Shelter / Housing

Shelters come in a wide variety of materials and construction methods. All have their benefits as well as their own shortfalls.

The common concerns have to do with the longevity of the structure and the reliability of the enclosures.

The thatched grass shelters while easily constructed have to be rebuilt approximately every 2 years, and are of course not fire proof to any degree.  If not rebuilt or poorly constructed initially, require plastic tarps, sheets or bags to be placed on them to maintain some form of rain proof protection.

Mud clay structures on the other hand require a longer, more labor intense construction process but are more durable and add some, although not a large amount of, fire proof qualities. They too deteriorate over time, and require major rework or total re-construction.

 

From the Engineering perspective there are many concepts in incubation to provide alternatives. There are several demands for these new prototypes which will develop over time. Rapid response (e.g. for refugee camps), deliverability to very, very remote sites, fire resistant/proof, long life, cultural acceptance, and cost are some of the design challenges.