Although the intentions are good, and housing is in desperate need, words like “epoxy resin” and “foam” would make the eco-minded person cringe when conjoined with “temporary structure.” Duany has said that the designs have the integrity to act as more permanent structures, and if the materials are so well suited for the environmental challenges of Haiti, why would they be only temporary? If they are not meant to be a long term solution, we question what would be done with them after their use in Haiti. Could they be transported, reassembled or reused? Furthermore, it would be welcomed information to know if the factory they propose to build would bring any negative environmental effects with it. Is there waste, off-gassing, or other harmful effects from the manufacturing of the panels?
The government has not yet made any decision for the proposals from Innovida, or from the dozens of other companies offering shelter options. With the hurricane season approaching fast, we are likely to see someone get the bid to start construction. We look forward to hearing more from Innovida, and from the decision makers in the Haitian government on the housing crisis. In a perfect world there would be a way to help remove of all of the rubble and repurpose it into strong, protective materials for rebuilding Haitian homes.
Via Jetson Green
[...] sustainable building in developing nations– delivering prefab medical, school and housing facilities where it is currently prohibitively [...]