Modular Building Solutions for Emergency in Developing Countries

The extent and periodicity of catastrophic events adding to average housing needs in developing countries requires from the research world a large-scale approach, providing communities with rapid, low-cost but also sustainable housing solutions to emergency problems. This paper presents a research that focused on an innovative use of conventional corrugated steel conducts, integrated with earth coverings, in order to assess their suitability as temporary or semi-permanent shelter in terms of ease of construction, environmental burden, visual impact and general performance levels also with reference to social integration exigencies. Results from the analysis of the system's technological profile and of its compatibility with emergency conditions led to conclude that the proposed solution can represent a valid answer to medium- and large-scale catastrophic events, especially for the "second emergency" phase.