 365 mm/year concentrated in Jul-Sep
Project priority: PR3
SSc4 Anticipated
Enhanced Resilient Design
2
/ 2 points
- Resilience to heatwaves, drought, electrical events: R-18 insulation, BESS autonomy, no-irrigation landscape, tree shading
SSc5 Anticipated
Heat Island Reduction
2
/ 2 points
- Corten steel offset with native vegetation + tree shading + shading PV canopies. Permeable pavements
SSc6 Anticipated
Light Pollution Reduction
1
/ 1 points
- Outdoor luminaires with horizontal cut, no sky reflection. Sensor-based lighting with reduced nighttime hours