First International Competition for sustainable low-income housing 2018

with recycled materials from the agave-tequila productive chain and local materials

General
information and
fact sheets
Contents

1. ITESO and its Graduate Programs in Sustainability 2

2. Second International Conference on Habitat Sustainability 3

3. First International Competition for sustainable low-income housing 5

4. Background 7
The Agave Landscape. UNESCO natural world heritage site 7
The magical town of Tequila, Jalisco 9
The Jose Cuervo factory and the Jose Cuervo Foundation 11
The need for low-income housing proposals 12
and the commitment to sustainability

5. Location of the housing project and the architectural program 14

6. Materials 16
Agave bagasse or fiber 16
Wood from white oak barrels 17
Opal stone 18
Obsidian stone 19
Bricks made from local earth with agave fiber 20
Glass from discarded bottles 21
1. ITESO and its Graduate Programs in
Sustainability
Master’s Degree in Sustainable Cities and Public Spaces
Master’s Degree in Sustainable Building Projects

The graduate programs offered by ITESO, the Jesuit University of Guadalajara, are consistent with
current social needs and theuniversity’s institutional guidelines, which include efforts to address
specific challenges to local/global development with the aim of promoting social responsibility and
cohesion, as well as a commitment to the most vulnerable sectors of the population. The fundamental
objective is for graduates to have a positive impact in the social, scientific and academic fields.

ITESO graduate programs produce innovative, creative and critical knowledge. In this sense,
innovation is conceived as the implementation of new alternatives to solve existing problems. The
application of this knowledge helps to identify or solve socio-economic, scientific, technological and
cultural dynamics and demands, and the resulting academic production is communicated in the form
of publications, the design of prototypes, systems, patents, applications or social interventions,
among others.

The Graduate Programs in Sustainability, through the Master’s Degree in Sustainable Building
Projects, seeks to reduce the multiple environmental impacts of the design and construction of our
habitat, by formulating diagnoses, identifying critical problems and proposing comprehensive
solutions considering the city’s physical, economic and social context.

For its part, the Master’s Degree in Sustainable Cities and Public Spaces seeks to generate
knowledge and form professionals capable of developing projects for the new cities taking shape in
the present and future of urban societies, concentrating relevant environmental, economic and social
processes inherent to all human settlements. These processes tend to generate critical situations,
including ecological-territorial phenomena, political-social matters, and economic-productive issues,
in addition to the administrative and institutional challenges that emerge during the implementation
of comprehensive urban projects.

2
2. Second International Conference on
habitat sustainability
Technological innovation and social creativity
in the construction of resilient cities

On this occasion, this biannual international conference coincides with the 60 th anniversary of the
foundation of ITESO, the Jesuit University of Guadalajara, and will be held from September 5 to 7,
2018.

This event is planned as a space to share academic and professional experiences through multiple
specialized activities: presentations, conferences, discussion panels, workshops, guided technical visits
and exhibits aimed at sharing technological innovations and successful experiences of social creativity
in the construction of resilient cities.
The topics will be divided into two main thematic areas:

• TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION: An essential element for development in its applications to

matters of sustainability and urban resiliency. This theme focuses mainly on the experiences and
projects that relate to the construction of resilient and inclusive cities, including: technological
prototypes, sustainable construction materials and systems, the design of new technological
devices for comprehensive water and waste management and energy efficiency.

• SOCIAL CREATIVITY: Cases that highlight the human factor in projects that use social
creativity as a tool to generate proposals that contribute to urban resiliency, such as: public
policy proposals, social participation models for land management, intervention proposals to
achieve resiliency, new development plans that focus on low-income housing, evaluation of
governance experiences, innovative methodologies to analyze and measure the social and
environmental impacts of urban development, and experiences of intervention and
transformation of urban landscapes in contexts of heritage and nature reserves.
3
For the purpose of making meaningful contributions to both topics, the Graduate Programs in
Sustainabillity, with the support of the “UNESCO ITESO Chair on habitat management and socially
sustainable development,” signed cooperation agreements for the joint organization of the
International Conference with the “UNESCO Chair on Earthen Architecture, constructive cultures
and sustainable development,” of the National School of Architecture in Grenoble, France1, and with
the “UNESCO Chair on Biosphere Reserves and natural and mixed World Heritage Sites” of the
University for International Cooperation2 of Costa Rica.

These strategic alliances for the organization of the International Conference on Sustainability serve
to reinforce cooperation among universities in issues related to habitat sustainability, and help to
establish common projects to address topics that are relevant to all.

1
National School of Architecture in Grenoble, Francia: http://www.grenoble.archi.fr/
2
University for International Cooperation, Costa Rica: https://www.uci.ac.cr/
3. First International Competition for
sustainable low-income housing

Taking into account the strategic collaboration with the UNESCO Chairs on topics of sustainable
construction and the conservation of natural and mixed world heritage sites, the Jose Cuervo
Foundation and ITESO’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability have organized the “1st International
Competition for the conceptual design of sustainable low-income housing using recycled materials
from the agave-tequila production chain.” This competition invites national and international habitat
professionals; architecture, civil engineering and design students; and students from related areas,
to generate sustainable low-income housing proposals through the application of constructive
knowledge of local cultures, for families living in situations of vulnerability in the community of
Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, which makes up part of the Agave Landscape, listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 2006.

Currently, in the Agave Landscape of Jalisco, Mexico, the agave-tequila manufacturing process,
including the tequila manufacturing process of the Jose Cuervo factory, wastes large amounts of
materials that could be repurposed creatively in the construction and architecture sectors, in
combination with traditional architectural practices. Thus, the intention is to reutilize, recycle and in
general make productive use of byproducts of the tequila manufacturing process and other local
resources, such as:

• Agave bagasse or fiber

• Wood from white oak barrels
• Opal stone
• Obsidian stone
• Bricks made from local earth with agave fiber
• Glass from discarded bottles
• Earth from the region

3
Fundación Jose Cuervo: http://www.fundacionjosecuervo.org.mx/
5
Inputs from the tequila
manufacturing
process:

Cuervo tequila factory Agave bagasse

Glass Agave fiber bricks

White oak barrels

Obsidian stone Earth from the region

Opal stone
4. Background

Agave Landscape. UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site

The Agave landscape lies between the slopes of the Tequila volcano and the deep Rio Grande
valley, and extends over an area of 34,658 hectares, forming part of a vast landscape of blue agave
fields, a plant that has been used since the 16 th century to make tequila, and has been used for at
least 2,000 years to make fermented drinks and clothes with its textile fibers. This landscape
encompasses the activity of tequila distilleries, which reflect the increase in the international
consumption of this alcoholic beverage throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today, agave production is considered an essential element of Mexican national identity. This site
includes the blue agave fields as well as the urban settlements of Tequila, Arenal and Amatitan, all
of which include large distilleries that ferment the hearts of the agave plant to make alcohol. The
area also includes archeological sites that feature crop terraces, houses, temples, ceremonial sites
and indigenous ball game courts, belonging to the Teuchitlán culture, which flourished in the region
of Tequila between 200 and 900 A.D 4.

4
Source: http://whc.unesco.org/es/list/1209 consulted on April 30, 2018.
Agave Landscape
World Heritage

Agave landscape

Map of the Agave landscape and the old factories of Tequila, Agave landscape
Soruce: http://whc.unesco.org/es/list/1209
8
 4.2 The magical town of Tequila, Jalisco

The name comes from the Nahuatl word “Tecuilan”, which means “place of tributes.” Tequila
zealously preserves some of its most ancient traditions, such as the nine o’clock blessing, in which
the town priest blesses the residents by ringing the church bells three times. The town stops its
activities for that moment, as the locals stand facing the church. The municipality also produces
handcrafted objects that allude to the growing of agave and the production of tequila, as well as
pottery.

Characteristics:
• Listed on the Magical Town Registry in the year 2003.
• Tequila, “place of cutting” or “place of tributes”
• This land of blue gold lies on the slopes of the Tequila volcano and in the Rio Grande canyon, in
the midst of agave fields, old haciendas and distilleries that manufacture the delicious spirit that
symbolizes Mexican culture.
• It was originally inhabited by Chichimeca, Otomi, Tolteca and Nahuatlaca tribes, until it was
conquered by Spain in 1530.

Attractions:
• La Rojeña, Jose Cuervo Hacienda and distillery
• Parish of St. James the Apostle
• National Tequila Museum
• The public washing stations
• La Quinta Sauza
• The Tequila Express or the Jose Cuervo Express
• Holy Cross Sanctuary
Holy Cross Sanctuary
Festivities:
• Cultural Week, celebrated every year from April 1st to the 15th.
• Day of the Holy Cross, celebrated every May 3rd with pilgrimages to Holy Cross Sanctuary with
traditional dances and fireworks.
• The National Tequila Fair, celebrated every November and December, which coincides with festivities
honoring the town’s patron saint.

Location:
The municipality of Tequila is located slightly west of the geographical center of the state of Jalisco.
The region borders the state of Zacatecas and the town of San Martín de Bolaños to the north, and
the municipalities of Ahualulco de Mercado, Teuchitlán and Amatitán to the south.5

Map of the Mexican Republic, the State of Jalisco

and the town of Tequila. Source: google maps

5
Reviewed at: http://www.sectur.gob.mx/gobmx/pueblos-magicos/tequila-jalisco/
Consulted on April 30, 2018. 10
4.3 The Jose Cuervo Factory and the Jose Cuervo Foundation
Jose Cuervo is a Mexican company that has been manufacturing tequila for over 250 years, with the
experience, tradition and recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

In 1758, José Antonio de Cuervo y Valdés received a property permit from King Fernando VI that
allowed him to plant agave on his lands for the purpose of producing tequila. Several years later, the
first José Cuervo barrels would arrive in California from the port of San Blas, in 1852.

In the 1970s, Tequila obtained the “denomination of origin,” which gave it a status similar to that of
Champagne, which can only be made in France, or Scotch whisky, which can only be distilled in
Scotland. Since 1974, for a spirit to be named “tequila,” it can only be made in certain states of Mexico.
At that time, the Foundation assumed its commitment to work in favor of its community.

Today, it is a consolidated Tequila company that exports its products around the world.
The Jose Cuervo Foundation
The Jose Cuervo Foundation is committed to the development of sustainable projects and programs
that address the community’s needs by implementing efficient and transparent processes, providing
service characterized by warmth, respect and dignity, and seeking the continuous improvement and
transcendence of its actions to raise people’s quality of life.

Since its creation, the Foundation has maintained a clear vision that its social initiatives should
“Contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of communities adjacent to Jose Cuervo
facilities.” This is the Mission that the Corporate Presidency has entrusted to the Foundation. Thus,
the hallmark of the Jose Cuervo Foundation is its proximity to these communities, in this case, to
Tequila, Jalisco.

4.4 The need for generating low-income housing proposals

and the commitment to sustainability

The state of inequality in Mexico is reflected, among other ways, in a housing deficit for low-income
people, who struggle constantly to find decent housing. ITESO and its Department of Habitat and
Urban Development are aware of these realities and the crisis of the current urban model; in
response they have established Graduate Programs in Sustainability designed to come up with
interdisciplinary solutions for the growing environmental and social deterioration to which urban
spaces are exposed to at the local, national and global level. To achieve this, they look for strategies
that promote the design of innovative and participatory projects that address urban problems in their
social and spatial dimensions through collaborative decision-making and the planning and design of
public space intervention projects aimed at achieving habitat sustainability.

12
This problem requires critical thinking about the complex state of our current society in terms of the
deterioration of human well-being and our relationship with our natural surroundings, which in turn
requires responsible leadership in order to stimulate action and promote change from a sustainability
standpoint; to manage comprehensive solutions by drawing on multiple fields of knowledge,
including practical and scientific knowledge; to formulate indicators and public policies that yield
tangible, visible results; and to evaluate concrete progress, achievements and learning.

These objectives call for strategic alliances with institutions and companies that share the vision of
building a fairer and better world. In this case, the Jose Cuervo Foundation has joined efforts with
ITESO to promote the initiative of using the byproducts generated in the agave-tequila productive
chain, and in the tequila manufacturing process of the Jose Cuervo factory, that could be creatively
repurposed as construction materials in combination with innovative and traditional architectural
elements. This implies the challenge of reusing, recycling, and in general making productive use of
byproducts of the tequila manufacturing process to generate low-income housing proposals that
could help to reduce social inequalities in the region through the self-construction of decent housing,
using sustainable materials.
5. Location of the housing project and architectural program

Location of the lots. Housing.

Site location: Colonia La Cofradía
Coordinates: Latitude: 20°53’11.52”N
Longitude: 20°53'11.52"N
Land surface: 140 M2

Architectural program
Users: 4-6 people
Required spaces:
• Living room
• Dining room
• Kitchen
• Bedroom 1 Location of the Colonia La Cofradía community in Tequila, Jal. Map obtained from
• Bedroom 2 Google earth.
• Bathroom
• Washing area
• Working area / home workshop
• Possibility of gradual growth

Location of the Colonia La Cofradía Location of the sample lot. Map obtained from Google earth.
community. Map obtained from
Google earth.
14
 General information

The houses in the Colonia La Cofradía are built predominantly of brick, and the neighborhood has
water, sewage, and public lighting services. It does not have telephone or internet connection, or
stationary gas tanks, and its streets and sidewalks are unpaved.

The community’s families work outside of their homes. Some work in stands or stores in Tequila;
others sell products they manufacture at home.
These are temporary jobs they perform 2 or 3 times a week, which allows them to earn some income.
They are responsible for maintaining their homes and providing for the family members who live with
them. Some of the houses have concrete floors in some of the rooms, which have brick walls in poor
condition and without any type of furnishing, with deficient sanitary and washing areas and an
average of two rooms for an entire family to carry out all of its activities.

These precarious living conditions are prevalent in Colonia La Cofradía, and the intention is to
generate a sustainable housing model that could be replicated and self-constructed gradually by the
residents, using materials that are readily available in the region.
6. Materials

6.1 Agave bagasse or fiber

Original Use: Fiber byproduct obtained from the
grinding process that extracts juices from agave
hearts.
Natural State: Moist fiber, without processing.
Extracted directly from the factory.
Description: Usable vegetable fiber.

Dimensions: Not defined.

Resistance (Humidity, Heat, Compression)

Not identified.
Available amount: Unlimited.
6.2 Wood from white oak barrels
Original Use: Barrels used to age tequila.

Natural State: Barrels with an expired shelf life in the

tequila manufacturing process. Equipped with 8
galvanized metal bands.
Description: Review specifications of original manufacturer:
http://www.tonnelleriequintessence.fr/300l-fr.html
Characteristics: Weight: 58 kg approximately.

Dimensions: Height: 1008 mm. Review type specifications

(http://www.toneleriavictoria.com/archivos_es/especifica-
ciones300lt2.pdf).
Available amount: Indefinite.
6.3 Opal stone
The main activity of Magdalena, Jalisco, is the extraction of
opal stone from nearby mines mainly for the jewelry
industry; however, the rock obtained from opal quarries
can be used for construction systems.
Original Use: Stone for the extraction of the opal mineral.
Opal is often a plant and animal fossilizing agent. It also
serves as a raw material for sculpting.
Natural State: In quarries, without polish, usable for
flagstone flooring, facing, foundations and wall building.
Description: Porous material, made of silica, similar to
quartz and other related materials.
Characteristics: Multiple colors, including ochre and
brown colors, with a porous texture.
Dimensions: Variable, for different applications.

Resistance (Humidity, heat, compression) Has properties

that make it suitable for use in walls, foundations, facing,
flooring, etc.
Available amount: Indefinite.
6.4 Obsidian stone
Obsidian is an igneous rock also known as volcanic glass,
produced in the final stage of a volcanic eruption. Obsidian
can appear in several colors or display different visual
effects on the rock surface. It is also used for decorative
purposes.
Original Use: Usually used for jewelry or decorative
purposes; in ancient times, it was used as a cutting tool
and even to make arrowheads.
Natural State: Found at ground level throughout region,
in different sizes and amounts.
Description: Generally found in Russia, USA, China
and Mexico.
Characteristics: Usually black (or gray), sometimes with gold
coloring on the surface, rainbow effects and white spots.
Dimensions: Variable, for different applications.

Resistance (Humidity, heat, compression): Hard and

brittle material, when fractured it has very sharp edges.
Available amount: Indefinite.
6.5 Local earthen brick containing agave fiber

Natural State: Baked earthen bricks used in the region in

different sizes.
Description: Hand-made brick with varying
proportions of earth, clays, sands, agave fibers and
manure, sun-dried and baked in a special oven.
Characteristics: Bricks of several sizes used for wall
building, flooring, facing, etc.
Dimensions:
Brick: 0.13 x 0.28 x 5.5 cm (used for walls).
Wedge: 0.10 x 0.20 x 0.50 cm (used for Catalan vaults,
roofs).
Double brick or toad brick: 0.10 x 0.14 x 0.29 cm (used for
walls).

Resistance (Humidity, heat, compression): For walls

and brick vault facing.
Amount available: Indefinite.
6.6 Glass from discarded bottles
Original Use: Tequila, wine and beer bottles.

Natural State: Empty bottles, some labeled, of different

colors and sizes.
Description: Discarded glass bottles from hotels and
restaurants of the region, and from the tequila
manufacturing processes.
Characteristics: Different sizes and colors that range
from transparent to green and brown. Some are labeled
or stamped.
Dimensions: Different colors and sizes.

Resistance (Humidity, heat, compression):

Not specified. .
Amount available: Indefinite.