Notre Dame E2E group develops novel housing solution for Haiti | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Notre Dame E2E group develops novel housing solution for Haiti Notre Dame E2E group develops novel housing solution for Haiti Published: August 20, 2014 Author: William G. Gilroy The attention and concern of the world was focused on Haiti following its Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake. As is often the case, as time went on, the focus on Haiti became less intense as the world moved on. A Notre Dame structural engineering team constructs an E2E house prototype in White Field However, the plight of Haitians has remained a driving concern for a group of University of Notre Dame engineering professors and students who are working to bring about a novel housing solution in that country. It is estimated that more than 1.3 million people were left homeless as a result of the earthquake, primarily because of the poor quality of Haitian home construction. In response to this housing crisis, University of Notre Dame faculty Tracy Kijewski-Correa and Alexandros Taflanidis and graduate student Dustin Mix visited Haiti and subsequently created “Engineering2Empower” (E2E). Although the Notre Dame engineers recognized the well-intentioned recovery efforts of nongovernmental organizations and other charitable agencies, they soon realized much more fundamental problems were plaguing housing in Haiti. As an alternative, E2E envisions a world where all families can afford a safe, dignified home. Its goal became to design affordable homes that Haitian families can purchase from Haitian businesses. “The solution to the permanent housing crisis in Haiti, as in many parts of the developing world, cannot be imported, imposed or donated,” E2E’s mission statement reads. “It has to be one that empowers the people to become self-reliant.” E2E engineers and students operate under three guiding principles: “Listen, innovate and empower.” They listen to the needs of local families and recognize the capabilities of the local builders who serve them. They innovate by turning ideas into free market solutions, and they empower communities to break the cycle of aid dependence and vulnerability. This spring, the E2E vision began to become a reality when its participants joined with contractors to build two prototypes of the Haitian home on Notre Dame’s White Field. The prototypes will be part of the E2E Expo running throughout the upcoming football season. Visitors to campus can learn about the initiative and opportunities to assist the Haitian recovery that has already begun with the first E2E home standing in Léogâne, Haiti. More information about both the E2E Expo and opportunities to visit the site during game day open houses can be found at www.E2Eexpo.org. While the work in Haiti is far from complete, E2E hopes to one day expand its operations into other developing countries that face similar housing challenges. The group’s hope is that as the world moves on from its next natural disaster, it will be there to help families obtain a safe, dignified home. Contact: Tracy Kijewski-Correa, 574-631-2980, Tracy.L.Correa.5@nd.edu Posted In: International Research Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 12, 2022 Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street … in different countries? June 01, 2022 University of Notre Dame to establish consortium of Catholic universities to study Muslim-Christian relations May 03, 2022 Pulte Institute launches Central America Research Alliance For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn