Ponte Verde is a series of lectures, installations, and exhibitions taking place at National University College in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Described by its organizer and producer, Sara López, as “a super-ambitious but realistic project,” the event will take place from March 24 to 28, 2010.

According to López, the project springs from a desire to raise ecological awareness in adults and youth. Part of the strategy is to render eco-sustainability as a useful reality rather than as a noble theory, to avoid jargon, making sure that the ecological vocabulary used is clear and straightforward, and to provide numerous interactive spaces and activities. This year this year the installations include a full-scale “green” home.

Invited speakers include Awilda Enid López, realtor and expert in condominium management, who will lecture on Saturday and Sunday 28 on how to adapt green technology to multilevel housing such as condominiums. Other featured participants are three renowned architects: Fernando Abruña, who will present EcoQui, the first mobile eco-house designed locally; Nataniel Fúster, creator of the first ecologically sustainable home available for sale in Puerto Rico; and Astrid Díaz, who will present the Casa Verde [Green House], a full-scale structure to show how a house with low environmental impact would look. 

Díaz explains how, when designing a house for a particular climate such as Puerto Rico’s, architects consider, among other factors, the orientation of the sun and wind in order to take full advantage of the natural light and to provide comfort without having to use fans or air conditioners. She believes that in a few years, “green” homes will be more and more common and there will be more integration of the new ecologically-friendly technologies.

For full article, see http://www.primerahora.com/diario/noticia/cooltura/vive_a_tu_manera/todos_por_una_isla_verde/376115