Feature Story
Pitch: After reading your story “New Heartbeat Detector May Save Lives After
Disasters”, I believe that you would be interested in other technology for disaster relief
organizations. Ron Ben-Zeev, CEO of World Housing Solution, designs and builds
sustainable, durable, affordable, and environmentally friendly structures that may begin a
new trend in sustainable housing design.
Jane J. Lee
New Heartbeat Detector May Save Lives After Disasters
September 2013
Writer and editor at National Geographic, Science Writer
janejaelee@gmail.com
National Geographic Daily News
Enhanced URL: Natural disasters, relief methods, world housing solution, strong and
fast emergency solution
Talking Points
1. World Housing Solutions is the only one in the industry to use an adjustable leg
leveling system that enables structures to be built on any type of terrain.
2. World Housing Solutions shelters are $28,000 less then the cost of traditional disaster
relief housing. WHS shelters cost about $5,000 on average; however, producing the
materials in mass quantities would lower the price. USAID’s relief housing in Haiti cost
$33,000 per house.
3. Four years after the earthquake in Haiti, 147,000 individuals still remain homeless.
According to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the U.S. government rates Haiti as
“Critical” in Crime and Political Violence. Due to the high crime rate after natural
disasters, victims require housing that provides protection from extreme weather and
dangerous criminal activity. The most common crimes in Haiti are against persons,
including theft and gender-based violence.
4. Natural disasters take a large toll on its victim’s mental health. Providing disaster
victims with employment would not only boost the local economy, but also improve their
mental health.
5. Natural disasters are caused by environmental changes that are intensified by global
warming; therefore, WHS uses environmentally friendly materials that produce little to
no waste during assembly. Materials used in producing the structure are completely
recyclable and include polystyrene foam, which is completely free of CFCs and HCFCs
with zero ozone depletion.
Soundbites
1. World Housing Solutions is the only one in the industry that is able to build structures
on any type of terrain, which is important in disaster relief housing construction.
2. WHS shelters cost about $5,000 on average; however, producing the materials in mass
quantities would lower the price. USAID’s relief housing in Haiti cost $33,000 per house.
3. Due to the high crime rate after natural disasters, victims require housing that provides
protection from extreme weather and dangerous criminal activity.
4. Providing disaster victims with employment would boost the local economy and
improve state of mental health.
5. WHS uses environmentally friendly materials that produce little to no waste during
assembly
CRITICAL MAKEOVER FOR TRADITIONAL DISASTER RELIEF METHODS
According to the New England Journal of Medicine natural disasters are occurring more
often and becoming more severe due to climate change. Unfortunately, current disaster
relief methods do not adequately provide relief for victims. A new disaster relief
approach is vital to our world’s mortality.
Denise Moore, a victim of Hurricane Katrina, stated that her family slept on the sidewalk
because the convention center was unsanitary. “When I arrived at the convention center
there were people everywhere and dead bodies in the street.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCDJ3vxMHdo link on Denise Moore
She describes the inside of the convention center, “the building was a sewer, when I went
in I got feces and urine all over my feet”. Denise said the hospital ran out of food and
water after the first day, leaving many people to die of dehydration.
Four years after the earthquake in Haiti, 147,000 individuals still remain homeless.
According to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the U.S. government rates Haiti as
“Critical” in Crime and Political Violence.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/climatechange/steady-increase-inclimate-rel/19974069 link on 147,000
https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=14000 link on Bureau of
Diplomatic Security
Many other people from all around the world are experiencing similar problems with
traditional disaster relief methods. Disaster victims are in need of housing that is easily
transportable, affordable, sustainable, durable, safe, fast, and easy to build and designed
for their particular needs.
A new approach to disaster relief should involve employing disaster victims for positions
in recovery programs. Employing local people avoids issues with transportation, saves
money, and provides victims with a source of income and a healthy way to release
frustration.
World Housing Solution has an environmentally friendly, strong and fast emergency
solution. The company creates structures that are reusable and re-deployable. The
structures also provide insulation and protection from extreme weather and crime. WHS
shelters cost about $5,000 on average; however, producing the materials in mass
quantities would lower the price. USAID’s relief housing in Haiti cost $33,000 per house.
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/outsourcing-haitihow-disaster-relief-became-a-disaster-of-its-own link on $33,000
Four individuals are able to assemble the building in less then 24 hours. Since the
buildings are simple to build, one person is able to teach an inexperienced team how to
assemble the structure. Ron Ben-Zeev, CEO of WHS, states that the company would
build a factory in the disaster zone and employ local citizens.
The increase in the occurrence of natural disasters is a critical world issue. Natural
disasters cause physical and mental health risks, food scarcity, and displace the area’s
population.
http://www.emdat.be/natural-disasters-trends link on increase in the occurrence of
natural disasters
Since it is hard to prevent natural disasters, a more efficient response strategy is
necessary to protect our world’s well being. Local disaster relief provides displaced
populations with a long-lasting home, safety, and employment.
For more information about World Housing Solution visit their website at
http://worldhousingsolution.com
Justification
The feature story illustrates the importance of providing a more efficient solution for
natural disaster victims. Since natural disasters have been occurring more frequently and
sustainable housing is in high demand, the topic is relevant to the public’s interests. The
story also highlights a solution to the issue, which promotes World Housing Solution’s
brand. The target audience for the article is environmentally conscious individuals and
organizations; therefore, the article would fit well in National Geographic’s daily news
environmental section.
Informational Story
Pitch: Due to your involvement with local news in a state affected by hurricanes, I
believe your readers will have high interest in a story about a local company World
Housing Solution. The company designs and builds weather resistant, sustainable,
durable, affordable, and environmentally friendly structures that may begin a new trend
in sustainable housing design.
Informational news story
Kris Hey Local News
KHey@orlandosentinel.com
Enhanced URL: local news/natural disasters/ world housing solution/ Ron Ben Zeev
Talking points
1. WHS provides a natural disaster relief housing solution that is significantly less
costly then traditional methods. World Housing Solutions shelters are $28,000
less then the cost of traditional disaster relief housing. WHS shelters cost about
$5,000 on average; however, producing the materials in mass quantities would
lower the price. USAID’s relief housing in Haiti cost $33,000 per house.
2. The company’s structures have a user-centered design, which is critical for the
success of sustainable housing. The outer shell or skin is constructed with
fiberglass gives the product strength and the option for user-centered design. The
outer shell gives the client flexibility of defining the degree of durability for the
structure. Some situations require housing that is bulletproof; however,
bulletproofing is sometimes unimportant and a waste of financial funds.
3. World Housing Solutions is the only one in the industry to use an adjustable leg
leveling system that enables structures to be built on any type of terrain.
4. Four individuals are able to assemble the building in less then 24 hours. Since the
buildings are simple to build, one person is able to teach an inexperienced team how to
assemble the structure. Ron Ben-Zeev, CEO of WHS, states that the company would
build a factory in the disaster zone and employ local citizens thereby boosting the local
economy.
Soundbites
1. WHS provides a natural disaster relief housing solution that is significantly less costly
then traditional methods.
2. World Housing Solutions is the only one in the industry that is able to build structures
on any type of terrain, which is important in disaster relief housing construction.
3. The company’s structures have a user-centered design, which is critical for the success
of sustainable housing.
4. The structure can be assembled in less then 24 hours with a 4-person construction
team. Simple design allows for one person to teach an inexperienced team how to
assemble the building. World Housing Solution CEO states that the company plans on
hiring natural disaster relief victims in the natural disaster relief programs.
LOCAL COMPANY PROVIDES A SOLUTION FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING
World Housing Solution produces weather resistant sustainable, durable structures that
provide safety for individuals that lack basic housing. The buildings are designed to be
re-deployable, simple and quick to assemble, and environmentally friendly. The
structures are entirely constructed with structural insulated composite panels (SICPs).
World Housing Solution’s buildings are resistant to hurricanes that have up to 155 MPH
winds, up to 7.8 degree earthquakes, fires, and bullets. The structures are also mold,
mildew, and rot resistant. Our shelters are able to be built, taken down, and rebuilt at
will, one of the structures has been redeployed 4 times and is currently at Camp Shelby
where it has provided safety against 3 tropical storms and a hurricane.
http://worldhousingsolution.com link on World Housing Solution’s buildings
The inner core of the composite panels is made of polystyrene foam, which provides
insulation for the structure. Polystyrene foam is completely free of CFCs and HCFCs
with zero ozone depletion. The outer shell or skin is constructed with fiberglass gives the
product strength and the option for user-centered design. The foam core and skin is also
completely recyclable.
http://worldhousingsolution.com/sicps link on inner core and outer shell
The outer shell gives the client flexibility of defining the degree of durability for the
structure. Some situations require housing that is bulletproof; however, bulletproofing is
sometimes unimportant and a waste of financial funds. World Housing Solution, unlike
their competitors, is able to build structures on any type of terrain due to an adjustable leg
leveling system.
World Housing Solution structures provide a better solution for natural disaster relief and
military housing. WHS buildings provide safety from extreme weather and dangerous
criminal activity. The structures design enables the building to be easily transportable,
re-deployed, and constructed on any type of terrain.
For more information about World Housing Solution visit:
http://worldhousingsolution.com
Justification:
The story gives readers an explanation of the product’s features. This article also
includes information that differentness the company from competitors and avoids issues
with traditional disaster relief housing methods. Most articles written about the company
have an inconsistent message; therefore, releasing an article that is consistent will enrich
WHS’s credibility and avoid confusion about the company’s purpose and message. Since
most articles about WHS are written in local publications, the Orlando Sentinel is a
perfect fit to establish a consistent message among the local population.