U.S. members: Ball State, The University of Texas, and the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (Austin). Canadian members: McGill University (Montreal) and Dalhousie University (Halifax). Mexican members: the National University of México (UNAM, Mexico City) and TEC de Monterrey (Monterrey).

Ball State University: BSU, the U.S. Lead, is a national leader in sustainability. BSU employs the teacher-scholar model to bring interdisciplinary sustainability experiences into curricula via Cluster of Interdepartmental Minors in Sustainable Practices, university-wide Green and Green2 initiatives, five national “Greening of the Campus” Conferences, biomass initiative, ecological restoration certificate program, global media network, education for sustainability.

University of Texas at Austin: The University of Texas, a major research university and home to more than 48,000 students and 2700 faculty, includes a Latin American Initiative (inter- & multi-disciplinary Latin American Studies, Institute of Latin American Studies). UT’s IC2 (Innovation, Creativity Capital) Institute (www.ic2.org) links technology, entrepreneurship and education to foster sustainable, social, and economic development worldwide.

Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems: CMPBS, a not-for-profit leader in sustainability education, research, demonstration, and outreach, is located in Austin, Texas. CMPBS provides expertise in Ecobalance Planning and DesignTM and opportunities for internships in sustainability, ecological footprinting, systems modeling, eco-balancing, and projects that change society and planning/design professions.

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): UNAM, the Mexico Lead, has a network of internal and external for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that provide student opportunities for practical training. This training helps UNAM address Mexico’s national mandate of required student community work related to their discipline. UNAM students develop capacity to address housing and community with an integrative vision and knowledge to promote social transformation

Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey: The TEC de Monterrey (ITESM) educates professionals to impact communities and promote sustainability. Its housing and community programs are oriented to improving quality of life of low-income families in Mexico. It sensitizes professional students about the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of education, research, and community outreach.

Grupedsac: GRUPEDSAC is a not-for-profit community-based center. Its mission is to educate, train and develop activities that promote sustainable societies. Its demonstration and internship program offers technologies for natural building and for self sufficiency in water, energy and food. GRUPEDSAC also demonstrates and teaches about soil restoration technologies; and technologies for health and sanitation.

McGill University: McGill, the Canadian Lead, participates in projects on construction materials, small building components, low-cost sanitation and servicing systems, and human settlement planning. McGill has a history of field work in Mexico, Philippines, Nigeria, India, and China, as consultants to the World Bank and United Nations Environment Program, CIDA, IDRC, Banco de Mexico, and Housing and Urban Development Corporation of India.

Dalhousie University: The faculty of Architecture and Planning work closely with local communities around the world to address community planning, design and construction needs. They have participated in community-based and project-based education in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Botswana, and Gambia, using approaches suited to local and regional conditions. Their projects have won international community development awards. Their community-based and project-based strategies have simultaneously achieved education and community development.