Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: First Energy Efficient Neighborhood

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BUENOS AIRES, Jan 30 2012 (IPS) - A multi-stakeholder forum made up by civil society organizations, private companies, academic researchers and the government plans to create a neighborhood in Argentina with 100 solar-powered homes. The so-called 100 Project has already installed solar collectors in 33 homes in the neighborhood of La Perla, located in the municipality of Moreno, 37 km west of Buenos Aires. The neighborhood is not connected to the natural gas distribution grid, which means residents must purchase bottled gas at much higher prices.

The plan is an initiative of the Social Housing and Energy Efficiency Forum, and is aimed at creating "the country’s first energy efficient neighborhood," project coordinator María Fernanda Miguel told Tierramérica.

"Our goal is to impact the public agenda so that they begin to jointly address three issues that are currently worked on separately: housing, energy and sustainability," she added.

The project is supported by the municipal authorities of Moreno and financed with donations. "The first results demonstrate that with minimum expenditure, household energy consumption can be reduced by up to 50 percent," said Miguel.