Tequila Komos builds first schoolhouse from tequila waste in Mexico

Tequila Komos and the Komos Foundation have unveiled their first schoolhouse made entirely from tequila production byproducts in Amatitán, Jalisco, marking a groundbreaking step in sustainable construction and community upliftment.

The classroom, built using 2,500 adobe bricks, incorporates 42,500 kg of bagazo (cooked agave fiber) and 16,000 liters of vinaza (liquid waste). The project utilized 98 percent bioconstruction materials, avoiding cement or metal—except for steel roof beams—and stands as a multi-purpose learning space for 39 new students at Escuela Gabriela Mistral.

Driven by a zero-waste goal, the Komos Foundation—established in 2019 by CKBG Co-founder Richard Betts—is now scaling efforts to construct more classrooms and homes across Mexico. The initiative builds on Betts’ early work in Oaxaca, where he developed a method to upcycle tequila byproducts into durable adobe bricks, an age-old regional building technique.

The classroom project was executed with the support of local partners, including architecture students from Iteso University, architect Ernesto Rizo, and community workers trained in adobe construction. Regulatory bodies collaborated to ensure the bricks met structural standards.