Below, you find a few of our cases. We hope they will inspire :
From Disaster to Design
What would ultimately develop into Hurricane Ventures began in 2007 when Hurricane Felix struck the eastern coast of Central America. Part social business, part relief, and part economic development. Hurricane worked with local communities to transform storm-felled timber into high quality design furniture, bringing much needed employment and investment into the region. This founding project is the embodiment of what Hurricane Ventures stands for and a model of how we source business opportunities to combine intelligent solutions with positive environmental and social impact.
Hurricane Felix did in one sweep remove thousands of houses and flattened millions of hectares of forest in 2007 in the Northeast RAAN region of Nicaragua. Hurricane Ventures provided recovery assistance to the affected livelihoods and areas in the region by integrating a development platform based on sustainable forest management and vocational training to local weavers and woodworkers, and establishing a development platform integrating social and environmental development. The platform made it possible for the local forest communities to put the few resources available to use, namely storm-felled trees and craftsmanship, build a more diversified local economy while preparing for the obvious to come; more tropical storms (increased in intensity, driven by rising sea temperatures).
Agroforestry
Holistic and integral planning for landowners in the process of reforesting their land. For more information see : www.futureforest.io
Centuries of enjoying and profiting from overexploitation of forests has to come to an end. Hurricane is involved in a large-scale reforestation project in an area, where over the past ten years the rate of deforestation has exceeded 250,000 hectares per annum of which 80% has been in the department of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 75% of the deforestation has been carried out illegally with no prior authorization for land clearance. HURRICANE is providing a holistic and integral solution for landowners who are planning to reforest their land. The project seeks to incorporate the commercial agricultural sector as well as indigenous communities and other stakeholders in order to optimize cooperation, utilize local knowledge and preserve the natural heritage. We are offering a development platform, a sustainable and intelligent merging of agriculture and forestry, compatible with local context that is viable both economically and environmentally.
Germination
How germination can be done in a smarter, greener, more sustainable and efficient way than current propagation methods allow.
Optimizing native tree species, cacao and coffee plant production together with Danish substrates expert Pindstrup.
Propagation
Working with world leading danish propagation systems, Ellepot.
How to produce better plants, healthier root systems and hereby securing lower mortality rates, faster growth rates and using less water while reducing plastic waste.
Solar-powered irrigation
Droughts are deteriorating the richness of the Nicaraguan soil. We facilitate the use of solar-powered irrigation systems to confront this urgent problem and help Nicaraguan farmers.
Recurring precipitation deficits are leaving Nicaraguan farmers behind, as most do not possess adequate technologies to respond to droughts. Last year, production output dropped 30%, and in 2015, due to continuous lack of rain, similar results are to be expected. In partnership with INE (Nicaraguan Energy Institute) we facilitate modernisation of Nicaraguan farmers production capacity that reduce the impacts of droughts and provide better opportunities of conserving soil and enhancing production in the most vulnerable regions of Nicaragua. Our task is to analyze current conditions of production and to provide holistic solutions for Nicaraguan farmers, offering sustainable solutions and finance to each farmer, which integrate energy optimization, solar panels and leading irrigation technology, which enables soil conservation, crop rotation, and an overall greater production output.
Affordable and Amphibious housing
Creating disaster resistant housing solutions in an effort to adapt to climate change.
HURRICANE is in the process of constructing green and affordable housing solutions in the Beni region of Northern Bolivia. A region that annually succumbs to devastating floods and is in dire need of an affordable housing solution: a house that can withstand the forces of nature. In collaboration with Danish Jeppe Utzon Architects and Bolivian entrepreneurial company MADEC, we will construct a house of groundbreaking design with high-functionality at low cost. A prime material in the construction is a patented solution by MADEC, who has developed a highly durable and resistant composite material of leftover rice husks and recycled plastic. By elevating the house unto a platform of recycled plastic barrels, the house will be able to float, impending floods will no longer pose a risk and leftover plastic materials will be put to good use. The architects behind, Jeppe Utzon Architects, are famous for utilizing simple and functional designs in a powerful aesthetic frame, which makes the construction more than just a house, but a green and disaster resistant home.
Photovoltaics in Nicaragua
Facilitating photovoltaic projects in emerging markets.
Supporting Gespa Energy in the establishment of a photovoltaic park in Nicaragua. We are facilitating the renewable energy project, which will come to its fruition in the end of 2015 in Puerto Sandino. When the photovoltaic park is established it will provide 12.5 MW to the Nicaraguan energy grid. A much needed contribution in a country, which has one of the highest energy prices in Latin America, even though oil prices are low. It is our hope that energy projects of this kind will contribute to establishing a more sound and viable energy situation in Nicaragua. In parallel, this large investment, infrastructure and knowledge-base is being used to support smaller scale local projects in cooperation with local Technology University ULSA in Leon and Danish photovoltaics expert Solaris.
Cocobolo
In Nicaraguan and Bolivian workshops, Cocobolo supports local hand craft traditions, helping local people to generate their own income by providing technical assistance and education. Cocobolo combines originality in design with natural materials and local artisan traditions.
In Nicaragua and Bolivia, craftsmanship is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. Before, during and after the colonization, crafts were developed, mastered and passed down through generations till present day. The expert skills and means of production of former times, however, have slowly deteriorated as cheap asian mass production takes over. HURRICANE is partnering up with local wood and design shops to improve local means of production, quality, sustainability and encouraging innovation while maintaining traditions. We facilitate economic and environmental solutions for local communities to foster and aid local artisanship, implement sustainable management and production practices into the equation and connect local craftsmanship to international markets. Inspired by Danish design, we introduce new ways of thinking local design, without compromising original features. This is a part of the process of making the art of craftsmanship adapt to a huge and growing international market.