NEWSLETTER 4 / English version
June 2014
IFRC-SRU WINTERIZATION
OBSERVATION: The scoping study IFRCSRU conducted on existing winter-shelter solutions clearly suggests that there is a gap in research and development of winter-shelters or adequate winterization solutions for use in humanitarian sheltering. Since thermal comfort in winter conditions is clearly a critical factor to assure the health and well-being of beneficiaries, the call is for investment in this research. The first step, to establish a benchmark as reference for the improvement of existing products and the development of new solutions, has already been taken. As the standard family tent is the most commonly used emergency shelter solution it seems well justified to use it as the point of departure. IFRC-SRU has been working to define the thermal performance of the standard family tent and the related winter kit using thermodynamic simulation as well as testing in real environment, building synergies between two distinct projects targeting different winterization solutions. With the baseline established, IFRC-SRU is now advancing the work on the two winterization projects, each for a specific context and stated need, using corresponding adapted methodologies.
BACKGROUND As the on-going crisis in Syria painfully reminds us, not all disasters and forced displacements take place in hot climates. The countries around Syria that are hosting the great majority of the refugees in camps have moderate clim ates with winters where temperatures easily drop to 0° C and even below for two to three months a year. However, a large number of the provided shelter solutions, namely the standard tent, are not particularly adapted to
protect beneficiaries from low temperatures and related health hazards. Trying to compensate for the lack of insulation by increased heating in consequence drives up fuel consumption and at the same time inc rea ses risk of fire, esp ecially when heaters are operated during night times without being safeguarded. A com mon countermeasure taken by camp coordination, to reduce risk of fires, is to advise beneficiaries to only use the heater outside of the inner liner, in the entrance vestibule of the
tent, which unquestionably compromises the efficiency of the heating system leading to a vicious circle of even more fuel consumption. In more extreme climates, as for example in e arthquake prone mountainous regions of central Asia (e.g. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, ...) or south America, the temperatures that need to be braved can be as low as -30° C. In such harsh climate cond it ions an adequately winterized shelter is un quest ionably life-saving.
Thermal camera pictures, showing the main areas of heat loss for the standard family tent. Establishing the baseline: Comparison of thermal behaviour between standard family tent with and without current standard winter-kit.