ANUGERAH HIJAU 2015

GREEN SPACE 2015THEME: SUSTAINABLE MODULAR

DISASTER RELIEF SHELTER

Members

Maheela Nair a/p Chandran

Chia Yong Qi

Lee Juan Mei

This sustainable modular disaster relief shelter will serve as a

possible solution where in mobility and quick set up provides immediate assistance for disaster victims by a third party or by authorities.

The land space of the proposed structure is between 600 - 1000 square feet. The design must be easily replicable, and at minimum must contain the following characteristics:

A shelter built for a family of 5 Practicality in design (e.g. the final design must be able to be

assembled in one day or less for feasible emergency relief) Energy efficiency Sustainable use of materials (i.e. use only what’s necessary

according to design) Use of sustainable materials (e.g. Certified Wood, Glulam,

bamboo, recycled or upcycled materials, etc.)

Guidelines

Additionally, considerations of energy, resources, ecological and social systems of the shelter area will be essential in producing a competitive design.

Energy design solutions that demonstrate a comprehensive study of energy efficiencies while developing a net-zero carbon debt will also be given foremost consideration.

Climatically appropriate passive design, material, and water components that are value-added strategies will also require careful analysis, so please consider all factors when creating your design.

Finally, try being as creative as possible while adhering to the competition guidelines. Go wild with the structure and have fun with your design!

Smart Interior Design Modular Concept Participants are welcome to propose any amenity that they think

may fit their concept

Sketch

Recent news of the Nepal earthquake back in April shocked people (both literally and figuratively) all over the world. The 7.3 magnitude earthquake rocked Nepal, as well as parts of India, Tibet and Bangladesh, leaving thousands dead and even more homeless. This, along with the release of the Better Shelter units by the IKEA Corporation in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), inspired us to design a sustainable modular disaster relief shelter that help as many as possible no matter the circumstances. Our proposal is a modular shelter that is primarily based on green building as well as smart interior designing, taking into account the cost, time environmental aspects.

Idea

For the roofing of our shelter, we propose to use rubber tyres – yes, the worst nightmare of every environmental activist – which would normally have ended up at landfills and dubbed as harmful waste. Inspired by Euroshield Roof’s rubber roofing technology, our shelter’s roof will be made up of panels of rubber, which is not only time and money savvy, but also makes good use of the ever-growing number of tyres. Plus these panels are considerably lighter than normal roofing, which makes things easier during transportation and assembling, and rubber roofing can stand almost any weather conditions such as rain and shine as well as snow, enabling it to be used in any part of the world. On our roof we have photovoltaic solar cells embedded, which will supply electricity as an alternative to the use of kerosene and candles especially for lighting, as it may lead to fires.

The shelter will supported by panels of paper-based walls, an idea adapted by Envirowall Global Limited. Production of such walls usually generate zero amount of waste. These walls are also as solid and sound as regular walls – they are just as fire, impact and bacteria-resistant – an important trait for relief shelters which are prone to these things. The interior walls of the shelter are practical in the sense that they can be fixed for privacy or dismantled for even more space, making it convenient for users.

The flooring of our shelter is made up of cork, a well-known sustainable material already bring used in homes and other buildings. Cork is harvested from the bark of the tree, so the tree itself is not cut down and the bark takes about three years to regrow, so it's definitely an environmentally friendly choice. Cork is also naturally hypoallergenic and ant-microbial. Cork prevents heating and cooling so it’s great for colder locations, such as Japan during winter, or warmer areas, such as Nepal. As we’re well aware that cork does not do well with water, the floorings will be sealed with glue and a thick series of polyutherane layers.

The doors and windows of our shelter are made up of vinyl, which are efficient energy-wise, have thermal insulation, contribute low greenhouse gas emissions and are very durable, which can help protect users from flying debris.

We hope that our modular shelter will be able to achieve its purpose – to shelter a family of 5 and provide them with the comforts of a home no matter the harsh conditions of disasters without impacting the environment as much as possible.

END