Open Architecture Network

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
In response to the devastation brought onto the community at the heart of the recent devastation, Rebuild, the San Diego Chapter of Architecture for Humanity has instituted a rebuild program for both the individual families and the community as a whole. The program serves families of all profiles in the process of rebuilding their lives and homes. This program involves aiding families via pro-bono professional services to redesign their new homes, with emphasis on implementation of proven fire prevention building techniques and green building technologies. Professional services include onsite surveys, architectural design services, permit processing, budget breakdowns, green building and fire prevention consultation, and other services offered by our volunteers all intended to guide families through the rebuilding process. This program comes to these families at a time when it is most pivotal to the rebuilding process. Months after media and public attention has seemed to wane, AFH Rebuild is working with the afflicted families to guide them to build smart, efficient, and not in haste as they are often forced to due with opportunity seeking, profit driven designers and contractors. AFH Rebuild is in collaboration with a number of other non-profit organizations to provide Green Building/Fire Prevention pro-bono consultation services to our project designers. With the resources of Rebuild Central (consisting of AFH, California Center for Sustainable Energy, United Green, and San Diego Renewable Energy Society) we are able to provide a full stop rebuild resource to fire survivors. Please see the Rebuild Central website at rebuildcentral.org for more information. We are currently working with a number of families in the Ramona, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo areas. Further, as part of the Response Program, we not only intend to provide pro-bono design services to afflicted families but we are also seeking a candidate family for whom to design and rebuild from the ground up (construction). Our target participant will be a low income, husband and wife family with children, which has sustained particular hardship as a result of the fires. This home will serve as a model to Architecture for Humanity Chapters and other non-affiliated relief organizations. The model home will be built in collaboration with Rebuild Central and will implement available green building technologies to create a truly sustainable, utility expense free home.