Claudia Sarmiento

Mexican environmental engineer turning construction waste into eco-friendly building materials through circular economy principles

Claudia Sarmiento is the founder of EcoDomum, a Mexico-based company pioneering the transformation of construction waste into sustainable building materials. Born in 1988 in Monterrey, she witnessed the environmental impact of urbanization while studying civil engineering at the National Polytechnic Institute. In 2012, she launched EcoDomum with a mission to reduce landfill waste through innovative recycling processes.

The company's signature product, 'EcoBlock', is made from 90% construction debris mixed with non-toxic binders. These interlocking blocks require 70% less energy to produce than traditional concrete and sequester CO2 during production. By 2023, EcoDomum had diverted over 200,000 tons of waste from landfills and constructed 1,200 affordable housing units across Mexico's marginalized communities. The technology has been adopted by the Mexican government's CONAGUA for disaster-resistant housing projects.

Sarmiento's circular economy model includes a community recycling network that pays informal waste pickers per kilogram of debris collected. This initiative created 3,000+ micro-entrepreneur opportunities while reducing landfill usage by 40% in participating cities. Her team developed the Waste2Wealth app connecting construction companies with recycling centers, recognized at the 2021 Latin American Green Tech Awards.

Claudia's vision extends to global collaboration: she co-founded the Build Back Better Materials Network, a coalition of 15 countries sharing recycling technologies. Her work was featured in the documentary Waste to Wonder (2022) and inspired the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan. In 2023, she launched EcoDomum Academy, offering free online courses in sustainable construction to 20,000+ students worldwide.