2RW Consultants, Inc is proud to announce the completion of the second phase of its engineering and labor contributions with the Building Goodness Foundation (BGF) for the Excelsior Technical Institute (ETI) in Thomassin, Haiti, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. Construction began January 2012 and the school was dedicated in January 2013.
BGF is a Charlottesville-based nonprofit organization that brings together volunteers from construction-related industries to design and build facilities for domestic and international communities in need. Several 2rw employees including Design Principal Robert Crowell, PE and engineers Adrienne Hendrickson, PE, Jon Bruneau, PE, Lydia Riall and Colin Powell provided their engineering expertise and labor to BGF with their involvement in the Thomassin Volunteer Residence (TVR) and the ETI.
The TVR was constructed as the second story of the House of David Community Health Center, a medical clinic also built by BGF which provides services to thousands of Haitians who would otherwise have no access to health care. The TVR houses visiting medical trainers to work in the medical clinic, BGF volunteers, and other volunteers taking part in long-term rebuilding efforts in the area.
The ETI was developed by BGF and their Non Government Organization (NGO) partner, Functional Literacy Ministry (FLM), and is an important component in helping Haitians build themselves out of the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake disaster. The facility will provide education in construction trades as well as in other related skill sets so desperately needed as part of earthquake recovery. The men and women who graduate from ETI will be empowered to teach others, expanding the ability of Haitians to help Haitians. Construction began January 2012 and the school was dedicated in January 2013.
2rw’s volunteer team began their involvement on these BGF projects in early planning meetings in Charlottesville VA. Subsequent visits to Haiti were made to perform reconnaissance for locally available construction materials and construction practices, survey the properties, and provide construction support. With the knowledge gained from these visits, 2rw designed the indoor domestic plumbing and electrical systems, rainwater collection / distribution systems, the generated electrical power distribution, and photovoltaic power and solar thermal water heating systems for the facility. 2rw engineers also provided labor support for constructing the systems.
2rw continues to provide labor and leadership on other BGF projects, including constructing Incentive Kays (Creole for “home”) in the Léogâne area. Headquartered in Charlottesville VA, with branch offices in Washington DC and Atlanta GA, 2rw specializes in sustainable mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering design and energy reduction strategies.