Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department Of

RUBBISH TO RESOURCE

______

Thesis

presented to

the Faculty of the Department of Architecture & Design

at SUNY Alfred State

______

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Architecture

______

ERYN COCHRAN

Prof. Janet Doe, Thesis Chair

May 2019

Contents Thesis Abstract ...... 1 Initial Proposal ...... 1 Proposal Signature Page ...... 2 Statement of Problem ...... 3 Significance ...... 3 Hypothesis...... 3 Methodology ...... 5 Schematic Design ...... 22 Structural Design Considerations ...... 23 Structural Design ...... 23 Electrical Design ...... 26 Plumbing Design ...... 30 Flow Design ...... 31 Completed Design ...... 31 Factory ...... 31 Home Options Rendered ...... 35 Satellite Collection Facility ...... 37 Completed Thesis Signature Page ...... 37

Thank you to my Advisory Board

Professor Joy Carlson, Bert Fortner & Professor Jessica Lippa

Thank you to my Thesis Studio Professors

Professor Sue Akiyama & Dr. Alex Bitterman

Thank you to my Engineering Consultants

Structural Engineer Professor William Carlson, Electrical Engineer Professor Timothy Cochran,

Materials Science and Engineering Andrew King & Mechanical Engineer Dr. Matt Lawrence

Thanks to

Provost Kristin Poppo, Professor Jack Jones, Professor Erin Vitale, Mr. Daniel Woolston

who ground this project in perspective and broadened the scope.

Special Thanks to

Professors Jessica and Geoff Lippa

for lighting the initial spark.

iii

Thesis Abstract

Rubbish to Resource thesis focuses on developing modular homes from unrealized local materials. The most prominent of the local materials being waste plastic improves the neighborhoods by supping building material and cleaning the streets and beaches.

Initial Proposal

Refuse to Recourses Manmade waste is accumulating in the area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti where Nehemiah Vision is assisting those devastated by the 2010 hurricane. With no sewer systems or landfills, this problem continues to fill the streets and putrefy the air. A multipurpose complex of recycling center and skills training is necessary to turn garbage into artisan and building resources which enables rebuilding. Turning the refuse into a resource though design positively enforces clean and healthy environments and stimulates the economy. While compost toilets will enrich the environment, garbage will be collected, sorted, and put to use. Alfred State already has a strong affiliation with this area with the outreach of the nursing and agriculture departments and recently the Construction Management program. This design concept is inspired by conversations with the faculty and staff with firsthand knowledge and would complement their efforts.

Initially the proposed title was Refuse, as in waste. However, due to general misunderstanding the title was changed to a less illusive title of Rubbish to Resource.

Proposal Signature Page

Statement of Problem Port-au-Prince Haiti lacks adequate housing. There is also a major plastic trash problem in Haiti. Put the two problems together and a solution forms.

Significance Without the most basic of needs met no society is able to progress beyond survival. Those I interviewed for their first hand recounts including both nursing and construction backgrounds saw the need for basic housing. Sanitation was a issue that is glaring or stinking. No sewers or garbage system, little electricity and polluted water were all challenges that need solutions. Rubbish to Resource took that input and designed a dignified solution to a multilayered problem.

Hypothesis

This thesis hypothesizes if manufacturing building materials and developing human capital in building trades from Rubbish to Resource is implemented, then local people have resources to build their environment sustaining the local economy.

Methodology

It will take a time for Refuse to Resource to develop to its full design plan since the growth is demand driven. The design of the complex in phases recognizes the importance of self- perpetuated growth for a stable business. Refuse to Resource design is a business. As the plastic building products are demanded by the market, the complex will sprout within its plan. The design will show the complex through to each phase of its growth until the complex’s fully operational design is reached. Refuse to Resource complex design balances two facets: manufacturing and training. While the two fascists of this complex are different, they are each vital to ensuring the future vision of the Refuse to Resource design. The manufacturing side develops physical building parts for construction. The training side develops human capital for the instillation and creation of the physical parts.

Summery Hypothesis: If manufacturing building materials and developing human capital in building trades for Refuse to Resource is implemented…

Summery Prediction: …then the local people of Port-au-Prince will have both the resource and knowledge base to build their environment in a manner that helps stabilize the local economy.

Manufacturing Prediction Manufacturing will supply material for infrastructure from untapped local resources. Waste plastic will be removed and turned into a benefit instead of a detriment. This will supply the community with job opportunities and income source. The process will be kept as local as possible and build itself up to its full potential though patients of natural growth.

Gather: The plastic trash will need collecting. Gathering will be a collective effort and involve both the regular citizen and employees of the Refuse to Resource complex. The complex will have an area designated for plastic to pile and be sorted through. This area will start out small at the initial scheduled phases and grow as the complex is expanded through the resources it develops.

Sorting: There are seven categories of plastic: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), HDPE (High- Density Polyethylene), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), and PS (Polystyrene). Each category has specialties and a different chemical makeup. Before being ground, the plastic must be sorted by plastic property. While the earliest scheduled phases of this complex will strive for perfecting product forms and self-promotion, further sorting to separate colors will occur once the project has achieved its first phases. While the color separation is purely for esthetic reasons, adding the element of color brings variety to a product that would otherwise be shades of gray. A product with various elements of color and uniqueness will hopefully entice the customers and further business.

Grind: The complex and its operations will start off small with only a single grinder. This machine turns the waste plastic into small grains of plastic. As the complex grows through its profits, more grinding machines will be added. When the complex has reached its fully designed scale, an entire building section will be dedicated to the grinding of plastic.

Storage: After the plastic is sorted and ground, it may not be molded immediately. The amount ground in a batch amasses to several times the amount needed for a single mold. Since there are different types of plastic and different colors, numerous storage containers will be needed. Furthermore, different colors are more common than others. The storage containers would be for both amassing enough of a color and type of plastic for a project and keeping material until it is wanted by the molding department. This storage area will be near both the grinding plant and the molding process.

Mold: Plastic is incredibly versatile. There are several ways plastic is molded. One of those methods is filling a cast with a liquid ground concoction of plastic.

Mold Making: The molds used during the manufacturing must be made somewhere. With the ironworker training as part of the complex, molds will be made on site. Advantages of on-site molding include close collaboration and reliability. Since the complex will make the molds, there is immediately feedback with testing. If a mold is made and one of the workers using the mold in production thinks this process would be easier or more effective if this mold was changed slightly, that worker can go and show the ironworkers who made the mold how the mold can be improved. The close proximity of the ironworkers and the production line also allows the ironworkers to observe and interact with how their molds affect the product.

New Designs: While the design and number of the parts will start off simple, complexity and variety will be added. Ensuring the mold makers and mold users work in the same environment will naturally allow collaboration between the two sides, to make current methods more efficient and expand to new ideas. As the complex’s product becomes more well- known and secure in its market, room for exploration and new ideas will find space. The innovation and variety that new plastic building parts will bring and keep customers interested in the complex’s product and expand construction options.

Prototype Testing: With the design of new plastic products, testing will occur before those products are made in mass. An area for prototype testing will located be near the ironworkers’ shop. Once the design is proven it will be integrated into the main manufacturing floor operations.

Mold Repair: With any tool maintenance and repair is needed. With repeated use the molds will occasionally require repair. Keeping the mechanisms of the molds operational is critical to the productivity of the manufacturing.

Machine Maintenance and Repair: As with the molds all tools, require maintenance and repair. The manufacturing facility will include grinding machines, conveyer belts and crane systems. Any motorized or moving equipment will be kept functional by specially trained employees.

Training Prediction This side develops human capital. Materials are important, but having the knowledge to construct with those materials efficiently allows for the fullest use of resources. Skills related to building trades will be taught in a hands-on setting, much like apprenticing. There are two main distinctions in categorizing the trades developed in this vision: skills focused in the complex and skills focused outside the complex. Skills focusing in the complex will be those related to the everyday operations and maintain of the manufacturing process such as the work of machine operators and iron workers. Skills focusing outside the complex complement the construction utilizing plastic components from the complex. Electricians and plumbers are in this second category since their skills would be used to further community construction. Electricians and plumbers will be needed to help build and maintain the complex, but the majority of these skill sets will be utilized within the community. Teachers for each of the following trades will be needed. This aspect, as with the entire complex, will begin small and become self-perpetuating. The initial instructors may come from outside the local community, but once local people have been trained, the first class of students will be able to help train other Haitians.

Machine operators: Someone from the local Haitian community must learn how to operate and repair the plastic grinding machines and other motorized elements of the complex to maintain productivity. Machine operators will run the manufacturing process and use their skills to transform waste plastic into beneficial building material.

Iron workers and welders: The molds to create the plastic building elements are metal. Any new plastic component design will require a new set of molds. Constructing these molds is key to making the plastic building components, and ironworkers will shape the future of the plastic products.

Machine Tool Technology: Local people who are trained in making parts using machines are valuable in making unique or specialized parts from the reclaimed plastic or metal. These parts could be used in the complex or the building that will extend outside the complex as the complex’s industry develops. Haitians in this trade will refine the resources manufactured at the complex.

Masons: While reused plastic is the primary focus of this complex, there may arise occasions that stone, brick or cement may be needed when plastic components do not solve that particular requirement. These building materials are already used since the materials are local; thus, including an area to teach masonry skills will prove valuable.

Electrical: Where there is electric light there is need for electricians. The complex will include electric lighting. Further, the complex will house many power tools and large motorized equipment that will require a wiring system. In order to have reliable power, this complex needs a microgrid installed and maintained. Once the complex’s power is developed, the electrical skills will be focused outward into solving community electrical challenges. In a region rated high for sun exposure, renewable energy elements will be incorporated into the microgrid design. Solar panels will be an element of electrical training. (Solar Map of Haiti, 2018). Those trained in electrical skills will connect to a bright future.

Plumbing: While the proposed design foresees searching for water-efficient human waste management systems, plumbing skills will still be needed. While the complex will have some need for plumbing, this skill primarily focuses outward. The buildings such as houses, schools and health care facilities developed by trained people will need to be plumbed. The local people trained in plumbing will improve the health of their community with sanitary solutions. With both the manufacturing facet and training facet developed, the Refuse to Resource complex design builds itself and the community. It is a business, not a charity but will benefit the community. With local people skilled in building trades those Haitians are able to build whatever they need. The material is developed from what is laying in their yards and streets, and is resilient against natural disaster effects. Durable and safe constructions are possible. Refuse to Resource envisions developing tools of construction, materials and skills, so local people will construct homes, schools, health care buildings, churches and shops for themselves.

Variance If a venture is not profitable, it will not be able to support itself. If a venture is profitable, it will be able to continue without charity. This simple fact of business is why Refuse to Resources will be successful. The key to making the Refuse to Resource a viable solution is even stated in the title itself: Resource. Refuse to Resource does not seek to remove plastic trash; that would be unsuccessful. Where would the plastic trash go? Who would be willing to remove it? A nickel for returning plastic might be an incentive, but who would supply the nickels and what happens to the collected plastic? The question is not where do we bury this unwanted refuse. Instead, ask what can be gained? From the first step this design endeavor seeks to be sustainable both in environmental and business standards. Because the design considers plastic waste a solution and not a problem Refuse to Resource is successful. There are still hazardous opportunities falling to unsuccess, but design forethought counters those pitfalls. Phased implementation of the design keeps Refuse to Resources within the economic fabric of the Port-au-Prince region. Inflating the design with external money would be a detriment to the local region and increases the probability that improves that the design would collapse once the superficial support disappears. Natural growth integrates the design into the economic fabric.

What is natural growth? Natural growth is self-sustaining. The phased scheduling starts the design small and develops as profit allows. This phased scheduling would start with plastic waste, a grinder, and a mold. An initial investment would be necessary; however, starting as simple as this forces the project to produce for itself as soon as plastic hits the grinder. The new molded building materials will then be used to construct a small shelter as physical advertising. Through proof that the material is a viable option, the materials market will naturally include the new resources as demand for them rises. Now the modular plastic building material is in

8 the competitive market. With its resilient to seismic and water forces it will last against the completion of concrete, stone and other building materials. Why will the local people want to begin and continue using this design? The Refuse to Resource complex design will provide a resource. The area of the chosen site has few means of supplying an income. Charcoal is its most prominent industry, and that is a scarce and unsustainable use of resources.

Construction in the Port-au-Prince region is constant and at every corner. Earthquakes and hurricanes devastate the country every few years. Since 2004, twelve years ago, there have been nine disasters. An industry providing material and skills for construction would likely find profitable work. Any profit made from the plastic product allows the complex to sprout further. As an added bonus to making an income the streets and rivers and fields will no longer be clogged with polluting and unsightly plastic trash; the oceans will not fill with that round of trash. Be it also noted that is this the first time the word recycling is used. Everything above can be accomplished not for environmental care, but for economic gain. Perhaps this project should be called Greedy Yet Still Green.

Precedent Studies & Literature Review

Conceptos Plasticos

Located in Mosquera, Colombia, Conceptos Plasticos cleans up plastic waste by turning it into a benefit. Oscar Méndez, the founder of Conceptos Plasticos, was appalled by the amount of accumulating trash and set up a method to transform that trash. As a kickstart the company entered a coemption hosted Chivas Regal. The beverage company ventured for ways to improve the planet and monetarily awarded the competition winner. In 2016 Oscar Méndez’s team with the idea Conceptos Plasticos won one million dollars. Conceptos Plastics focuses on building housing. They create building components that assemble without high skill level required. The group advertises that a single house can be built in five days with five unskilled workers. This is an example of a positive study. While Conceptos Plasticos focuses on housing, the idea is similar. From the information available their material selection consists mostly of HDPE, High- Density Polyethylenem. While this is a plentiful plastic type Conceptos Plasticos method largely ignores different plastics. Refuse to Resource intends to explore a larger verity of material. Plastic is exceedingly versatile with seven different categories and hundreds of applications. The chemical components of each type of plastic demand different methods of recycling if they are able to be recycled. Styrofoam for example cannot be recycled with current technology. But plastics from categories one and two both recycle and common leaving both types available as resources. With a more versatile selection of plastics Refuse to Resource intends to enable a larger component base of building blocks.

Precious Plastic

Precious Plastic is a project that conveys though experimentation and creativity that plastic has a second, third, and fourth life. Landfills are not a destination for plastic. Dave Hakkens, leader of Precious Plastic, is a Dutch designer. He combats the ever-growing problem of plastic with an open and experimental mind. He records his research experiments, methods, and results, and publishes those discoveries in video blogs. His initial movement in 2013 has grown and his website invites everyone to join his friendly internet army. Precious Plastic develops methods for rescuing plastic. Reforming plastic is achieved in many methods such as turning it into piping for a 3D printer, molding it, extruding it, pouring it, grinding it, heating it. While not every plastic is recyclable Precious Plastic, tries a verity of reusable types from all seven categories of plastic. This research develops plastic by recycling old plastic turning it into useful objects. Beams, tiles, frames, tables, towers, and more are all within the realm of experimentation. Showing the world that this is feasible, colorful, durable, and practical plastic’s lifecycle multiples and decreases the amount of plastic discarded as useless on a daily basis. With Precious Plastic the resource of plastic is no longer an abstract and enormous factory to an ordinary person. Precious Plastic is a grassroots powered movement. Plastic can be recycled on a small scale. Ordinary people can create out of the plastic they no longer want.

Plastic Roads

With over 40 million kilometers of roads in the world and a large plastic waste problem Scottish Engineer Toby McCartney thought to harness the two problems and drive forward. Two English councils have already started building roads using this technology. Similar to a concrete plant in industrial scale and use Mr. McCartney experimented with adding plastic as a binding and strengthening ingredient in concrete. While the technology is new, several successful projects have encouraged this Scottish innovator to continue and further the durability of roads while reducing plastic in the environment. While Refuse to Resource’s aim is not to build roads, plastic embedded cement is a fastening concept that might be able to be applied to floors, sidewalks, and foundations. Since the plastic in this idea is an additive, plastic that are not fit for other more refined recycling can be utilized increasing the types of plastic recycled.

Ocean Cleanup

While the landfill might be the place one aims for when plastic waste is thrown out, the ocean is the more likely, even if unintended, target. Plastic does not decompose. Plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller parts called microplastics. This is a time sensitive problem since microplastics are not as easy to remove from the environment as whole plastics. The plastic waste floating in the oceans will continue to pollute the oceans unless something large changes. The large idea does not have to be complicated. Ocean currents naturally collect the ocean plastic into what some call garbage patches or gyres. Boyan Slat developed a system of nets to capitalize on what the ocean is already doing, concentrating the plastic. Once the plastic is concentrated into a near solid mass barge conveyer belts scope the plastic from the water. The process generates income to keep running by recycling the cleanup. Boyan Slat and his team see plastic pellets as coins. After removal from the ocean the plastic is sorted. The plastic is then recycled into pellets that are sold as raw material to industries that unitize plastic. This system was implemented in its large prototype stage in the Nordic Sea in 2017. This endeavor shows plastic can be recycled on a large scale and that the incoming material does not have to be in pristine condition. Even if not creating new objects, raw plastic in the form of pellets is an in demand commodity and will continue to be sought after.

Site Analysis

Geographic Factors

The geographic outreach of Waste to Walls’ serviceable area is the Port-au-Prince valley in Haiti. The mountains on either side of the valley mark the northern and southern extent while the Port-au-Prince Bay and Lake Azuei. mark the western and eastern borders

Distance between the two mountain ranges is 10 miles.

Distance between the Bay of Port-au- Prince Bay and Lake Azuei is 20 miles.

Lake Azuei

Bay of Port-au-Prince

Program

Executive Summary

Rubbish to Resource plans to manufacture building materials and develop human capital in building trades. The pieces for success already exits; the pieces simply need connection. Rubbish to Resource has the solution with its connection of four local problems:

• Lack of Built Infrastructure • Unemployment • Plastic Trash • Unrealized Resources

This twofold approach of Rubbish to Resource’ business plan will help answer the four problems addressed.

Turning plastic trash into a resource produces building blocks for new construction. The production and building will propagate profit for the company, the local people and investors. In addition to company growth, the local communities benefit from affordable development and clean environments.

Rubbish to Resource Background

Rubbish to Resource began with inspiration from the Hope for Health Club. Volunteers from Alfred State College nursing program volunteered their expertise and time to volunteer with Nehemiah Vision Ministries in Haiti. Nehemiah Vision Ministries was established to help Haitians displaced from the 2010 magnitude 7.0 earthquake that shocks struck Port-au-Prince directly. Natural disaster is common in this area, and again in 2016 Hurricane Matthew shook the Haitian coastline. The volunteering nursing students and faculty shared what they experienced at the refugee camps. The recounts of lack of sanitation, polluted water, destroyed shelter and more cried out for solutions.

Urban design lessons demonstrated that the necessary parts exist; it is lack of connection that causes functional failure. If viewed though a creative and optimistic lens the parts exits in Haiti, just not connected correctly. Thus, the purpose of Rubbish to Resource sprouted.

Rubbish to Resource Purpose

Rubbish to Resource hopes to establish itself as a reliable economic generator. If the company succeeds the local economy and development will also improve. Rubbish to Resource is committed to removing polluting plastic from the environment. Once the plastic is removed where does it go? Turning an unwanted pollutant into a profitable building component is Rubbish to Resource’ responsible and complete solution. This solution does not hide the collected plastic or store it in a dark vault to never be seen again. Plastics collected are reconnected to the market for economic gain not environmental pain. Waste is inefficiency; inefficiency is profit lost.

4. Market Analysis

4b. Client Types

There are four categories of clients who would benefit from Rubbish to Resource’ construction. i. Homes

Homes are built as supplies are able to be purchased. Building is done with the owner’s own labor for homes. This means that a house may take several years to build. A family will save for a few weeks and purchase a shipment of cement blocks. The blocks may only be enough to construct five rows, so the project sits while more funds are accumulated. Then the cycle repeats.

With 80% of the population is in poverty, Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. With a GDP of 765.68 USD per capita, investment is difficult. Haiti’s closest geographic neighbor, the Dominican Republic Has nearly ten times the GDP at 7,052.26 USD per capita. ii. Small Business

Small businesses are developed in a similar manner to the homes. In an area where disaster strikes as often as every two years, the societal focuses change to reflect that. The future is unknown and investing in it is uncertain. Why save for something that will be washed away in a few years? Why trust a bank with investments when the bank will go out of business or be destroyed soon? In response investment is only short-term. The question business ask is not where will this be in 10 years but where will this be in 10 months. iii. Schools

Schools are built with help from charities and churches. Mission groups donate time and money to develop school buildings and programs. This will likely not be a target selling market since the resources provided to this client are different than personal homes and businesses. Schools, however, are a perfect marketing environment. Sales may not be completed here, but the roots of economic reliability can be established in these facilities with the proper marketing program to build enthusiasm, trust and support from the communities in the Rubbish to Resource’ process and product. iv. Churches:

Churches are similar to schools in market type. Outside sources establish and provide start up means. Churches are the most reliable means of societal organization. Land areas are often overseen by pastors who are attempting to help their congregation gain established footing. While churches and parishes may not need the product, similar to schools, they provide a marketing ground.

4c. Client Types

Currently the clients in this market rely on the local concrete block makers or imported products.

Some homes are built by charities or the government. One government housing project is less than two miles from the chosen site. These homes were finished approximately two years ago, but remain with over 50% vacant. Few were able to afford the lump sum upfront cost of the government built home; thus, few were able to move in.

Mission groups and charities provide funding for schools and churches. If they use local resources then they already contribute to the local economy.

5. Marketing Strategy

5a. Geographic Advantages

This region is of similar geographic and weather conditions. This keeps the market’s needs uniform for a focused product.

Roads in this region while dense with traffic are among the nations’ smoothest travel. Roads in this area are government maintained which means paved. Roads that reach into the mountains and smaller roads in less dense areas are worn dirt tracks. Reliable roads mean reliable schedules. The urban area of Port- au-Prince is 26,214 people per square mile. Cities such as New Orleans and Boston have densities of 2,311 and 13,841 people per square mile respectively.

Staying within dense populations and established transportation equates to less output the company must give to achieve profitable business.

5b. Client Advertising i. Homes:

Many who seek to build better housing for themselves, cannot afford the whole upfront cost. One solution is to provide a credit system by working for Rubbish to Resource and investing part of those wages as progressive payments for building materials. ii. Small Business:

Since the market is similar to private housing, the strategy is also. A small business will be able to establish itself similar to a home builder would with the company and work towards their physical structure with Rubbish to Resource’ help. iii. Product Sales

Providing means to build slowly as funds accumulate is something that the culture already has established. Changing that means changing a mindset. That is not necessary and is more marketing effort striving in the wrong direction. Instead understand why the system runs and design a strategy to capitalize on the existing mindset.

This strategy of allowing employees and collectors to build credit towards their building materials relieves the pressure on the company for cash. This method is used by banks not on the gold standard. This strategy relies on the community’s trust established in the company and incentive to keep employees and collectors on target to achieve their goal of their own home or business building. If the people employed by the company wanted wages only then the strategy would crumble.

However, after food, phone bills, transportation and few other essentials Haitian working class pay wages towards housing. Rebuilding, expanding or repairing housing is an in demand need. If the wages a worker would have saved for a few weeks to buy a shipment of cement blocks are instead reinvested in

15 the Waste for Walls company the process is more direct. After a contracted period the worker is able to collect building material from the company as a result of the wages invested. iv. Schools and Churches

While both of these markets have reliable means of building, the advertising opportunities in these areas are ripe. Schools are already places of learning. A marketing branch travels to schools to teach the students how they and their families can clean their streets and improve their homes. This marketing will establish an advertising system that propagates itself.

Churches are places where community leaders gather. Gaining their support will advertise and establish community trust.

Word of mouth and physical demonstration will be the two largest marketing tactics. Teaching the communities though schools and churches that the mission of Rubbish to Resource is to remove polluting plastics from their cities and turn those nuisances into a usable resource will allow Rubbish to Resource to achieve its goal.

5c. Competitor Adversity

The modular and adaptable components produced by Rubbish to Resource enables small amounts of final product to be purchased while still providing complete shelter with that purchase. This is unique compared to buying cement block.

With cement block, walls may not be completed for months even several seasons. The roof material may take more time to buy. It is common to drive along the highway and see structures that look abandoned because it has taken so long for the owner to purchase parts that grass starts to cover the built walls. Once built the cement blocks are immobile unless natural disaster strikes. Disassembling a cement block wall would damage the material, and hauling the blocks any distance once disassembled and damaged is inefficacy with the weight of the cement.

Rubbish to Resource product is a plastic tubular system of infill wall. These hollow vertical tubes are 3.5 inches in outer diameter and 8 feet in height. One tube completes the entire height of the wall. Suggested building plans to the client keep the foundation simple. Roof system maximizes solar potential for energy independence. This system is able to be disassembled and reconfigured or adjusted to build additions or move the structure’s location. This is possible with the plastic tube’s light weight and easy construction.

6. Market Orientation

6a. Start Up Plan

While the company needs a start up boost, the key is to take it slow. Establishing community trust and growing into the local economy are critical for successful business. This trust will not be achieved as successfully if the entire project was completed quickly with foreign aid and built to its maximum capacity from day one. Nehemiah Vision Ministries has reported that community leaders are realizing the trash problem and are actively seeking solutions; Rubbish to Resource would be enthusiastically welcomed with the correct approach.

Small starting allows the company and community to grow together while bringing prosperity to both parties.

Small is an approachable ally. Trust is built with communication and communication is only possible when both parties are open to speaking.

Small shows that growth is possible. Careful strategy and work in an established direction show by example that the community can improve.

Small ensures that the market strategy can be tailored on the ground and tapered to the specific growth needs of the company during initial growth.

6b. Initial Funding

Haiti has been dubbed the charity basket of the world. While this economically cripples the small nation long term, finding a large company willing to grant a loan or tax-exempt donation that is excellent for that companies’ public relations will not hurt the initial stages of Rubbish to Resource.

An example of such funding is the Kellogg Foundation. That company has reached out to the SUNY system including Alfred State College with a large donated fund for exploration of Arcahaie, a port city north west of Port-au-Prince by a few miles along the bay. Ten million dollars is promised for the completion of the project once a plan is established.

Ocean clean up outcry also has funds available to business that prove they are removing pollutants from the world’s water supplies. One of the current dumping locations for plastics in Port-au-Prince is canals. These canals wash out to sea during the rainy season sweeping the trash into the now polluted waters. Knowing this and that every item removed from the streets, canals and beaches is one less pollutant in the aquatic habitat; funding would be available for this category of business.

7. Market Direction

7a. 3 Year Plan

After the initial startup investment, the three-year mark is a milestone. Initial startup has been firmly established and the system has smoothed any issues and been able to tailor the marketing plan according to ground results.

At this point physical expansion of the site will be able to begin. Permanent satellite collection facilities will be established in the heaviest collection areas according to the data collected and projected from the three years in business. These will further advertising with their continual existence in one location. These expansions also hope to be a part of a cultural shift of recycling.

The goal is to have made profit enough that this can be achieved with the Rubbish to Resource own resources without assistance from outside donors. The potential interference with this plan is from external market demand being too high to devote time to production for internal development.

7b. 5 Year Plan

The initial location is eight miles from the beach. At no later than the five year mark Rubbish to Resource will establish a permanent satellite collection and sorting facility to handle beach debris. There would likely be two or three satellite collection facilities considering the population density at the beach and the almost twenty miles of bay front at the west side of Port-au-Prince.

7c. 10 Year Plan

In a culture that lives for that week or that month alone and with the unpredictability of natural disaster a ten-year forecast is difficult to establish. If business runs smoothly, then a ten-year goal is to be exporting the idea of recycled plastic building components to other areas in Haiti and the world.

Employees who have learned the details of plastic recycling and been recruiting and collecting for several years have a valuable human capital. This knowledge while still needed some at the initial establishment is now not as critical as the beginning process’s educational demands. This means that the educational marketing employees are able to comfortably expand their territory.

8. Company Organization

8a. Positions

There are three categories in Rubbish to Resource’ organization.

i Collecting

The collecting category includes the educational team, schedulers, shipping, sorting experts, and plastic collectors. While these are the positions within the company, community members are also plastic collectors. By bringing plastics to the collection facility, community members are either paid at the time or credited toward building material; the choice is theirs.

The educational team is the largest marketing investment. These employees will travel between community meetings and schools to educate the public community on why this plastic collection should be supported and why it is important. This plastic is currently an unwanted waste. Resources are scarce, so put the materials available to more efficient use. The educational team would also be in charge of new employee training and orientation. Since word of mouth is the most assured marketing technique available, the information given by those working for the company must be accurate.

Schedulers are needed to determine flow rate and production needs. The shipping industry and retail industry have both discovered that they can save money by reducing storage. Storage is reduced by maintaining a production rate as close to the market selling rate as possible.

The shipping team will handle product and material movement. This is one of the easier job descriptions to export, but reliance on external support rather than internal employees will be determined by reliance on the ground feedback.

Sorting experts are those employees who decipher which items are worthy of what method of reuse. Is this plastic #2 or #5 plastic and able to be reformed with an extrusion process? Or is the plastic a #1 and suited towards eco brick techniques and concrete fill? Sorting experts are able to decide quickly.

Plastic collectors are anyone who brings plastics to the designated collection points. These locations may very well be successful as pickup trucks parked outside the school one day a week, so children can bring items to school or a monitored bin outside a parish building. This is a business that involves grassroots to succeed. The impact grassroots movements create last because it has embedded into the community culture.

20 ii. Converting

The converting part of the organization takes the collected and sorted plastics and remakes them into something useful again.

Grinding and extruding are the two titles. Machine maintenance would be part of keeping these operations functioning as well as the operators of the grinding and extrusion equipment. The extrusion mold process is a well established method of plastic forming. This stage of organization is completely internal and will remain only at the initial facility and not expand to other locations.

iii. Constructing

Schedulers, shipping, and trades skills, such as plumbers and electricians, general builders and concrete workers are included in construction organization.

Schedulers are needed to determine flow rate and production needs. Yes, the schedulers are used in multiple parts of the cycle. This proves how vital the task.

The shipping team will handle product and material movement.

Plumbers and electricians will be trained as part of the company to ensure that buildings with the company’s recycled product have basic functioning amenities. Once trained these employees will also ensure the company’s manufacturing facility is built and always repaired.

General builders and concrete workers will be trained as part of the company to help build the company’s buildings and to properly install the building systems developed for clients by Rubbish to Resource.

8b. Employment Growth

The initial team will be small and trusted with firmly establishing the company in the community. The categories will each have a team of only a few people. By the 3 Year Plan mark those initial employees will each have moved to head of their division and gained several employees for each initial member at a 1 to 3 ratio. As the company expands the range in each job description will tailor to the company needs.

Schematic Design

Early concept of module design. Plastic tubes for infill walls and concrete columns.

Structural Design Considerations

Structural Design

Electrical Design

Plumbing Design

Flow Design

Completed Design Factory

Factory Layout

Bird’s Eye View of Factory

Single Front View of Module

Module

Rendered Collection Station: Garage Door

Rendered Roof View

Home Options Rendered

Home Options

Satellite Collection Facility

Completed Thesis Signature Page