Open a paper or turn on the TV news and too often there's report of yet another heartbreaking catastrophe. Hurricane in New Orleans, tsunami in Indonesia, earthquake in Haiti, flooding in Pakistan. The weight of these tragedies can be overwhelming. For some, it's a challenge and a call to action.

swissnex San Francisco looks at what it takes to recover from disaster with presentations and a panel discussion on sustainable reconstruction, from environmental and safety considerations to socio-cultural and housing issues. Priscilla Phelps, from TCG International, outlines what sustainable post-disaster reconstruction really means. Jennifer Duyne Barenstein, from the World Habitat Research Centre at the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, highlights the role of socio-cultural issues and community in reconstruction. Elizabeth Hausler, founder of BuildChange, discusses the environmental and safety factors of rebuilding. And architect Alex Salazar illustrates some of the worst and best practices of post-disaster housing.

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