The last few years have been incredibly rough when you add up the devastation that can be attributed to natural disasters all over the world. Just this week, Joplin, Missouri, was hit with a massive storm that has left more than 120 people dead. A few months ago, Japan was shocked by an earthquake followed by an incredibly destructive tsunami that left major portions of the country’s coast completely covered by water. If you go back some years, other disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Haitian earthquake come up.
Adding all of these disasters together shows how important relief efforts are, especially in areas that had little resources before. No matter what the economic outlook was before for these regions, there is one thing they all have in common and need as soon as possible – portable shelters. With storms leaving little to no buildings suitable to reside in and shelters overcrowding, portable shelters have become a very effective and necessary option for many seeking a place to stay in the aftermath of disaster.
For this reason, developers have been looking for new ways to make efficient portable shelters. For instance, some Rice University students have created a shelter that has a solar power element, according to the Houston Business Journal:
“The shelter recently passed its first test of livability. Rice assistant professor Brent Houchens stayed in the 140-square-foot shelter for a week beginning May 4, doing all of his cooking, cleaning, eating and sleeping within its confines. The building is powered by six 230-watt solar panels and contains a closed water filtration system with 75 gallons of water stored above and below the cabin, enough for three people to live on for three weeks.”
These types of developments are becoming increasingly crucial in the landscape of the world, both economically and socially. New types of portable buildings and structures are here to stay and will start to get more and more technologically evolved.