Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Initiative reCOVER Transitional Disaster Recovery Housing (TDRH) Prototype Project
EPA Grant Number: SU834731Title: Initiative reCOVER Transitional Disaster Recovery Housing (TDRH) Prototype Project
Investigators: Canfora, Anselmo , Bulla-Richards, Aja , D’Aversa, Alex , Brennan, Andrea , Elzey, Dana , Burch, Evan , Whitehouse, Kamin , Thompson, Lauren , Parker, Nathan , Mayfield, Patrick , Lee, Sally , Harper, Sara
Institution: University of Virginia
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2010 through August 14, 2011
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2010) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
We believe safe, healthy and well-built housing serves a basic human right. Unfortunately, millions of people in Haiti are still being denied this right in the aftermath of the earthquake of January 12th, 2010. Our research addresses the immediate and future housing needs of the Haitian community while accounting for a protracted recovery phase and taking into consideration sustainability and health conditions exacerbated by the earthquake. At the outset of the design process, we asked ourselves the question: how can housing provide a safe and familiar place where Haitians will recover and ultimately thrive again as a community in the midst of such a disruptive event? We believe that our panelized housing design and innovative construction methodology will serve as the solution to the demand for readily available shelter.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The catastrophic event in Haiti resulted in unprecedented devastation of the built environment. Haiti’s current housing needs can be characterized by protracted periods of time between the expired use of emergency tents and the reconstruction of permanent building stock, leaving people in need of a home during this transitional phase. Subsequent threats to the health of the population due to the lack of infrastructure, particularly the impact tuberculosis has on the existing challenges of the lives of persons living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHA), give our proposal a sense of urgency and pressing purpose. Thus a critical consideration of our proposal is to effectively consider the specific needs of PLWHA in the community of St. Marc while also addressing the greater housing issues in the country. Our proposal also underscores the importance of incorporating indigenous building practices and locally-sourced materials to assist in the recovery of the Haitian building industry and economic welfare of the Haitian community while respecting local traditions and housing practices. The high cost and inefficiency of shipping supplies and materials into Haiti also promotes using locally-sourced materials. Deforestation in Haiti and the consequent lack of available materials has driven decisions for the types of building materials that could potentially be used for the construction of the home. In-depth research of site information including solar orientation, wind directions, and annual rainfall have proved beneficial in creating a truly passive home that takes advantage of natural ventilation and water collection.
Conclusions:
The Initiative reCOVER housing proposal serves four important objectives. First, to address the urgent need of safe, cost-effective housing for large numbers of Haitians who are in the process of rebuilding and recreating their communities. Second, as an ongoing research and development enterprise, the development of our housing unit reflects a commitment to improving systems of prefabricated panelized and modular construction with an emphasis on highly integrated, light-weight building components that are flexible in accommodating the use of locally-sourced materials and construction methods. Moreover, abiding to local customs and values associated with housing is central to our design proposal. Third, our proposal emphasizes a hybridized approach to construction; the design combines the effectiveness and high fabrication tolerances of off-site, prefabrication processes and an open building system approach to manufacturing, supply, and on-site assembly. A critical consideration of this proposal is to effectively address Haiti’s current and future housing needs characterized by the protracted, post-disaster period of time between the expired use of emergency tents and the reconstruction of permanent building stock. Fourth, our architectural and engineering design integrations ensure a safe and optimal performance of the housing’s structure and living environments. Our design utilizes simple strategies of passive environmental design to introduce optimal natural indoor light and ventilation to the interior while maintaining a close link to exterior spaces to help promote social interaction and a familiar sense of community. The passive ventilation strategy includes a combinatorial use of low volume fan units, ultraviolet air cleaners and surface sterilizers to effectively exchange indoor air. The integration of a renewable energy system utilizing photovoltaic panels is an important aspect of our proposal and provides the necessary electricity for ambient interior lighting and appliances, as well as lighting for potential medical interventions and a refrigeration unit for vaccines and sensitive prescription medicine. Our proposal integrates point-of-use water harvesting and waste management systems to support a sustainable, off-grid housing unit.
Supplemental Keywords:
transitional, housing, disaster, health, passive, Haiti, recovery, prototype, sustainabilityRelevant Websites:
Habitat for Humanity Exit
MercyCorps Exit
Building Goodness Foundation Exit
Southern Virginia Center Higher Education Center Exit
The Arup Cause Exit
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.