(from EWB_Challenge_Design_Brief_-_Appendix_2_Habitat_for_Humanity_Vietnam.pdf, page3)
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Project statement
Construction is one of Habitat for Humanity’s main activities. Building and renovating houses to create safe,permanent homes with reliable water and sanitation facilities is an ongoing task of HFH. With the aim of improving the general quality of life of occupants, as well as providing improved protection against disasters and seasonal flooding. Your challenge will be to provide environmentally-friendly design proposals that will help achieve these aims.
Houses in the Mekong Delta are typically made from red clay brick and mortar or from bamboo.
Roofs are either galvanised steel or thatched coconut leaves;
both materials need to be replaced every 3 to 7 years.
Houses on average contain only 2 rooms (living and bedroom) with the kitchen and toilet facilities often located outside; it is common for each home to be occupied by 4 to 5 people.
It is also common for homes to experience pests such as mosquitoes and rats, especially during the nights.
Moreover, it is feared that many homes are in danger of rising water levels, with foundations, columns and flooring deteriorating quickly via inundation of salty water.
Other environmental issues facing housing design in the An Minh District is the impeding threat of large storms. Thus, houses would benefit from increased durability and adaptability to the changing weather conditions and rising sea levels.
Considerations
When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority. The proposal should:
*Explain measures taken that would help to reduce cost, construction time, and negative environmental impacts.
*Consider factors such as heating and cooling, lighting and the material selection.
*Use locally available materials that are culturally acceptable and environmentally friendly.
*Outline a strategy for coping with the risk of rising water levels and tidal changes.
Suggested Projects
EWB and Habitat for Humanity invite you to consider one or more of the following design projects:
· Improve the design of houses so that the floor and foundations are waterproof and can resist rising
water table along with the high salt concentrations it brings.
* Develop an environmentally friendly, durable and low-cost roof material using locally available
materials. Ideally the roof would also be suitable for rainwater collection. Please consider the
health and safety of the family, salt from ocean breeze and strong winds affecting families in the
Mekong Delta.
* Design a user-friendly educational program for local builders on housing maintenance and
construction; focusing on increasing the education levels and formal design skills of the local
builders.
* Develop a method of making coconut leaf walls and roofs more durable, pest-resistant, disaster resistant and strong enough so that they last up to ten years as oppose to 2.
* The Mekong Delta climate is hot all year round, with wet and dry seasons typically lasting 6 months each.
Households do not have access to air-conditioning or fans, and must rely on winds and the
household design to provide comfort. Develop a green / cool house construction design for this hot
climate in order to release heat and keep the household cool.
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