In the hopes of contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous nation, the Haitian Education Leadership Program (HELP), based in Port-au-Prince, recruits the brightest students from around the country that do not have the means to receive a quality education on their own. HELP offers scholarships to high school graduates for a college education, and provides their students with housing, access to their school textbooks, stipends for food and transportation, and supplemental enrichment curriculum. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti shed light on the extreme hazard unsafe infrastructure can play in natural disaster response. When building systems are not designed properly, it can be the difference between life and death. Building codes are meant to provide standards for occupant safety, and the HELP team wants to ensure that their current properties and any new facilities are designed to International Building Standards, and can be leveraged to meet their strategic growth vision. As part of their long term campus planning activities, HELP is looking to understand the condition and capacity of their properties. A visual infrastructure review of #16 Rue Garoute property and the Croix des Prez Dormitory were conducted to understand the state of their current systems including, security, structure, building envelope, electrical, plumbing, and sanitation. The review highlights safety concerns, upgrades, and recommendations regarding repairs, and feasibility for renovation.
Haitan Educational Leadership Program (HELP)
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
July 2018
Education
Infrastructure Review, Feasibility Study
Project Completed at Build Health International
A team with extensive knowledge of design, engineering and construction surveyed existing buildings to document their current conditions to understand the scope of any potential renovation work. The team’s review included security, structure, building envelope, electric system, plumbing system, and sanitation systems.
Based on the collection of information during the existing conditions survey, the team compiled their findings and photos to outline the extent of any repairs and upgrades needed to make the buildings safe and suitable for renovation. The team used the International Building Code (IBC) as a standard guideline for safety. The security measures, the structural system, the condition of the building envelope, the electric system, the plumbing system, and the sanitation systems are documented with plans, photos and detailed explanations of the systems overall attributes and any areas that are in need of repair or cause for concern.
The team worked with HELP to understand their vision for the project as well as their budget so an informed set of recommendations regarding repairs could be made. Providing HELP with the critical issues that need to be addressed lead to the understanding of the financial implications of the scope work.
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
