Envision Solar, a San Diego-based company known for its solar-powered carports, has announced a new product in line with the company’s goal to make use of solar energy in unconventional places.
This new product, the LifeVillage, is aimed towards areas needing temporary shelters. The product is a series of prefabricated structures with light-gauge steel framing and solar panel roofs. Comparable to the German Huf Haus in terms of concept, which brings together transparent architecture and efficient energy use in creatively designed homes, Envision Solar’s LifeVillage structures not only provide temporary shelter, but also electricity and purified water.
These structures are made to be put up with ease, even with unskilled workers, with the prefabricated materials arriving in two standard shipping containers. A single LifeVillage kit includes energy storage batteries, photovoltaic modules and corresponding roofing, a water pumping and purification system, inverters, and lighting. According to Envision, the light-gauge steel frame that makes up the structure of the shelter enables it to meet international building codes.
The modular LifeVillage kits are not only made to stand alone. While a single module offers 3500 square feet of living space, the kits are flexible enough to connect to create bigger temporary structures, such as for health clinics without available utilities. Each module can generate 50 kilowatts of power which can be used for a wide variety of needs in disaster areas.
While the solar-energy powered structures may not be the best for all climates, Envision points out that they could serve a great use in places like Haiti, India and parts of Africa.
I don’t think the issue of climate would be as significant if we remember that the greatest need for disaster operations tend to come from developing countries in the tropic and sub-tropic zones. These shelters will be able to not only provide simple necessities but also a place decent enough for people to live in temporarily until life returns to normal.