About Us

Background

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, on December 26, 2003, at 05:27 local time, an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck Bam, Iran. According to the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team, 85 percent of the existing buildings were destroyed in Bam and the surrounding area. Out of the original population of approximately 115,000 people, 75,000 were rendered homeless and approximately 30,000 people were killed. By comparison a quake with the same magnitude in California claimed only two victims a few days earlier. While the Bam case is only an example of the gravity of the situation, it is clear that for an earthquake of a given magnitude, the death toll and destruction is significantly reduced in California.

The reason for this apparent discrepancy is that in California the building codes and local construction materials and retrofits that have gone into place over the last several decades ensure minimum destruction but in developing countries, people build according to the old traditional form of construction and often making a radical change is a “taboo” which could only be implemented with a significant amount of education. Furthermore, experts in earth science and earthquake engineering in developing countries are few, ill-equipped, and isolated. A lack of proper building materials and appropriate building codes coupled with low average income and education can lead to massive earthquake death tolls in these regions, as we have witnessed each and every time an earthquake has struck in these developing countries.

It is estimated that a 6.7 magnitude quake in Tehran, Iran can take in the neighborhood of 400,000lives. The Bam tragedy in Iran illustrates the mortal threat earthquakes pose in developing countries -- to cities in India, China, Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia and other places in the developing world.

Formation of 3ei

The founding team of 3ei is a group of hi tech executives in Silicon Valley, California. The earthquake in Bam, Iran was an awakening bell for us. Why is it that there is such a huge discrepancy between the death toll and destruction in a developing country as opposed to California, we asked ourselves and what could we do about it? Clearly there are numerous relief agencies who come to help when an earthquake hits. But we were convinced that a true solution to the problem lays somewhere else. Homes in developing countries are made using traditional methods with no proactive measures to minimize destruction in the event of an earthquake. In California and other developed societies, proper metrics assure that earthquake resistant structures are built.

We have a vision that earthquakes should cause no loss of life and minimal damage to peoples’ homes and property – even in the developing world.

3ei is a premier non-profit organization that focuses on research and engineering in local building materials, design, and construction techniques for low cost residential dwellings that withstand earthquakes and/or low cost retrofits that can be provided for existing dwellings. We have been convinced that finding and documenting solutions is not sufficient—that documentation does not save lives by itself. A major goal of 3ei is, therefore, to develop educational and social programs for implementation of its findings at local levels to enhance populace awareness and acceptance of new home design and practices, and adoption of the appropriate retrofits.

Mission

Be the premier institute for research and engineering in local building materials, design and construction techniques for low cost earthquake-resistant homes and retrofits.
Develop educational and social programs, methodologies and local networks for the efficient implementation of the findings of 3ei.

Activity

It is important to note that 3ei is not a relief agency. While relief agencies such as Relief International (www.ri.org) and the Red Cross provide help after the disaster, 3ei seeks to foster proactive measures so that when and if an earthquake happens, the death toll and destruction are minimal. 3ei achieves its goals through a variety of ways:

3ei acts as a liaison between world-class universities with renowned expertise in earthquake engineering and local universities in the developing countries to find easy and cost effective solutions. For example, recent collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley and the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran has led to outstanding results that have been published at several international conferences. That collaboration led to the finding that traditional homes in the northeastern province of Khorasan in Iran can be retrofitted at minimum expense to add to the structural rigidity of these homes.

3ei as a Vehicle for identifying and disseminating pertinent information regarding earthquake engineering techniques to the developing country.

3ei Funds Research and Engineering with highly focused objectives at University of California, Berkeley under the supervision of renowned experts.

3ei Organizes Fundraising Events in the US to support its US operations and serves as a model for fundraising events in the developing countries to support local programs. There is no transfer of funds in any way or form to the developing countries.

Operations

The founders of 3ei are also managing the corporation. 3ei is forming a world class international Advisory Board. From time to time 3ei may engage consultants for advice in specific areas. None of the Founders, Advisory Board or consultants receive any salary from 3ei. 3ei has an array of volunteers who perform various services for the organization free of charge. 3ei does pay for out of pocket expenses from the funds it raises and, from time to time, it may have to pay contractors for specific tasks but to the extent possible, 3ei gets the services it requires either as donations or on a pro bono basis.