Social Housing

Reducing the housing deficit has always been our major goal. Since the Guatemala earthquake 1976 we have worked in this direction, create safe and affordable houses.  Thousands of houses we have helped to build in different countries of the global south, often financed by reconstruction funds after earthquakes, floods, winds and wars. Economic stimulation of the local economy is a key element in the development of technologies. Small enterprises that serve the neighborhood keep cash flowing in the economy. Our main contributions have been applied research into construction with small ecological footprint, leading to the dissemination of micro concrete tiles, light ferro-cement panels and adobe, but also the development of efficient kilns to produce clay bricks and lime in artisan factories.

Disaster Prevention has been a constant in our work. By considering the specific climatic, tectonic and environmental situation of each site, appropriate technologies and materials are determined to minimize risks. With our ferrocement technology, houses can be locally produced and built in a few days after the incident. We have acted in diverse post-disaster situations from Guatemala to Haiti, The Philippines to Ecuador.

Formal dual education for builders is integral part of our activities

Low Carbon cement LC³, is the most important development in the field of CO2 reduction in construction. It was born in our R + D program with puzzolanic cement and real-life applications in Latin America. The Technical Research Centre in Cuba now leads the introduction of the technology, advising cement plants in America and Africa.