Edition 35 - August 2009

Key speakers for the 4th EcoMaterials Conference

Four months in advance, an impressing number of people have confirmed their participation for the four days  of the 4th EcoMaterials Conference in Bayamo, Cuba.  For the main sessions there are 14 key note speakers from 8 countries and more than 70 presenters from 16 countries. The scientific committee has made a first selection of the contributions and divided them into lectures and posters and the placement into the different themes during the three days of deliberations. It is planned to hand the proceedings to all the participants upon their arrival in Havanna on Sunday November 22. 

The participants who arive through Havanna will travel to Bayamo on monday, and after the excursions to projects and beaches on tuesday, the conference starts on wednesday with the theme “Connecting Science with Practice” and the following key note speakers:

Julio Vargas Neumann, Perú: Profesor Emeritus of the Universidad Católica del Peru and worldwide known for his investigations on clay based buildings in earthquake zones, he is often referd to as “the father of the adobe standards of Peru”. Vargas has been Vice Minister for Housing and has received the national Culture and Science Award.
Alejandro Salazar Jaramillo, Colombia: Chemical Engineer, PhD, Profesor Emeritus of the  Universidad del Valle en Cali.  Researcher, Consultant,  entrepreneur succesfully producing EcoMaterials. Salazar  has been awarded several national and international distinctions.
Karen Scrivener, England: Karen Scrivener from England, Researcher and Professor at the Polytechnical University of Lausanne in Switzerland,  head of the Laboratory of Construction Materials,  an internationally recognised leader in the characterisation of cementitious materials.  Her PhD completed in 1984 marked a significant advance in understanding the way microstructure develops during the hydration and is quoted in standard texts. Togehter with Fernando Martirena she directs a project  bridging “high tech” fundamental studies and practical applications.
Fernando Martirena Hernández, Cuba:Profesor and PhD, director of CIDEM.  R&D and implementation of appropriate technologies for the manufacture of alternative binders is his main theme, but also managing hurricane reconstruction projects. Martirena has received many national and international awards, among them  the  “World Habitat Award”

 

 
Fernando Martirena, Kurt Rhyner & Karen Scrivener

The second day develops with the theme “Disaster Mitigation” with the following key note speakers:

Danielk Pittet, Switzerland: Civil engineer and environmental architect, senior researcher at  the University of Lugano and its World Habitat Research Centre, Pittet has extensive experience in applied research in the field of low environmental impact housing technologies, both in Switzerland and South Asia.
John Norton, France: President of Development Workshop France and a co-founder of 'Development Workshop in 1973, an NGO specialising in human settlements development problems in less developed countries.   Norton is  author of several important books on earth construction and a specialist in disaster mitigation and reconstruction. Among his many condecorations are two “World Habitat Award”
Gilberto Lacayo, Nicaragua: Civil engineer, Specialist in modulation of earthquake security and presently designing massive social housing projects . Lacayo has profound knowledge of Central Americas construction heritage and literature.
Kurt Rhyner, Switzerland: Architect, PhD,  Profesor at UCLV.  Rhyner is coordinator of the EcoSur network and specialist in project conception, analysis of technologies and materials suitable to specific contexts, co-author of several projects that have received the “Best practice” stamp and of international awards.

The third and last day concentrates on “Sustainable Habitat” and the following specialists form the main panel : 

Tanja Lütolf, Switzerland: Architect, Expert in Sustainable Construction and senior consultant to the program “2000 Watt Society”, Manager of the “Platform future construction”
Lucelena Betancurt, Colombia: Architect, director of the Fundación Habitat Colombia, representative of the UN-habitat program of “Good practice and local leadership”, coordinating the Andean countries of the Foro Iberoamericano y del Caribe para las Mejores Prácticas
Bernardo Rhyner, Switzerland: Architect, builder and specialist in dual education, senior advisor for sofonias Nicaragua, manager of reconstruction projects in Switzerland.
Roland Charles, South Africa:  Adviser in the Enterprise and Agriculture Section of  the Commonwealth Secretariat, specialised in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) development, working mainly with those from disadvantages communities, major corporations and Southern African Governments, focussed on strategy development, sector specific programmes and training senior practitionners
Rolf Buschmann, Germany: Civil engineer, assistant professor at UCLV,  Managing partner at solar info center, Freiburg, Director of EnEd Asia Pte. Ltd. Singapore, offering services of project developing and education, capacity building and consulting for renewable energy and energy efficiency