Components
Living Labs
Three buildings on the islands of Isabela, San Cristóbal, and Santa Cruz will undergo demonstrative rehabilitations to experiment with suitable strategies and technologies. These experiments will serve as the foundation for validating new standards and their regulatory instruments.
Politician
These laboratories will produce information for the formulation of public policies that encourage sustainable construction in the archipelago and establish the standards for the transition to the new paradigm through participatory mechanisms.
Training
Generation of local capacities for sustainable construction and promotion of innovative enterprises.
With the knowledge generated in the process, knowledge will be transferred to the actors of the construction chain and public officials in charge of policy implementation.
Undertakings
The feasibility of productive sustainable building ventures that offer livelihood options for the members of the construction chain will be studied.
Scalability
Options for replicating the process in other parts of Ecuador, Latin America or the Caribbean will be identified, allowing for the expansion of the knowledge generated and the adoption of sustainable building standards. The sustainable construction chain network will be regional.
Technological
Generation of architectural and technological design packages that are simple to implement in existing buildings, which maximize the use of wind and minimize heat, thus reducing energy use and increasing comfort.
Areas of Intervention
The Galapagos Islands constitute one of the 24 provinces within the political division of Ecuador. Positioned 972 km away from the mainland, with a maximum altitude of approximately 1,600 meters above sea level, the archipelago comprises 13 major islands and 215 smaller islets. Galapagos, recognized as a World Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve, a Whale Sanctuary, and a Wetlands Protection Area, represents a complex ecosystem of scientific significance.
Four islands—Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela, and Floreana—support population and commercial development, accounting for only 3% of the archipelago’s total land area.
The remaining 97% of the islands constitute protected areas. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) in 2015, the census population of the Galapagos province was 25,544 inhabitants, currently empirically estimated at 30,000 inhabitants.
Population distribution is estimated as follows: 70% for Santa Cruz, 24% for San Cristóbal, and 6% for Isabela.
The majority of inhabitants rely on tourism within the Marine Reserve and Galapagos National Park, attracting an estimated floating population of around 200,000 visitors annually to the islands.