Uruguay to build the first sustainable school in Latin America

Jaureguiberry, una localidad costera del departamento de Canelones de unos 500 habitantes que cuenta con más niños en edad escolar de los que puede acoger. El terreno donde se construirá la nueva escuela rural Nº 294 se encuentra en el Km 80 sobre la Ruta Interbalnearia.

Desde fines de 2014, estamos involucrando a niños, maestros, padres y vecinos en lo que la etapa de construcción será una oportunidad única de participación y apropiación del proyecto por parte de los habitantes de Jaureguiberry.

According to the uruguayan paper La Republica, Uruguay will build the first self-sustainable school in the region. Workers will start building the new school on February 1st and its completion is set for the middle of March.

The school will be build in Jaureguiberry, a town on the coast in de province of Canelones. Some 500 people live in the small town and there are many children but few schools. The new school, Rural School number 294 (Escuela Rural number 294), will be a primary school and will be built with the organisation Earthship Biotecture, chaired by US architect Michael Reynolds. This implies the use of recycled materials and both the environmental and social sustainability. Traditional materials as well as cans, bottles, tyres, carton will be used.

Some 200 people will work on the construction site of the school: uruguayan citizens and international workers. The organisation has been working with the little town since the end of 2014, in a project to rise awareness among citizens on respect of the environment, sustainable architecture and the importance of recycling materials.

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