The shelter can be assembled in a few hours. Source: Protomax

People displaced by natural disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria could benefit from new, recyclable, plastic-based shelters developed and tested by researchers at the University of Bath in the U.K. and plastics company Protomax.

Known as Storm Board, the emergency shelters are made from recycled waste plastic. They are intended to mimic “flat pack” furniture by being easy to build and low cost. (Watch a video.)

Each shelter measures 3.6 by 4.8 meters and could provide a sufficient temporary space to shelter a family. Several could be linked together to form a larger structure.

The Bath researchers are currently testing the performance of the shelters at the University’s Building Research Park, where the quality of the shelter they provide and their ability to survive winter weather are being tested.

The shelters could be stored for long periods of time then transported in flat pack form on pallets to provide people affected by storm damage with recyclable and easily deployable shelter solutions.

Lead researcher and Professor of Low Carbon Design at the University of Bath, David Coley, says: “From the milk bottles to the ice-cream tubs we throw away each day, these waste plastics could provide a recyclable shelter solution to those people who have been left without a home.”

This project is part of a wider international research project in which the Bath research team is designing and testing low cost and easy-to-construct shelters made from sustainable materials for refugees living in extreme climates.