Build Change Named a 2008 Tech Award Laureate by Tech Museum of Innovation  
Tech Award and China Expansion
November 2008
Tech Awards Laureate Badge
 
Greetings!,
Exciting News!  Build Change has been named a 2008 Tech Awards Laureate, one of 25 global innovators recognized each year for applying technology to benefit humanity and spark global change. 
 
The Tech Awards, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California, and presented by Applied Materials, Inc., selected Build Change from among  hundreds of nominations representing 68 countries.  Click Here to read the full press release.   
 
Build Change is recognized as a Tech Laureate in the Swanson Foundation Equality Category for ensuring that each homeowner has access to affordable technology to build a house that will not collapse and injure or kill their families in an earthquake, regardless of income level. 
 
Build Change's work will be recognized during the annual Awards Gala in San Jose on November 12.  Click Here for a Live Webcast starting at 6:30 PM Pacific time.  The Tech Awards will be featured by the local NBC News network at 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM. 
Build Change Expands to China
 
Gao Yuan VillageBuild Change is working with homeowners, builders, and international and local agencies to rebuild earthquake-resistant houses in the aftermath of the devastating May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China.  87,000 people were killed and nearly 8 million housing units were destroyed in the magnitude 7.9 earthquake.
 
Understanding why houses collapsed is the first step to building back better, so our work in China began in June 2008 with a technical reconnaissance, hosted by Sichuan University and coordinated by the University of California, Office of the President 10 + 10 Strategic Partnership.  Visit our website to download our technical reconnaissance reports (contact us for the Chinese version). 
 
Well designed and built confined masonry buildings performed well in this earthquake, while unreinforced or partially confined masonry buildings with precast concrete plank roofs collapsed in massive numbers.  We are nearly finished with designing safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate houses and developing training materials and programs, and we will start providing hands-on technical assistance and training directly to homeowners, builders, and other agencies this month.  
 
Support from Mercy Corps and the Echoing Green Accelerator Fund have made this expansion possible - but this is only a start and we need your support to reach more families.  Donate Now. 
Position Opening in Sichuan
We're Hiring!  Seeking a Program Manager to expand our homeowner-driven reconstruction programs in Sichuan, China.  The successful candidate will combine proven management, coordination and training skills with hands-on construction experience.  Structural earthquake engineering design expertise and marketing experience are helpful.  For more details click here.  To apply send cover letter and CV to [email protected] by November 21, 2008. 
Earthquake-resistant construction is within the reach of homeowners in developing countries.  Minor, low or no-cost changes to existing ways of building and a little knowledge, go a long way toward safe, culturally appropriate and sustainable construction.  Your contributions continue to make this possible.   
 
Thank you and best wishes,
 

Elizabeth Hausler
Founder and CEO
Build Change
DONATE NOW
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DONATE ON-LINE
Through our site on  Universal Giving.  Use your credit card or Paypal account.  Note that a service fee is charged by Paypal. 
 
DONATE BY MAIL
Send your check, payable to Build Change, to:
M. Timothy Louis
169 Throckmorton Ave., No. 2
Mill Valley, CA 94941
 
DONATE EQUIPMENT
Upgraded to a higher resolution digital camera, and not sure what to do with your old one?  Reuse by donating your durable digital camera to Build Change.  Reply to this e-mail for more information. 
 
DONATE MILES
Offset our travel costs by donating your frequent flyer miles.  Reply to this e-mail for more information. 
OTHER NEWS
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About Build Change

Build Change is a 501(c)3 status non-profit social enterprise incorporated in the State of California on September 2, 2004.  Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.