1. Research
LOCATION: Haiti (sources
1- 4)
• Haiti is an island country located
in the Caribbean Sea. http://www.easyvoyage.co.uk/haiti/gonave-island-1436
• The terrain of this region is mostly
rough and mountainous.
• There are annual Hurricanes
and severe storms affecting
this area.
• It is a tropical region. http://www.mapsofworld.com/flags/haiti-flag.html
• There are occasional
flooding and earthquakes.
• Speaks French.
• Population is about 10
million people.
• Recently in January 12,
http://gozonews.com/11933/red-cross-appeal-for-funds-for-haiti-earthquake/
2010, Haiti has been
affected by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
• 30 % of Haiti’s capital is destroyed.
2. • Many buildings are
down; many
shelters are now
just piles of rubbles.
• Those who have
survived the
earthquake,
estimated about http://www.buzzybloggers.com/yele-haiti-earthquake-foundation-wyclef-jean/
1.5 million people, are out on the streets next to
their home which are now just piles of rubbles.
http://mashable.com/2010/01/12/haiti-earthquake-pictures/
http://www.ecouterre.com/help-haiti-now-drop-off-your-gently-used-shoes-at-any-foot-
Needs: Shelter (sources 1-5)
solutions-store/
3. • Many shelters are not available for many people of Haiti as
a result of the earthquake, and with occasional tropical
storms and annual hurricanes, if these people do not
obtain a safe place to be in during these storms, the
devastation of the earthquake will be more intensified.
• Haiti is receiving many aids from many countries; however,
many of these aids include foods, clothes, and money, not
shelter.
• Haitians needs a shelter that could be set up quick, mass
produced, and un-expensive, so that every people of Haiti
could have a safe shelter to be in temporarily.
http://www.amazon.com/Genji-Sports-Push-
Instant-Tent/dp/B0035VUIKI
4. Current Viable Solutions (source
6)
• 500,000 people are living in improvised camps in
Port-au-Prince. However, there is not enough room
for more homeless people.
• Blankets and plastic sheeting are provided from
countries such as U.S.,
Japan, and Turkey.
• Passed out tarps and tents
but the costs of it is
enormous, a soaring 40
million dollars for the http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/article.asp?reference=3573
tarps and 30 million dollars for the tents.
• Bamboo houses are built. It is light weighted, strong,
and insulates the room. However, despite these
advantages it costs money
and there are not
substantial amount of
these bamboos.
• Transitional shelters are
built, with walls of
plywood and a tin roof. http://hoklife.com/2010/06/03/haiti-t-shelter/
Therefore, it is sturdy, strong and will keep standing
5. for a long period, and also will be able to stand
against strong tropical storms. However, to build one
of these shelters, the cost of it is $1,000 to $1,500.
• Modular construction is a
structure that is nearly
completed and then is shipped
to Haiti to be completed there.
This is made by using the steel-
framed system which promotes http://www.pacvan.com/blog/2009/11/modular-
buildings-vs-site-built-%E2%80%93-equally-durable
sustainability as well as safety. Also, it can be built in
about half the time that traditional stick-building
construction method requires. However, it cannot be
transported in mass amounts at once, and it costs
money since it is made from wood and steel.
• All of these solutions uses “new” materials, and
therefore are expensive.
http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Technology/pages/YouTube-challenges-
users-to-guess-how-much-money-its-losing-Scrape-TV-The-World-on-your-side.html
6. Why Was this Problem Selected?
We choose to design a temporary shelter for the
people of Haiti because after the devastating
earthquake, many people have lost their home.
However, many of the aids sent to make shelters cost
a lot of money and cannot be delivered in substantial
numbers in a short period of time. As a result, we
choose to make a shelter that can be easily carried to
Haiti without taking much space, by making it
foldable, and therefore enabling to carry many of it.
It is also quick to be set up and is eco- friendly since it
is made from 100 % recycled materials. As a result, it
will be very inexpensive unlike many of the shelters
that are being constructed in Haiti, and still be able to
protect people from rain, and storms.
http://www.demossnewspond.com/sp/photos/haiti_shelter_relief/samaritans_purse_haiti_shelter
_haiti57/smoothbox?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=300&width=500
8. Other Missing Research
• Population of Haiti = 8,924,553
• Avg. rainfall annually = 54in.
• Roughly 2 million people were homeless in Haiti after the
earthquake.
• We use about 1 million plastic bags per minute worldwide.
• 94.8% of plastic bags end up in your local landfill.
• Plastic bags are virtually weightless, but they do cover a
large amount of surface area for its size. It also is water-
proof which will benefit our tent.
• Haiti can get hurricane speed winds so it is important that
a temporary shelter can be a durable counter force against
it.
•
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<http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Haiti-
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<http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/the-help-that-
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11. Lee, Nicole C. "2011 January « Let Haiti Live." Let Haiti Live. Web. 07 Feb.
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<http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Haiti-
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