USGBC and AIA Announce Architecture for Humanity Sustainability Design Fellow

Washington, DC., One month after the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the search for the Architecture for Humanity (AFH) Sustainable Design Fellow to lead AFH’s sustainable rebuilding efforts in Haiti, Stacey McMahan, AIA, LEED AP, has been appointed to the fellowship. McMahan will work directly with community members on the ground in Architecture for Humanity’s Rebuilding Center based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. USGBC, AIA and AFH recognize that this crisis presents an unprecedented opportunity to learn from the reconstruction work and improve disaster responses elsewhere in the world and here in the U.S. McMahan’s work on the ground in Haiti will be vital to future education on how sustainability after a disaster can be achieved.
“Sustainability needs a strong voice in Haiti’s reconstruction,” said Eric Cesal, Regional Program Manager for Architecture for Humanity in Haiti. “Faced with urgent needs on the ground, there is always a temptation to do it fast, instead of doing it right. We expect McMahan will help us do both.”
“Out of this horrific disaster should come improved building practices, strengthened building codes, and stronger, safer buildings that also address green building and sustainable planning,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Without a doubt, Stacey McMahan will put to practice her knowledge of LEED and sustainable design principles, as well as her passion for helping others toward making these new buildings safer and more durable for the people of Haiti.” Chief among McMahan’s responsibilities will be to provide tools and training for safe and sustainable construction both to the informal trades and by increasing local professional capacity through training and assistance as a path to mitigating similar building failures in the future. “Stacey brings the best the architecture profession has to offer to this new assignment,” said AIA President George H. Miller, FAIA. “Her talent, skill and compassion, combined with her intense dedication to the design process, will help the people of Haiti rebuild their nation in a way that prevents a tragedy of this magnitude from ever happening again.” To learn more about the U.S. Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects-sponsored Sustainable Design Fellowship with Architecture for Humanity, please visit: http://architectureforhumanity.org/get_involved/volunteer.