Could Shelter In A Day's disaster shelter change the world?
Part 3 of a 6 Part Series
Just imagine how many ways our disaster shelter will change the lives of homeless people everywhere. It’s now possible for your group, club or congregation to take up a collection, buy and ship a complete structure, fly down for a weekend to wherever it’s needed, take a day and build it, turn it over to a family, community or church… and be home for work on Monday, with the astonishing pictures. No need for you to wonder where your money went. No need to worry it was diverted, misused or wasted. Just imagine the satisfaction of knowing you helped someone in need easily and directly.
Imagine if we multiplied your satisfaction by hundreds…even thousands. What if every church congregation in the US sent just one house to Haiti? Wouldn’t that feel fantastic. We could with your help. Just think of the changes to peoples’ lives if housing and security concerns were gone. Suddenly, they would have time for more productive projects... like providing for their family.
I’m working closely, with Community Mission for Hope, a non-profit engaged in medical and educational missions to Haiti, on funding initiatives to build two schools and an orphanage in Haiti. The first school, located near Jeremie across a bridgeless river and up on a hill where there are no roads, is a good match with Shelter In A Day because everything must be hand carried across the river to the site. I figure construction for the school classrooms and kitchen building, for 100 kids, will take just a few days. The orphanage in Petit Groave we want to build, again for about 100 kids will take a bit longer but features a school, cabins, mess hall and a for-profit bakery, shower rooms and septic field. Quick build times save money in many ways. That’s the power of Shelter In A Day. Wanna help?
Part 3 of a 6 Part Series
Just imagine how many ways our disaster shelter will change the lives of homeless people everywhere. It’s now possible for your group, club or congregation to take up a collection, buy and ship a complete structure, fly down for a weekend to wherever it’s needed, take a day and build it, turn it over to a family, community or church… and be home for work on Monday, with the astonishing pictures. No need for you to wonder where your money went. No need to worry it was diverted, misused or wasted. Just imagine the satisfaction of knowing you helped someone in need easily and directly.
Imagine if we multiplied your satisfaction by hundreds…even thousands. What if every church congregation in the US sent just one house to Haiti? Wouldn’t that feel fantastic. We could with your help. Just think of the changes to peoples’ lives if housing and security concerns were gone. Suddenly, they would have time for more productive projects... like providing for their family.
I’m working closely, with Community Mission for Hope, a non-profit engaged in medical and educational missions to Haiti, on funding initiatives to build two schools and an orphanage in Haiti. The first school, located near Jeremie across a bridgeless river and up on a hill where there are no roads, is a good match with Shelter In A Day because everything must be hand carried across the river to the site. I figure construction for the school classrooms and kitchen building, for 100 kids, will take just a few days. The orphanage in Petit Groave we want to build, again for about 100 kids will take a bit longer but features a school, cabins, mess hall and a for-profit bakery, shower rooms and septic field. Quick build times save money in many ways. That’s the power of Shelter In A Day. Wanna help?
Ok Frank, you’ve got my attention… but what does it cost?
You would think that a building that was this innovative, that saved so much money, would cost more than standard construction. Remember, this is not some temporary, get people under a roof, any roof, transitional shelter. Shelter in A Day is a permanent, solid wood, strongly built house. But it doesn’t cost more. In fact it costs less. Since it is computer cut to save labor costs, is made from recycled wood fiber which is plentiful and low cost, is not assembled at a factory, stacks in a small bundle and goes up in an afternoon, it saves your hard earned money at every step. Everything is included, hardware, doors, locks and windows, even those vital screens. There are no hidden costs and nothing for your team to scramble around trying to find except for roofing, and maybe flooring... we’ll get to those in a minute. Just think, this house would be a bargain at 10k, (USD) but in fact, it costs half that, just 5k for the base model with a 12x12 ft. floor plan. Yes, this home costs less than the price of a decent used car.
Here are some specifications: (Don’t get distracted with the details because I still have something important to tell you about.)
Footprint, base model:
12x12x8 feet tall, 144 sq. ft. Ship wt. 3000#
(3.66x3.66 x2.44m, 13.4 sq.m 1366kg)
Ships: palletized for forklift handling…48x91x40 inches total (1.2x2.4x1m)
Center, add-on extensions are: (allows footprints extended to 12x16, 12x20, 12x24, 12x26 etc.)
4ft, 48 sq.ft. each 600#
(1.22m, 4.46 sq.m. each 272kg)
Each extension adds 6 inches to pallet height
Shelter ships: 8 ea. Per 20 ft. standard shipping container, 16ea. Per 40 ft.
Extensions are 995.(US), each 4 feet. There is no practical limit to how many extensions you can add to building length. Building width is limited to 12 feet (3.66m) due to material size.
You would think that a building that was this innovative, that saved so much money, would cost more than standard construction. Remember, this is not some temporary, get people under a roof, any roof, transitional shelter. Shelter in A Day is a permanent, solid wood, strongly built house. But it doesn’t cost more. In fact it costs less. Since it is computer cut to save labor costs, is made from recycled wood fiber which is plentiful and low cost, is not assembled at a factory, stacks in a small bundle and goes up in an afternoon, it saves your hard earned money at every step. Everything is included, hardware, doors, locks and windows, even those vital screens. There are no hidden costs and nothing for your team to scramble around trying to find except for roofing, and maybe flooring... we’ll get to those in a minute. Just think, this house would be a bargain at 10k, (USD) but in fact, it costs half that, just 5k for the base model with a 12x12 ft. floor plan. Yes, this home costs less than the price of a decent used car.
Here are some specifications: (Don’t get distracted with the details because I still have something important to tell you about.)
Footprint, base model:
12x12x8 feet tall, 144 sq. ft. Ship wt. 3000#
(3.66x3.66 x2.44m, 13.4 sq.m 1366kg)
Ships: palletized for forklift handling…48x91x40 inches total (1.2x2.4x1m)
Center, add-on extensions are: (allows footprints extended to 12x16, 12x20, 12x24, 12x26 etc.)
4ft, 48 sq.ft. each 600#
(1.22m, 4.46 sq.m. each 272kg)
Each extension adds 6 inches to pallet height
Shelter ships: 8 ea. Per 20 ft. standard shipping container, 16ea. Per 40 ft.
Extensions are 995.(US), each 4 feet. There is no practical limit to how many extensions you can add to building length. Building width is limited to 12 feet (3.66m) due to material size.
Since we’re looking at details, it’s time to talk about the roof.
Shelter In A Day’s roof is structural, but not waterproof. There are several good ways to handle the waterproofing depending on intended use and local practice and it’s cheaper and better for a variety of reasons to source it locally. Roofing options:
The least expensive and easiest roof comes in a five gallon bucket of trailer type roof paint. It is light colored, reflects sun and heat, inexpensive (about $100 in the US) and is very easy to apply. Low cost and it works great as long as you do not want to disassemble the building later.
A steel roof is best for the tropics where heat gain is an issue. It is inexpensive, (about $350 in the US depending on size) long lasting, locally sourced and simple to install. Just attach 3, 2 inch tall wood battens on each side of the roof and attach the steel. Because it is 2 inches above the structural roof and allows heat to escape, the Shelter stays as cool as a cave inside, even in the hottest sun.
Suppose you want the option of moving or storing the building between uses for refugee populations, military uses or disaster relief, then a canvas roof is best. A military specification tarp or a truckers’ tarp will work well and installation is simple because the building structural members are pre-drilled for tie-downs. (Price will depend on specs and building length but budget $300-500 in the US.)
OK, I said I’d tell you something important…here we go…
READERS: What are your thoughts?
READ Part 1
READ Part 2
Check back next week for Part 4
Shelter In A Day’s roof is structural, but not waterproof. There are several good ways to handle the waterproofing depending on intended use and local practice and it’s cheaper and better for a variety of reasons to source it locally. Roofing options:
The least expensive and easiest roof comes in a five gallon bucket of trailer type roof paint. It is light colored, reflects sun and heat, inexpensive (about $100 in the US) and is very easy to apply. Low cost and it works great as long as you do not want to disassemble the building later.
A steel roof is best for the tropics where heat gain is an issue. It is inexpensive, (about $350 in the US depending on size) long lasting, locally sourced and simple to install. Just attach 3, 2 inch tall wood battens on each side of the roof and attach the steel. Because it is 2 inches above the structural roof and allows heat to escape, the Shelter stays as cool as a cave inside, even in the hottest sun.
Suppose you want the option of moving or storing the building between uses for refugee populations, military uses or disaster relief, then a canvas roof is best. A military specification tarp or a truckers’ tarp will work well and installation is simple because the building structural members are pre-drilled for tie-downs. (Price will depend on specs and building length but budget $300-500 in the US.)
OK, I said I’d tell you something important…here we go…
READERS: What are your thoughts?
READ Part 1
READ Part 2
Check back next week for Part 4
About Shelter In A Day | Disaster Shelters
Winner of 2013 Aid and International Development Forum (AIDF) "Most Innovative Product Award." Shelter In A Day is the brainchild of eco-friendly, furniture designer Frank Schooley. Shelter's disaster recovery housing provides safe and secure, simple to construct, green homes for those displaced by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes or floods.
The disaster shelters are a solidly constructed, termite, rust and rot resistant house, with lockable doors and windows. Homes are crafted from waterproof, recycled wood fiber material and can be easily erected anywhere, in one day.
Winner of 2013 Aid and International Development Forum (AIDF) "Most Innovative Product Award." Shelter In A Day is the brainchild of eco-friendly, furniture designer Frank Schooley. Shelter's disaster recovery housing provides safe and secure, simple to construct, green homes for those displaced by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes or floods.
The disaster shelters are a solidly constructed, termite, rust and rot resistant house, with lockable doors and windows. Homes are crafted from waterproof, recycled wood fiber material and can be easily erected anywhere, in one day.
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