A parametric thermal analysis of refugees’ shelters using incremental design and affordable construction material

The number of people displaced by natural and human made events reached 80 million in 2020 based on the latest report by UNHCR. Emergency housing is often initially in the form of tents, which are then replaced by a more robust solution. One frequently used design is an insulated steel box-like (Inverted Box Rib) structure as it offers a temporary and short build time, including off-site construction. The lack of thermal mass is, at least theoretically, less than ideal in locations with large temperature swings, and extremely high/low internal temperatures have been recorded in such shelters. These locations often coincide with places where large-scale displacements have occurred in recent years. An associated issue is that pre-designed solutions might not be tailored to the culture and needs of the occupants. In this work, we offer an incremental design method that can provide flexibility to suite displaced people’s social needs, simultaneously, we performed extensive thermal modelling/analysis via using vernacular material with high thermal mass to accommodate extreme weather fluctuations. This solution is termed Makazi (‘home’ in Swahili). After disasters, those displaced look for places that feel like home rather than just a house, to alleviate their distress and uncertainty. Thus, ‘Makazi’ aims to provide an affordable, durable and sustainable home with a modular design, while complying with common requirements of hosting countries for temporary structures.