

High Strength Connectors key to Haiti School Rebuild
The Canadian Construction Association together with its partners the British Columbia Construction Association, Builders without Borders, and the Association de la construction du Québec are rebuilding École Lakay, a Port-au-Prince, Haiti-based trade school destroyed by the January 2010 magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
CAST CONNEX is proud to have donated 170 CAST CONNEX® High Strength Connectors™ to Builders without Borders for use in the construction of the school, which will train young Haitians in masonry, welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrical and refrigeration so that they will be able to construct safe buildings for years to come. The school will also have the capacity to serve as a safe zone - providing food, shelter and medical attention - in the event of another natural disaster.
High Strength Connectors were critical to the design and construct the school. Use of the connectors provided the requisite seismic protection and also eliminated the need to perform field welding, which simplified construction and enabled local labor forces to carry out the erection of the structural steel frame under the guidance of Canadian engineers.
Lead agency: Canadian Construction Association
Partner agency: Builders without Borders
Partner agency: Association de la construction du Québec
Partner agency: British Columbia Construction Association
Donors: Full list of individuals and companies