rebuilding Haiti

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy in Haiti, key supplies are needed: water, food, medical care, and basic shelter. As the situation is stabilized, efforts are now turning turn to the challenge of rebuilding Haiti’s devastated infrastructure and buildings. HabiTek’s scalable, erector-set, do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, engineered to resist earthquakes & hurricane force winds, is a permanent solution that can be implemented now, and involve any able bodied Haitian in the process.

We envision an 8-stage process to rapidly build new homes, each stage undertaken by specialized teams moving from project cluster sites in a cascading process organized to maximize efficiency and speed:

1. footing excavation
2. setting formwork, rebar, and HabiTek anchor bolts
3. pouring & finishing concrete
4. assembly of HabiTek's steel framework (DIY)
5. sub-roof panels installed (DIY), followed by corrugated roofing
6. concrete block walls
7. windows, doors, and prefabricated gable ends
8. fit and finish work

The HabiTek System is design neutral and can be applied to other building designs and types. Also, several methods are available to enclose the structure, other than concrete block. The Model A design presented responds to the near-term demand for small starter homes that can be expanded, but many variations are possible and necessary to avoid excessive uniformity.