Juan Perez

Peruvian inventor who developed low-cost earthquake-resistant building materials

Juan Perez (b. 1978) is a Peruvian civil engineer whose affordable construction materials have saved thousands of lives in earthquake-prone regions. After surviving the 1970 Ancash earthquake as a child, he dedicated his career to disaster-resilient architecture. He earned his engineering degree from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Lima, later studying at MIT's Concrete Sustainability Hub.

In 2002, Perez invented EcoBlock - a composite material made from recycled plastic and locally sourced volcanic ash. This innovation reduces construction costs by 30% while providing 40% better seismic resistance than traditional concrete. His formula uses 1kg of plastic waste per square meter of wall, diverting 12 tons of plastic from landfills annually per project.

Perez's Earthquake-Safe Foundation system, launched in 2008, employs simple interlocking blocks that can be assembled without heavy machinery. This has enabled rapid reconstruction in disaster zones like the 2016 Ecuador earthquake and 2020 Nepal tremors. Over 50,000 homes have been built using his methods across Latin America and the Himalayas.

In 2015, he developed the Community Retrofit Kit - a DIY kit allowing homeowners to reinforce existing structures. This low-cost solution has been adopted in 17 countries, reducing post-earthquake fatalities by 60% in participating communities. His work was featured in NPR's Goats and Soda series.

Perez's latest project, launched in 2021, is the Green Retrofit Network - a global platform connecting engineers with communities in high-risk areas. His vision of 'building back better' continues to transform disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions.