Designed with the assistance of fifty experts, this free educational manual was published in two languages, French and English. It aims to help individuals and West Indian professionals who carry out construction work to comply with the standards best suited to cyclonic and seismic risks.
The Prefect of the Guadeloupe Region and interministerial delegate for the reconstruction of the islands of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, Mr. Philippe GUSTIN, and the president of the Collectivity of Saint-Martin, Mr. Daniel GIBBS, presented to the Hôtel de la Collectivité the Guide to good practices for the construction and rehabilitation of housing. This free educational manual is intended to provide individuals and professionals with specific expert advice in the area of anticyclonic and anti-seismic safety and construction standards.
“Like other islands in the West Indies, some homes in Saint-Martin are often too fragile or even unsuitable to cope with cyclones and earthquakes. The idea of this guide is to help make the building more resistant to natural hazards, "said Philippe GUSTIN." With climate change, cyclones are likely to become more frequent. We must prepare for it by offering a quality construction manual, which will be able to support the population for many years, ”he added.
With almost 60% of uninsured owners, Saint-Martin is characterized by a significant recourse to self-reconstruction, many individuals having to carry out their work themselves. "This guide is a concrete response to all those who are forced to build or renovate their house without being construction experts," said Daniel GIBBS during his speech.
The Guide to Good Practice is structured around six themes, presented in the form of sheets: metal roofs, wooden frames, windows and bay windows, masonry, wooden structure and awnings. In order to adapt to the multilingual environment of Saint Martin, it was published in two languages, French and English.
The Guide can be downloaded free of charge from the websites of the Prefecture and the Collectivity of Saint-Martin. 1000 printed copies will also be distributed to the main associations and businesses on the island.
About fifty experts mobilized
Financed by the State, the realization of the Guide of good practices was piloted by the Interministerial Delegation for the reconstruction and entrusted to the Scientific and technical center of the building (CSTB), a public establishment whose mission is to bring an expertise in matter quality and safety of buildings.
The State has mobilized around ten experts and called on around forty professionals from Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy, Guadeloupe and Martinique - architects, entrepreneurs, insurers, etc. -to take advantage of their experience and best adapt the document to local realities. In total, around fifty people were mobilized for this project, which lasted nearly six months. The Collectivity of Saint-Martin provided technical and logistical assistance in carrying out this work.
"This Guide has been produced and thought out specifically for Saint-Martin, but we hope that it can be used for all the islands of the Antilles," said Philippe GUSTIN.
Two simplified flyers distributed with the support of the Fondation de France
In addition to the publication of the Guide to good practice, two simplified flyers were produced from the sheets "metal covers" and "windows and bay windows", construction themes particularly important in the Antilles.
Designed according to the indications of experts from CSTB and the Interministerial Delegation for Reconstruction, their graphic design and printing were funded by the Fondation de France. These flyers will be distributed to the population of Saint-Martin through local associations.
The State, the Collectivity of Saint-Martin and the Fondation de France will also launch from June 1 a communication campaign by posting and on social networks to popularize the Guide to good practices under the slogan "BuildWell!" "
Download link for the Guide to good practice for housing construction and rehabilitation:
https://www.com-saint-martin.fr
https://www.saint-barth-saint-martin.pref.gouv.fr
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