Emergency Housing Mexico, A Home for Everyone

THE ELEMENTS OF HOME

Emergency Housing Mexico is a prototype and planning proposal to relieve the Housing Crisis across Latin America in the immediate future. The proposal focuses on providing higher quality living in short- and long-term habitats by re-imagining fundamental Elements of Home - Air, Water, Light, Thermal Comfort, and the Community.

MODULARITY: THE ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE & NEIGHBORHOOD

The 4.5-square-meter basic module consists of approximately 2 m² raised interior space and 2 m² semi-exterior space. The raised floor option provides an opportunity to separate the soiled area and living space, also, this semi-exterior platform provides an in-between seating area between the inside and outside of the module. By separating the ground and floor, the lifespan of the floor extends, also, the added waterproof membrane layer will relieve the water damage and heat loss.

It is easy to add or adapt the sizes and locations of the openings with the proposed wood framing system. The flexibility will allow more effective responses to climate, daylight, cross-ventilation, and layout needs. One of the walls is constructed with portable pre-fabricated shelves which serve as structure and storage at the same time. They can be fabricated at the remote location and delivered to the site. The front half of the shelves faces the exterior which can be used as a green wall, laundry drying area, and outdoor storage. The multi-purpose interior and exterior shelves are also an effort to help residents to feel more settled by keeping their belongings organized.

Additionally, the proposal shows how the module can be expanded, adapted, and converted to more permanent residence. All modules are based on the 4.5 square meter, kitchen and bathroom modules are the half module (4.5m x 2.25m), expanded units are the double (4.5m x 9m) or triple (L-shape) module (9m x 9m). The kitchen and bathroom units can be shared or privately connected to the Basic Module, also, the latter option provides ample living space. These units can be developed in phases and modified as needed. Furthermore, the presentation illustrates how the proposal can help the neighborhood building prospects in the settlements.

SUSTAINABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY: MATERIAL CHOICES

The modules are designed for assembly, disassembly, adaptation, and expansion, facilitating relief efforts. Materials are carefully selected to meet the tight budget and minimize the environmental impacts. The proposal is based on the current module, however, in the near future, façade and finish materials could be added or improved with the minimum revision.

Thermal insulations can be provided with the Cavity Wall system. Based on the location and budget, walls could be filled with straws (Insulation Value R: 1.48i), shredded clothing or carpet (R: ~2ii), packed saw dust, and more. For reference, the insulation value (R) of sealed air space is 1 and a single layer brick is 0.2iii. Double layered wall may cost more compared to the current module, in lieu of cement boards, the exterior grade Wood Varnish or Wax is specified. Also, the eaves of the roof and PVC Pipe rainwater channel will help minimize the water damage to the exterior panels. When the module is being converted to a more permanent home, additional waterproof membrane, insulation, siding, and panels could be added to the cavity wall.

i “Tested R-value for Straw Bale Walls and Performance Modeling for Straw Bale Homes” by Tav R. Commins & Nehemiah I. Stone, California Energy Commission (CEC), published in the August 1, 1998 Proceedings of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)

ii "Resistance Values of Structural and Finish Materials", Ira A. Fulton College, Engineering Faculty, 368 CB, Provo, UT 84602 USA, retrieved 2016/10/25, original source: http://cmfac.groups.et.byu.net/jsmith/Lessons/TempSoundControl/R-Values.pdf

iii "Resistance Values of Structural and Finish Materials", Ira A. Fulton College, Engineering Faculty, 368 CB, Provo, UT 84602 USA, retrieved 2016/10/25, original source: http://cmfac.groups.et.byu.net/jsmith/Lessons/TempSoundControl/R-Values.pdf

The roof is built with wood framing, panels, and folded Waterproof Membrane. For the Hot and Humid Climate, the Roof Membrane can be opened to provide ventilation for comfort. The cavity between the Interior Fabric Ceiling and roof can be used to provide additional insulation as needed. The pitched roof also helps with collecting the rainwater without the mechanical equipment, depending on the location of the water tank, channels can be routed and located accordingly.

Emergency Housing Mexico views the relief effort as an ongoing process. The modular design is based on human scale, dire needs, and fundamental elements of habitat - Air, Water, Light, Thermal Comfort, and the Community which will better the living conditions and provide foundations for the future.