An incremental, thermally optimised, and low-carbon shelter model for refugee housing in diverse climates

Temporary shelters for refugees often fall short of providing adequate living conditions, leading to significant discomfort and health issues, particularly in regions with extreme climate fluctuations. This paper addresses this critical humanitarian challenge with the 'Makazi' prototype, an innovative, incremental shelter designed to be adaptable, easy to build in a short time, affordable with a durable structure, and thermally efficient for diverse climatic zones, with a case study focusing on South Africa. The research methodologically draws on existing thermal assessment studies in refugee shelters and analyses successful designs from Jordan, Afghanistan, and South Sudan to identify effective thermal comfort strategies. A key contribution is the use of parametric thermal analysis to optimise the Makazi design based on the specific climate conditions of Cape Town and readily available materials, demonstrating the potential for creating a comfortable building envelope that can be adaptable for different climates. Furthermore, the paper incorporates Life Cycle Assessment to ensure low-carbon, sustainable construction across the building’s useful life. The novelty of this work lies in its integrated approach, combining an incremental design with rapid building and deployment by unskilled labour, parametric thermal optimisation, durable structure, and user-based flexibility. This is further substantiated by a holistic comparison with other shelter types against a range of criteria, offering a novel and more resource-efficient framework for sustainable, climate-resilient refugee housing that addresses critical gaps in current shelter solutions. • Implementation of a case-study shelter in Cape Town in South Africa. • Provide incremental design solutions in the context of rapid deployment. • Use flexible design and easy building method for unskilled labour. • Utilise parametric methods in construction material to optimise thermal performance. • Investigate Life Cycle Assessment for the shelter’s long-term sustainability.