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Juan Carlos Valenzuela Castañeda on LEED for Communities & Designing with Nature
Charlie Cichetti
February 19, 2026
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From boutique eco-hotels to 540-hectare industrial parks, Juan Carlos Valenzuela Castañeda is helping Guatemala go green — by proving that regenerative, resilient, and human-centered design isn’t just possible in Central America, it’s thriving.
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🌱BREAKING GROUND ON BETTER BUILDING
In this episode, Juan Carlos revolutionizes traditional construction approaches:
[Key Insight #1] Guatemala’s first LEED-certified hotel set the standard for site-sensitive, sustainable design.
What's outdated: Conventional hotel developments often disrupt topography and clear natural vegetation.
The innovation: The 18-room Kabila Hotel was designed in modular clusters to follow the land’s contours and preserve every tree on site.
Impact: Achieved LEED certification, launched a new model for sustainable design in the region, and catalyzed national interest in green building practices.
[Key Insight #2] Juan Carlos’s firm shifted from architecture-first to sustainability consulting — with explosive post-pandemic growth.
What's outdated: Before 2020, sustainability was a value-add — now it’s a necessity.
The innovation: Focused on consulting for green certifications, shifting firm priorities to meet growing market demand.
Impact: Now 80% of the firm’s work is sustainability consulting, including large-scale projects like a 540-hectare industrial park pursuing LEED for Communities.
[Key Insight #3] LEED for Communities offers a powerful framework for transforming entire developments in emerging markets.
What's outdated: Developers lacked a way to align sustainability with large-scale planning.
The innovation: Implemented LEED for Communities in an industrial development to guide environmental, social, and governance goals.
Impact: Positioned clients as leaders in ESG, increased long-term community value, and created replicable models for resilient growth.
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✅ CONNECT AND CONTINUE
🌿 Access full episode resources: Green Building Matters Podcast
🗒 Read the transcript: HERE
📄 Read the transcript: HERE
🔗 Connect with Juan Carlos Valenzuela Castañeda: