Integrating sustainable and energy-resilient strategies into emergency shelter design

Energy access and use is a cross-cutting issue in humanitarian action. Nevertheless, there is no cohesive and integrated approach amongst different clusters of actions in achieving sustainability and energy resilience for emergency shelters. This study aims to explore how to integrate sustainable and energy-resilient strategies into emergency shelter design. Taking the “Quantifying Sustainability in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters” (QSAND) tool as a guiding principle, a system of modular emergency shelter prototype, entitled “Bag Box Building Cloud’ (BBBC)”, was designed and constructed. To identify the needs of the affected population and humanitarian workers, gap and need analysis were conducted through a global market review, while site surveys and stakeholder interviews were conducted in post-disaster areas in China. Key stakeholders were involved from the early design stage through implementation. This is the first research in action to contextualize the implementation of QSAND and SDGs while meeting local environmental/socio-cultural/regulatory requirements. The prototype is the first solar-powered, reusable, versatile, safe, affordable, and energy-efficient emergency shelter integrating passive design, energy storage, and combined DC/AC power system. Achieving this requires context-specific knowledge, early stakeholder engagement, careful adaptation and a holistic approach with a wide range of technical and social considerations in the design stage.