Emergency shelter system offers quality accommodation in humanitarian crises

16 Sep 2015

Suricatta Systems has utilised DuPont Tyvek and Plantex geotextiles to create its SURI emergency shelter system, which has been developed to offer enhanced accommodation in humanitarian crises.

When disastrous situations occur, it is essential that humanitarian aid is delivered as quickly and effectively as possible.

Emergency accommodation solutions aim for speedy response times; however, they do not always meet basic living standards because of this, providing inadequate temperature control and little interior comfort to those in need.

To tackle this, Suricatta Systems has developed a system of transition shelters for emergency accommodation, which are easy to transport and assemble.

The SURI shelters have been designed to offer safety, whilst maintaining acceptable ‘quality of life’ levels. The system makes use of both DuPont Tyvek and DuPont Plantex technology.

SURI emergency shelter system

SURI is a modular emergency shelter system; it can be compiled to create a number of facilities, such as healthcare centres, mobile operating theatres, or accommodation for families.

Comprising different façades with re-fillable voids, the system can be connected in multiple directions. Its voids can be filled with local materials – such as sand, earth, debris or snow – on site, to provide solidity, insulation and protection, whilst reducing the initial cost and weight of transportation.

A water collection system has been incorporated to carry rain water to a deposit, from which it is filtered. Adjustable apertures have also been added to maximise interior light, whilst solar panels have been fitted to provide energy for domestic use.

Geotextiles from DuPont

As an advanced breathable and waterproof material, DuPont Tyvek offers protection against weather, air leakage and condensation. It has been developed to enhance interior climate conditions and comfort.

A combination solution of DuPont Tyvek and Plantex was specified for the building envelope of the SURI modular shelters.

The textiles complement each other and work together to offer protection from the elements, whilst ensuring interior comfort and providing a lightweight structural solution.