CAMAS, Wash. -- A home builder in Camas, Washington has built what he calls an earthquake proof home. His goal now is to take his design to countries like Haiti and Chile.
A few weeks ago Mark Meyers had an idea to build a small home out of 100 percent recycled steel that could withstand a natural disaster.
"I wanted it to be something that was earthquake friendly and hurricane friendly," said Meyers.
Meyers calls it a "temporary disaster relief home." His goal is to build homes just like it in earthquake ravaged Haiti or Chile.
"After the disaster in Haiti I started thinking to myself, there has to be a better way to build here houses," said Meyers.
When finished, the home will look similar to a wood-framed home, just more earthquake proof.
"You take a steel house it will rock with and earthquake and move and flex ... it won’t split, it won't crumble like concrete," explained Meyers.
Meyers has been working and building with steel for more than 30 years. He even built his dream home in Camas out of steel.
"It’s just like any other house you’d live in," said Meyers’ wife Sherry.
Meyers says steel is an easy, practical and environmentally friendly way to build homes. And he wants to share his skills to help those in need. His goal is to travel to Haiti or Chile with enough steel to build dozens of these temporary "disaster relief" homes.
Meyers says he'll donate his time to help the build the homes and train others how to build them. He's hoping companies will step up and donate supplies, like all the necessary steel.
Once the relief effort is over, Meyers says the temporary shelters can either be dismantled and recycled or converted to more permanent homes.
