The ESK was meant to provide immediate life-saving assistance during the acute phase of the emergency and consisted of two tarpaulins, one bundle of rope, four pieces of big bamboo and sixty pieces of small bamboo. Families used these materials to erect simple shelters to protect them from the elements. Subsequently, USK was distributed to support families improving the e
This claim regarding specific materials is interesting. Does nobody help them create structures? Is it not pre-built?
although the household level assessments uncovered the issue of poor ventilation, it was only the semi-structured interviews that exposed the reasons behind it (difficulty of cutting openings whilst maintaining structural integrity and ease of opening and closing any openings)
This shows a constraint for passive cooling strategies: the technical challenge of creating openings without compromising structural integrity. I can explore how community-based construction training can address this specific challenge. Identifying techniques that ensure alternative ventilation does not require large modifications.
However, during SSI, thermal conditions were a top priority for the refugees (as indicated by 18 people out of 44), followed by appearance (7 participants) and space (5 participants)
This finding directly supports the relevance of the research focus on thermal comfort. The fact that refugees themselves prioritize thermal conditions over other aspects of shelter design validates the importance of developing effective passive cooling strategies for these contexts.
Based on the main shelter concerns expressed by households and technical/field staff it is clear that the primary concerns of the affected community are material quality; and ensuring the strength of their shelter
This suggests that passive cooling strategies must be integrated with structural improvements rather than treated as separate concerns.
The focus groups identified internal temperatures to be an issue, but only the physical measurements could identify the scale of the issue, with most shelters over the comfort
This is a really important observation offering specific range of temperatures that can help identify possible passive cooling strategies. My research should identify solutions that will help reduce the total amount of time shelters after above a certain temperature.
Top three shelter concerns—Household Level Assessment
"Ventilation in the shelter is bad" (from Fig. 3 showing top shelter concerns)
Poor ventilation is directly linked to thermal comfort issues. This is where passive cooling strategies can address ventilation improvements and also consider structural and cultural constraints that may limit window/opening placement.
Participants were least satisfied with the thermal conditions during the dry season (i.e. overheating); followed by protection from rain and wind
This identifies overheating during the dry season as the primary thermal comfort issue, rather than cold temperatures. Any passive cooling strategy should prioritize addressing this specific issue of reducing heat and promoting cooling during hot, dry periods.
It was only because of the use of various methods that the reasons behind identified issues were discovered or quantified. For example, household surveys uncovered the issue of poor ventilation, but only the semi-structured interviews exposed the reasons behind it
This highlights the importance of mixed-method approaches when researching shelter improvements. Thinking of passive cooling strategies in conjunction with proper research and thorough technical assessment can make an impact.
There are currently 70.8 million forcibly displaced people, globally. Bangladesh hosts the largest refugee camp in the world. Much effort has gone into the research, design and delivery of mass-produced shelters. Yet most refugees live in self-built shelters using simple shelter materials
This passage highlights the gap between research on mass-produced shelters versus the reality of self-built accommodations. It's important to identify the difference in engineering solutions vs independently built solutions that are ingenious. Community-based construction programs can help build these structures.
CBD hosts over 930,000 Rohingyas with a population density of about 35,000 per square kilometre
High population density means the area is very crowded, which often causes a heat island effect. Although this paper is about landslide risk, such crowding also affects how comfortable the shelters are. I am thinking that my research could look at how passive cooling can improve indoor conditions in these dense areas.
The leading causes of landslides in the KRC were linked to anthropogenic hill cutting and deforestation, fragile shelter structures, excessive rain, and unstable soil
This reinforces the connection between environmental degradation and shelter vulnerability. The implementation of passive cooling strategies which include vegetation solutions such as green roofs and shade trees would help fulfill both thermal comfort and soil stabilization requirements.
The KRC consists of 23 sub-camps (i.e., camp 1E, 1W, 2E, 2W, 3, 4, 4 extension, 5, 6, 7, 8E, 8W, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 20 extension, and Kutupalong registered camp) with an undulating surface elevation ranging between −5 and 38 m
The different elevations influence both wind patterns and sunlight exposure. The cooling strategies need to be adjusted according to elevation zones within the camps because low-lying areas require different methods than elevated areas.
Most Rohingyas temporarily live in makeshift camps, locally known as the Kutupalong Rohingya Camp (KRC)
The "makeshift" nature of these camps implies improvised construction techniques and materials. This offers a chance for community-based training programs to introduce better building techniques that incorporate passive cooling while using locally available materials.
Currently, 25 partners are working in site management and development to promote nature-based solutions to protect and restore the environment. The activities include plantations to reduce soil erosion and flooding and restore natural drainage systems (JRP, 2022). As a result, the NDVI has slightly improved (Fig. 16c) in some camps (e.g., 10, 17, 18, 8W, 1W, 4, and 13)
The paper is very technical but does not explain how local people can learn and use these new methods. This is a major gap since sustainable improvements depend on teaching the community. My research will focus on creating a training program that includes passive cooling ideas to help locals build better shelters.
They continuously undertake all-embracing landslide disaster risk mitigation strategies such as structural slope protection measures (Fig. 15), reinforcement and up-gradation of the road and drainage networks, afforestation activities, shelter strengthening kits
This shows that current actions are mainly about keeping the structures safe from landslides. There’s no mention of how to keep the inside of the shelters cool. This leaves a big gap, and my research aims to suggest simple, low-cost passive cooling techniques that can work alongside these safety measures.
The physical vulnerability of the shelters was uniform all over the camp as they were made up of the same materials
Here, the paper shows that all shelters are built the same way, which makes them equally vulnerable. It misses the chance to design for local climate differences. My research could help by developing training for local builders on how to mix in passive cooling methods to make the shelters more comfortable and better suited to the climate.
Extensive vegetation removal, hill cutting, exceptionally dense camps, fragile shelters, unstable soils, and excess monsoon rainfall were linked to yearly landslides
This sentence tells me that the shelters are built using weak materials and methods that make them very vulnerable. While the authors focus on landslide risks, the mention of "fragile shelters" suggests these buildings might not stay comfortable in hot weather either. This is a gap my research can fill by proposing ways to add passive cooling features through local training.
Ninetypercent of Syrian refugees live in highly populated and denseinformal areas in which the majority are, unfortunately,dangerous locations (UNHCR, 2020). It is anticipated byUNHCR that at least seventy percent of the Syrian refugeepopulation lack access to basic services like electricity, water andsanitation. Let alone that they live in crowded rooms withoutprivacy
This paragraph paints a pretty clear picture of the tough living conditions in refugee settlements. The lack of basic stuff like electricity really stands out, especially when I think about how hot it must get in the camps. My research on passive cooling strategies feels crucial here. If I can figure out shelter designs that naturally stay cooler without needing electricity for fans or AC, that could really help with the heat and make things a bit more bearable. Plus, the mention of "crowded rooms" makes me think about ventilation, and passive cooling techniques could definitely help improve that too
Billions of dollars are invested in establishing temporary refugee camps, yetwe know for a fact they are rarely temporary.
This part really jumped out at me. It highlights how these "temporary" camps end up being long-term homes for people. This makes me think about how the initial shelters that are built, which are often just meant to be quick fixes, aren't really suitable for living in for years and years. My research on community-based construction training feels really relevant here. If the Rohingya community is trained to build more durable and sustainable shelters themselves, it could be a way to address this gap of temporary structures becoming permanent but not-so-great homes.
he urban structure of this central part of thetown does not follow a modernist grid distribution
The paper mentions non-grid layouts but doesn’t discuss how these designs affect airflow or cooling. My research could look at how to modify these layouts with passive cooling strategies to improve comfort in refugee camps
Severalresearch papers have shown the negative effects of poorintegration for the health and welfare of refugees
Poor shelter design affects health, but the paper doesn’t link this to thermal comfort. My research could explore how improving shelter design with passive cooling would reduce heat stress and improve health for refugees.
The majority of the time,temporary shelters deteriorate quickly, are ill-adapted to harshclimatic conditions and lack the basic
Shelters are low-quality and don’t work well in harsh climates. The paper doesn’t discuss how passive cooling strategies could help. My research could explore solutions to improve comfort using natural, low-cost methods
currently applied processes in hosting countries do not encourageinvolving refugees in the design or construction process for theirhomes
Refugees are excluded from the design process, missing the chance to make shelters more suited to their needs. My research could propose training programs to teach refugees sustainable building techniques, including passive cooling methods.
People stay in such camps for decades, commonly Cons located on the outskirts of cities,where vernacular settlements also tend to b
This shows refugee camps are often permanent, not temporary. However, the shelters are not designed for long-term use. My research can explore how passive cooling and sustainable materials can improve comfort and make shelters more livable for extended periods
The outer wall of the nearest neighbor of theignited shelter in Camp 4 Ex
This sentence tells us that when one shelter catches fire, nearby shelters also get affected very fast. It’s not just about fire safety it also suggests that the materials and the way the shelters are built might be trapping heat. If we can train people to use materials that reflect heat or allow better airflow, we might improve both safety and comfort.
It is also found that the combustibility of the shelter construction materials influences the fuel loaddensity of the dwellings and results in a quicker flashover
This study crucially reveals a need for improvement. Overall, it shows shortcomings by stating that the materials used (which burn easily) render shelters more dangerous and heat up quickly. This key point leaves room for new ideas, such as using fire-resistant and cooling materials. My research could fill this gap by proposing passive cooling techniques and training community members in improved building practices.
The average population density in Rohingya Refugee Camps is 25 m2/person [5], which is much higher thanthat suggested by the UN of 45 m2/person
Poor air circulation can cause the inside of shelters to get too hot. This is a clear signal that new designs, are needed to make the shelters cooler and more comfortable.
Fires in the Rohingyarefugee camps are particularly severe due to overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and use of combustible materialsfor shelters (bamboo and tarpaulin)
This sentence tells us that the current shelters easily catch fire because they’re made of materials like bamboo and tarpaulin. It also hints that overcrowding makes things worse. In my research, I want to see if using better materials that help cool the shelter naturally, along with training people to build better shelters, can make a big difference.