IDDS 2012 in Brazil was a summit of many firsts: first to be organized by a local team, first to be held in Latin America, first bilingual summit, and the first summit with an urban focus.

Participants at IDDS 2012 Brazil developed affordable technologies that could generate a positive effect on the city’s environment and on the quality of life of its inhabitants living in poverty.

Projects included:  

• An educational technology platform for financial planning and management
• Educational and instructional materials on waste management and treatment
• A new way of making eco-friendly bricks for construction
• Alternative low-cost flooring option for people living in local slums
• Alternatives for recycling commonly-found PET bottles which often go to waste
• Promoting urban agriculture through vertical gardens