Described as a "Contemporary Bank Project," the ATM took approximately one year to complete and cost slightly more than US$300 000, says Jorge Braescher, president of Edra Equipamentos, based in the city of Ipeúna (São Paulo).
“After the surveys held with several banks and approximately 500 users, we defined the concept of the booth and promoted a contest among several architects to select the design," he says. "Then, we entered into a few agreements with the suppliers of raw materials.”
The walls and ceiling of the booth are made of composite materials. However, instead of using conventional resins derived from oil, Edra Equipamentos selected a polymer derived partly from renewable sources, such as oilseed plants, produced by Brazilian chemical company Elekeiroz SA. To make this resin, Elekeiroz also re-uses post-consumer polymers, for instance, PET bottles.
The floor of the ATM is made from a wood plastic composite which includes discarded packaging waste.
To reduce the energy consumption of the booth, Edra Equipamentos chose solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which power LED lamps. However, during the day, lighting is provided by a system called Solatube, which captures and diffuses the light in the environment.
The use of special films manufactured by 3M helped to reduce the need for energy to cool down the booth, preventing the passage of more than 80% of infrared rays.
The ATM also features a 'green roof.' With the installation of a rainwater collector at the top, it is possible to grow plants.
The booth can also be provided with several accessories, such as rubbish bins made from natural fibres and architectural details produced with reused glass.
All of these features, says Braescher, justify a price 20-30% higher than the booths currently in operation in Brazil. He says Edra Equipamentos is currently discussing the product with some financial institutions and large-scale manufacturing is expected to begin in June.
