Sector Directory

Organization

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial

Mission

Sustainable Technologies (Tecnologías Sustentables) is a part of Argentina's National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI); our department's goal is to build sociotechnical responses in a sustainable way, promoting endogenous local development. The team comprises of several disciplines and considers technology as a quintessential human activity with the desire to not only for survival, but to achieve a better life quality, conceiving it not just as a mere artifact, but also as a holistic interaction between humans and nature.

Organizational Expertise

Adoption / Behavior Change, Capacity Building, Climate/Environment, Health, Heating, Lab or Field Testing, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research

Technologies & Fuels

Biomass (Ag. Residue, Processed Biomass, etc.), Pellets / Briquettes, Wood

Clean Cooking Activities

We have developed a clean stove of our own called SARA, which is an acronym in Spanish for sustainable, environmentally responsible and high performance. Our design features an adobe carcass, whose thermical mass makes it an ideal choice for regions with sustained cold. This was one of the design premises. The other main feature is the double combustion: its S-shaped structure with a secondary burner allows an optimal use of wood. Our laboratory studies shows it reaches a 70% efficiency at its peak. Finally, the fact that it's made of adobe makes it easy to build and less dangerous for children, since they can touch and feel with no harm to them. The stove's carcass feels mildly warm to the touch, while the metal door and pipes are the only dangerous parts. We've created a manual free of charge and is fully distributable, in order to make it appropriate for everyone. It has easy terms and every indication necessary for the construction of the adobe bricks, pipe tubes, doors, and everything else.

Partnership

We'd like to expand SARA's reach to a new worldwide level. Being a free distributable manual, we're confident that our design might help some other people from around the world. We're always available in case questions or doubts appear. INTI has several studies, laboratories, and experts in energetic and fuel topics, which might be of use to fellow members from other regions and countries. Also, we'd like to learn about different possibilities to upgrade SARA's design, mainly by including an oven or something to heat water upon. We believe our experience as a nexus between "hard science" departments and social movements might be useful in order to help technological appropriateness and improve the life quality of a given community.

Regions Operating In

Latin America and Caribbean

Country Based In

Argentina

Address

General Paz 5445

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires

Website

https://inti.gob.ar/tecno_sustentables/

Primary Point of Contact

Name: Mr. Hernán Escudero

Title:

Email: hescu@inti.gob.ar