Sustainable Development - Riviera Maya

Monday, February 06, 2006

Sustainable Development in the Riviera Maya
Akumal, Mexico
February 17 & 18, 2006


Sustainable development in the Riviera Maya means development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Given the rapid tourism and urban growth along the Mexican Caribbean coast, and as part of our on-going efforts to promote sustainable development in the region, Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA) is hosting a two-day workshop focusing on sustainable building. Our hope is to encourage new models of development that will help ensure that our children’s children will enjoy the richness of the jungle, the coolness of cenote water, the beauty of the reef, the brilliance of the sky, and all of the other wonders of the Mexican Caribbean coast.

Sustainable development means growth which:
- Minimizes dependence on fossil fuels;
- Minimizes dependence upon chemicals and unnatural substances;
- Minimizes encroachment on the natural world; and
- Meets human needs fairly and efficiently.

The two-day conference will present the principles, strategies, and techniques primarily for professionals on Friday, and for small scale buildings (homes, condos, and small businesses) on Saturday.

Who should attend:
Architects, developers, builders, condo and homeowners, building owners and managers, and government officials. The ideas presented during the conference will apply to the Riviera Maya, as well as any other area of the world where development puts pressure on a coastline.

Spanish and English:
All presentations will be translated into both Spanish and English.

Co-sponsor:
Rocky Mountain Institute

Registration information below.


More information:
Paul Sánchez-Navarro: paulsn@ceakumal.org
or Ed Blume: ed@ceakumal.org

Schedule
Friday, February 17
Sustainable Cities, Developments,and Large Enterprises

Friday’s presentations focus on principles and practices for larger scale developments, such as cities, housing developments, and large resorts and businesses.

8:00 a.m. Registration
Light breakfast (included in registration fee)

8:30 a.m. Intelligent and Green Building in Mexico
Initiatives, developments and projects for new sustainable building, construction and property in Mexico. Includes market trends and explores how to identify business opportunities around technological integration in homes and buildings.
Cesar Trevino
President, Mexico Green Building Council


9:00 a.m. Considerations for a Coastal Environment
Uniqueness of the Yucatan Peninsula, including geohydrology, ecosystems and the Mesoamerican Reef
Sam Meacham
Director, Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Q. Roo (CINDAQ)

9:30 a.m. Construction & landscaping to minimize hurricane damage
Design, contruction, and landscaping to minimize the damage to homes, buildings, and shorelines from category-4 storms.
Udi Saly, Engineer
In Tune Management, Akumal

Speaker to be determined

10:30 a.m. Case Studies of Green Communities
Examples show the potential for green communities in the Riviera Maya
Greg Franta
Principal Architect, Rocky Mountain Institute, Boulder, Colorado, USA

11:00 a.m. Break

11:15 a.m. Beautiful Design Complements Sustainability
Successful projects combine striking designs and sustainability
Greg Schnurr
Developer of Los Arboles Tulum

12:15 p.m. Lunch (included in registration fee)

1:00 p.m. Large-scale Energy Production
Solar and wind generated electricity for housing developments, resorts, and large businesses
Cameron Boyd
Centro Ecológico Sian Ka'an (CeSiak)


2:15 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. Alternatives to Traditional Waste Management
Composting toilets, wastewater gardens, storm water control
Dinah Drago
ReSource Institute for Low Entropy Systems (RILES)

3:45 p.m. Possibilities for a Sustainable Akumal Pueblo
Design considerations and options for a larger Akumal pueblo
Paul Sánchez-Navarro
Director, Centro Ecológico Akumal

Schedule
Saturday, February 18
Sustainable Homes and Small Businesses

Saturday’s presentations focus on sustainable principles and practices for individual homes, condo buildings, small businesses, and other smaller enterprises.

8:00 a.m. Registration
Light breakfast (included in registration fee)

8:30 a.m. Intelligent and Green Building in Mexico (Review)
Initiatives, developments and projects for new sustainable building, construction and property in Mexico. Includes market trends and explores how to identify business opportunities around technological integration in homes and buildings.
Cesar Trevino
President, Mexico Green Building Council

9:00 a.m. Considerations for a Coastal Environment (Review)
Uniqueness of the Yucatan Peninsula, including geohydrology, ecosystems and the Mesoamerican Reef
Sam Meacham
Director, Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Q. Roo (CINDAQ)

9:30 a.m. Outstanding Examples of Sustainable Homes and Buildings
Greg Franta

Principal Architect, Rocky Mountain Institute, Boulder, Colorado, USA

10:00 a.m. Capturing Nature's Freebies: Siting and Good Design
Site selection and planning, landscaping, rainwater management and use, healthy building materials, and energy efficiency
Sherrie Gruder
Sustainable Design Specialist and Energy Program Coordinator University of Wisconsin-Extension, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

11:00 a.m. Tour of Sustainable Homes and Businesses in Akumal

12:15 p.m. Lunch (included in registration fee)

1:00 p.m. Small Scale Energy Production
Solar electricity and hot water, wind-generated electricity for homes and small businesses
Cameron Boyd
Director, Centro Ecológico Sian Ka'an (CESiaK), Tulúm

2:00 p.m. Break

2:15 p.m. Waste and Water Management for Homes and Small Businesses
Dinah Drago
ReSource Institute for Low Entropy Systems (RILES)

3:15 p.m. Construction and design to minimize hurricane damage
Udi Saly, Engineer
In Tune Management, Akumal


4:15 p.m. Real World Sustainable Design Issues
Bring your designs and ideas for green building projects and get advice from the presenters on solving problems or on improving the designs in three separate breakout sessions on siting and design, waste treatment, and energy.

5:15 p.m. Future Considerations and Conclusions

5:30 p.m. Adjourn
* The final program might vary slightly.

Registration
Sustainable Development in the Riviera Maya
Akumal, Mexico,
February 17 & 18, 2006

Sign up for the workshop on-line or please send check or money order along with the following information:


_______________________________________________
Your name and Organization name (if appropriate)

_______________________________________________
Mailing address: City/State/Postal code/Country

_______________________________________________
E-mail - Phone (day time) - Phone (evening)

Course fee (check one):
_____ $40 (USD) or $400 MN one day.
_____ $80 (USD) or $800 MN for both.

Lodging:
Several lodging options are listed on CEA’s Web site

Make check payable to:
Yucatan Environmental Foundation

Make checks in the U.S. payable to:
Yucatan Environmental Foundation
Mail to:
Yucatan Environmental Foundation
PO Box 2116, Madison, WI 53701-2116 USA


Make checks payable in Mexico to:
Centro Ukana I Akumal, A.C.
Mail to:

Centro Ecológico Akumal
Apartado Postal 2
Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico 77760

Register on-line at CEA Workshops.

More information from Ed Blume, ed@ceakumal.org


3 Comments:

  • For those who haven't been to Akumal, you can "talk" with regular visitors on the bulletin boards of two sites: Bill-in-Tulsa and LocoGringo.com.

    By Blogger Ed Blume, at 4:59 PM  

  • Probably the least expensive accomodations are at the Villas Maya. I've stayed in one of the casitas many times. They're quite nice.

    If you want top of the line, you can find a nice place for $10,000 a week.

    By Blogger Ed Blume, at 6:12 AM  

  • The hyperlink for the Villas Maya isn't working in the post above, so here it is: http://www.hotelakumalcaribe.com/accom/bungalows.asp

    By Blogger Ed Blume, at 6:15 AM  

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