Articles
The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor for CIDEM
The concept of resolving the housing shortage with local production of EcoMaterials has received one of the highest international recognitions. Our Cuban partner CIDEM, a leader in the EcoSur Network, has been recognized for its work of some 15 years. Many of the technologies we promote have been started or upgraded through the scientific input from CIDEM, many strategic decisions on how to improve housing delivery and disaster reconstruction have been forged and implemented by Fernando Martirena and his team. They have created a sustainable impact on the Cuban housing policy and have contributed greatly to several other network partners´ implementing EcoTechnologies in many countries around the world.
The Scroll of Honor, launched by the United Nations Human Settlements Program in 1989, is currently the most prestigious award given by the United Nations in recognition of work carried out in the field of human settlements development. Its aim is to honor individuals and institutions instrumental in improving the living conditions in urban centers around the world.
The Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Estructuras y Materiales (CIDEM) in Cuba is awarded for blazing a new trail in low cost, low-energy, eco-friendly building materials. The centre is a research and development institute attached to the Faculty of Construction at the Universidad Central de Las Villas. Started in 1992 as a research project, it promotes the establishment of small workshops for local communities where ordinary people can learn their trade and produce their own building materials cheaply. There are over 50 such workshops in Cuba, and further workshops around the world including Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Tens of thousands of affordable, environmentally friendly homes have been built in these countries using the CIDEM system to provide flooring, roofing, tiles, and walls made of local materials using low energy production. It has also helped create new job opportunities, and helped build factories for construction materials.(from text published by UN-Habitat)
The prize was presented to CIDEM director Dr. Fernando Martirena on October 3 in Aguas Calientes, Mexico, by Felipe Calderon, president of Mexico.
Scroll of Honor CIDEM - ONU HABITAT 1.11 Mb 
