Work by Bath academics to improve living conditions for refugees and people displaced by conflict in Gaza and Ukraine was showcased as the University hosted the UK Shelter Forum last week.
The 31st forum for professionals creating, providing and building shelters for displaced people was hosted by the University’s Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering on Friday 9 May.
The event’s twin themes of ‘Building for Climate Change and Extreme Environments’, and ‘The Ways Forward in Times of Uncertainty’ were explored through a series of talks and workshops by Bath researchers and people working with shelters in charities, NGOs and international aid organisations.
Bath research into shelter design began in 2016 and has been carried out in Jordan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Peru, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, and in the UK at the University's Building Research Park near Swindon. It has been used by agencies including The Norwegian Refugee Council, Catholic Relief Services and UNHCR in the creation of an estimated 200,000 shelters around the world.
Bath research into shelter design is currently being put to use in Ukraine and Gaza.
Insulate Ukraine shatterproof window
In Ukraine, Bath research to understand the properties of a triple-layer shatterproof plastic window design is supporting the replacement of many of the estimated 367,000 windows destroyed in the conflict.
Professor David Coley, who leads Bath’s research into shelters, explains: “In most war zones windows are one of the first casualties, potentially making a very large number of buildings uninhabitable.
“The most common solution is to replace the lost windows with sheets of OSB, a type of wood, but this provides little insulation and creates a cave-like feel with no natural light. Re-glazing with glass is hazardous and so not an option, but the Insulate Ukraine charity has developed a triple-layer window made from PET plastic, like that used in drinks bottles.
“We are carrying out experiments to help Insulate Ukraine understand how well the windows are working. This is in terms of thermal comfort and reducing the need for heating, but also the psychological aspects. The core experiments will monitor the temperatures in the homes with OSB and with the PET windows, and simultaneously discuss with the occupants what they think of each solution.”
Initial experiments show that the PET plastic windows outperform and are more popular with residents, than OSB wood alternatives.
Gaza shelter heat and comfort guidelines adopted
Bath research into shelter construction has also been adopted into the Transitional solutions Standards for Gaza, a document gathering together guidelines for shelter construction in the territory.
Professor David Coley and Dr Dima Albadra carried out research including modelling the thermal properties of potential shelter designs, suggesting performance and useability improvements to the design, ensuring it was socially appropriate and reduced the likelihood of fatal heat stroke and similar conditions.
Dr Dima Albradra says: “Stand-alone shelters should be a last resort in most contexts, but often they are a necessary transitional solution. While challenging, balancing physical and social requirements is possible with the use of simple tools and an understanding of the local population needs. We have applied our knowledge from past research in similar contexts to develop this guidance which we hope will be of help in a very difficult situation.”