KPA Associates, Inc.

Update: Additional articles discussing this topic at the end of the post...

The effects of last week's earthquake in Haiti were compounded by poor quality construction techniques, inferior building materials, and a lack of building codes. As reported by BBC News:

Tens of thousands are feared dead after being crushed by buildings that collapsed. Scores more remain trapped under the rubble.

"It's sub-standard construction," says London-based architect John McAslan, who has been working on a project linked to the Clinton Global Initiative in the country.

"There aren't any building codes as we would recognise them," he added.

Mr McAslan says most buildings are made of masonry - bricks or construction blocks - which tend to perform badly in an earthquake.

A Day In Haiti with Douglas Doebler

The destroyed Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince ©Getty

Additional Information:

• Problems with Haiti building standards outlined
• Haiti Deaths Could Have Been Prevented With Safer Buildings
• After the Destruction: What Will It Take to Rebuild Haiti?
• A plan to reconstruct my country
• Architect Magazine - Haiti

Ron Tov, AIA