projects

Sustainable transitional shelter models

Ongoing
A transitional shelter and a frame for another shelter
Start Date
Total Project Cost
USD 125,800
Country
Brazil
Project Team
UNHCR Brazil

Challenge

Although shelters are intended to be temporary, displacement seldom is. This creates the challenge of improving shelter designs and technologies that meet immediate needs while also supporting recovery in a way that incorporates local adaptations and materials to ensure autonomy, dignity, and sustainability – especially when considering most refugee settlements and camps are projected to experience twice as many days of dangerous heat by 2050.

Solution

Designing a sustainable shelter system, with the support of Better Shelter, that promotes community-driven adaptation. The system features a robust, modular, and easily assembled frame that can be clad with local materials or prefabricated panels, ensuring adaptability to diverse climates and contexts. Communities and local markets will be robustly engaged with throughout the process.

Impact

Identification of shelter solutions and validation through the construction, testing, and evaluation of prototypes to improve the wellbeing of residents. The results will guide design changes to the shelter system and the development of a localized delivery strategy, ensuring that solutions are practical, sustainable, and tailored to community needs.

Project impact to date

3
prototypes are undergoing testing for durability, appropriateness & thermal regulation
30
displaced people, including from Indigenous groups, helped codesign & test prototypes

Other information

Refugees supporting the prototype design are also completing trainings in the construction of these designs, to support future roll out.