Temporary Disaster-relief Housing from Repurposed Cardboard

Project goal: To create temporary disaster-relief housing from re-purposed post-consumer cardboard. The design of the shelter includes water-and fireproofing features that can withstand inclement weather and environmental hazards. The construction material is formed via pulping of recycled cardboard, which incorporates the removal of particulates, adhesives and pulp fibers that do not meet strength requirements. After cleaning and refining, the pulp is dried, rolled and formed into new paperboard, which is chemically treated to improve its resistance to water and fire. The paperboard sheets are then laminated into corrugated building blocks for the final shelter design. The engineered product is lightweight and allows rapid and cost-effective transportation to wherever it is needed. The use of post-consumer waste as a building material creates an inexpensive and environmentally benign means of providing shelter to those displaced by natural disasters and conflict.