Mexican company to build low-income houses in Guyana using recycled materials

– model homes, other housing technologies to be displayed at Int’l Building Expo

A Mexican company is looking to establish a facility here in Guyana that will use recycled waste to make building materials to construct houses for local consumption.

This was revealed by Housing Minister Collin Croal on Friday. He was at the time updating the media on preparations for the upcoming International Building Expo 2022 which will be held at the National Stadium Tarmac, Providence, next month.
According to Minister Croal, the event will feature several innovative technologies in the housing construction sector such as 3D printing as well as the model home built entirely from recycled materials. He noted that in total, there will be eight types of model houses on display at the exposition.
“We will also have another display of a low-income house that will have design that caters for the environmental impact. So, this will be a house that will be made of 100 per cent recycled materials. It’s a special factory that is intended to be established here and so on display, this house will have a combination of trash basically from the dumpsite – the landfill site – using a unique process, melted down but will be waterproofed,” he stated.
The recycled model house will be about 600 square feet and can be put together in just five days.

Further elaborating on this initiative, Minister Croal told reporters that the Guyana Government has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mexican company that paves the way for the company to build a facility here.
“It’s something we’re looking forward to because you can have a win-win situation here in terms of utilisation of our waste, especially with the plastics.”
“They composed [the waste] and go through a process to compact it. So, it can help as an alternative home-building material and a part of making options available to persons.”
The Minister further noted that the company has already conducted preliminary studies on establishing a factory here and is also currently in talks with the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry regarding its use of waste from the landfill sites here.
However, Croal pointed out that this project would require a great deal of advanced waste management and recycling – something which he said Guyana does not practice.
“In dealing with waste, it starts actually from source and so you have separation from source. And that’s one of the benefits but we have not reached to that stage. Obviously, Guyana would have to evolve into that style of dealing with our garbage but we’d hope over time that the culture would change,” Croal added.
That recycled model house is slated to arrive in Guyana this month-end, well ahead of time for the International Building Expo, which is slated for July 22 to 24 under the theme: “A New Frontier for Building a One Guyana.”
Already, 60 per cent of the 350 booths at the National Stadium have been booked by local, regional, and international exhibitors. These include over 200 local and 12 international companies already confirmed ranging from construction, engineering and consultants, financial institutions, suppliers, manufacturing, real estate and architectural firms among others.
“We are on track with preparations for International Building Expo 2022.” Croal noted that the event will bring together stakeholders including investors and give them a platform to network.
On the other hand, Minister within the Housing Ministry Susan Rodrigues stated that the event will be bigger and better than any previous expos held. She also mentioned another innovation that will be on display at the expo – the 3D printing of a house.
“We have a company that is currently shipping a 3D printer so that for the first time in Guyana, Guyanese will be able to see a house printed for them… We want to give Guyanese as many options as possible, quality and affordable options,” the Minister stated.
This 3D printed model house will be set up so that people can do a walk-through and learn about the technology.
“The aim of this expo is to go beyond the phenomenal work that we have been doing at the Ministry of Housing. This expo will put on display, and give you a blueprint – a map out – of Guyana’s architectural future.”
“So, prepare yourself to be fascinated and to be amazed by what you will see when you walk into Building Expo 2022. It will reach you from the gate. It promises to be exciting; it will be very informational for you and the people of our country will be wowed by what they will see when they come,” Rodrigues said.
Meanwhile, in addition to the exhibition, the Housing Ministry will also be distributing land titles and issuing house lots under its “Dream Realised” initiative.
The Ministry is also working closely with the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department for traffic management during the three-day exhibition.
Among the major corporate sponsors for the event are Continental Group of Companies, E-Networks, Courts, Republic Bank Limited (RBL), and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), which will be giving away a new Toyota SUV at the end of the expo.