Emergency Shelter Solutions and Standards
30 January 2024
Key points
Ensure minimum standards of covered living space per person are respected
Shelter solutions should be adapted to the geographical context, climate, cultural practice
and habits, and local availability of skills and accessibility to adequate construction
materials in any given context
Consider the life span of shelter materials as they deteriorate with time. Further to the initial
distribution, installation or construction, replacement, reinforcement or maintenance may be
required
Individual family shelter should always be preferred over communal accommodation as it
provides the necessary privacy, psychological comfort, and emotional safety. Whenever
possible, displaced people should be empowered to choose where to live, and to build their
own shelters, promoting a sense of ownership and self-reliance
1. Overview
This section will provide guidance on the range of emergency shelter solutions and expected
standards when providing emergency shelter.
Emergency shelter needs are best met by using locally available, sustainably sourced materials
and construction methods. Only if adequate quantities cannot be quickly obtained locally, should
emergency shelter material be brought into the country. The simplest structures and building
methods are preferable, if they offer adequate safety and protection from weather conditions.
Materials should be, to the extent possible, environmentally friendly and obtained from
sustainable sources, especially wood, sand, etc. That said, plastic sheeting has become the most
important shelter component in many humanitarian response operations, often in combination
with rigid materials, as they offer flexibility and can be used in a variety of ways in both urban
and rural settings.
2. Relevance for emergency operations
A shelter is not just bricks and mortar, or a tent, but a means to protect those uprooted. In
emergencies, it is fundamental to provide shelter as part of the life-saving responsibilities and
mandate of humanitarian actors, so that forcibly displaced people can enjoy a secure and
healthy living environment that protects them from weather conditions, and offer them privacy,
dignity, comfort, and emotional security.
3. Main guidance
Each type of emergency shelter may present advantages and disadvantages, depending on the
context in which it is used. Consider the following points when deciding on the emergency
shelter or combination of shelter types to be used in any given response:
Shelter solution PROs CONs
Family tents Valuable in immediate relief inflexible; may be unstable in
phase; lightweight (for high winds or heavy snow;
transport and distribution); difficult to heat.
proven design; can be Where tents are used for long
winterised; large production durations, provisions for repair
capacities; quick to install. materials should be
considered.
Plastic sheeting Most important shelter Does not offer strong
component in many relief resistance against high winds
operations; UV-resistant; heavy or rains; negative
duty; lightweight, flexible; environmental impact if not
large production capacities; disposed of properly.
known product, familiarity of Need extra materials to make a
their usage in many contexts; shelter, eg wood: collecting
low cost. wood for shelters' support
frames or stick skeletons can
considerably harm the
environment if collected from
surrounding forests. It is
therefore important to always
consider sustainable sources of
framing material which is
suitable to support plastic.
Materials and tools for Suitable local materials are Required time and training.
construction (shelter kits) best, if available, and must be
suitable for variance in the
seasons, culturally and socially
appropriate and familiar.
Prefabricated shelter and Permanent or semi-permanent High unit cost; long shipping
containers structures; long lasting if time; long production time;
adapted to local climatic transport challenges; assembly
conditions. challenges; inflexibility in
customization; disregards
cultural and social norms.
Refugee housing units Durable and weather-resistant, Higher unit cost in comparison
lightweight and portable, to local solutions; may not fit
modular design. cultural preferences and
sensitivities; limited thermal
insulation.
Rental subsidies/CBI Greater sense of independence Competitive market may result
and freedom of choice; greater in price increases; inflation and
integration in a community; speculation may occur; difficult
influx of income to host to implement in places where
community. financial institutions are not
present, or cash transfer is not
implementable; upgrades or
repairs may be needed.
Shelter Aiming at more durable More costly; takes more time;
rehabilitation/upgrade solutions; more adapted to need to ensure HLP rights;
developed/cold climate need to respect local building
contexts. codes, regulations and plans.
For transit and collective centers, please refer to related entries. For shelter upgrades,
rehabilitation and more long term solutions, please refer to the entry on shelter guidance.
Emergency shelter considerations in warm climates
Minimum standards for floor space in warm climates are as follows:
Minimum 3.5m2 of covered living space per person in tropical or warm climates, excluding
cooking facilities or kitchen.
Minimum height of 2m at the lowest point, with greater height being preferable to aid air
circulation and ventilation.
It is expected that in warm climates and based on cultural habits, certain activities will
happen outside (e.g. cooking), hence kitchen space is not factored into above standard.
Shaded external space adjacent to the shelter can be established, if possible, for these
activities.
The design of shelter should, if possible, provide for modification by its occupants to suit their
individual needs (e.g. internal partitioning for greater privacy), including future expansion.
In more developed contexts or where forcibly displaced people have access to income
opportunities, more space should be factored in for extra belongings (e.g. washing machines,
fridges), or for running home businesses (tailoring, hair dressing, etc.). Similar considerations for
extra living space should be made when WASH facilities (bathing and toilet facilities) are
provided at family level. Ensure close coordination with WASH actors in this regard. Check the
WASH entry for more details.
Emergency shelter considerations in cold climates
Where cold weather with wind, rain and snow prevails over extended periods (3 to 5 months),
minimum standards for floor space are as follows:
Minimum 4.5m2 to 5.5m2 indoor living space per person.
Max 2m ceilings to reduce the heated space.
In cold seasons/climates, more time will be spent inside the shelter (cooking, eating, studying),
and more space is required to store belongings (e.g. warm clothes, blankets, etc.). In particular,
persons with specific needs will require heated, enclosed spaces.
As for the standards in warm conditions, the design of shelter should, if possible, provide for
modification by its occupants to suit their individual needs (e.g. internal partitioning for greater
privacy), including future expansion.
In more developed contexts or where forcibly displaced people have access to income
opportunities, more space should be factored for extra belongings (e.g. washing machines,
fridges), or for running home businesses (tailoring, hair dressing, etc.). Similar considerations for
extra living space should be made when WASH facilities (bathing and toilet facilities) are
provided at family level. Ensure close coordination with WASH actors in this regard. Check the
WASH entry for more details.
Shelters in cold conditions have to resist snow weight and wind forces, hence they are more
complex and expensive. Thus, local conditions need to be considered in the standards for shelter
in such situations. The following should be considered:
Structural stability (to withstand snow- and wind-loads).
Insulation of walls, roofs, floors, doors and windows.
Protected and heated kitchens and sanitary facilities.
Provision for heating.
To help people survive the impact of cold weather in an emergency, a response should focus on
the following:
Individual survival. It is extremely important to protect the human body from heat loss.
Particularly during sleep, it is important to be able to keep warm by retaining body heat with
blankets, sleeping bags, clothing and shoes. Body heat can be generated by providing food with
high calorific value.
Living space. It is very important to concentrate on a limited living space and to ensure that
cold air can be kept out of this space. This can be done by sealing the room with plastic sheeting,
sealing tapes and insulation materials. Windows and doors should be covered with translucent
plastic sheeting and stapled on window and door frames. Walls, ceilings and floors of the living
space should be designed to insulate from cold air and to retain warm air as efficiently as
possible.
Heating. Keeping the inside of a shelter at a comfortable temperature (15 to 19° C) depends to
a large extent on the outside temperature, the type of construction, the quality of the insulation,
the orientation of the building, and on the type and capacity of the stove. Depending on
conditions, a stove with 5 to 7 kW performance should have the capacity to heat a space with a
floor area of 40 to 70 m2 in most cold areas. When the stove for heating is used for cooking as
well, particular attention should be given to its stability and the use of a clean energy source.
Fire risks must also be considered.
Post emergency phase
The SPHERE standards (2018) remain the internationally recognised quantifiable minimum
standards for humanitarian responses. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that these remain
minimum standards and that it is imperative to consider the next stages of the sheltering
process as early as possible in the emergency response. In protracted situations, an approach
that is able to breach the division between emergency, transitional, and durable shelter and that
links relief, rehabilitation and development should be sought.
Standards to be applied to transitional and/or durable shelters will depend on the context, and
will be commonly defined by shelter partners and in close coordination with government
authorities and development partners.
Checklist
Evaluate geographical context, climate, cultural preference and local resources.
Provide 3.5m2 covered space per person in warm climates, and 4.5-5.5m2 per person in
cold climates.
In arid climates that may present both cold and hot seasons, use the standard for
minimum covered living space based on safest standards (i.e. based on cold standards).
Ensure structural stability and consider modification by occupants (e.g. extra space,
more internal partitioning, etc.).
Acknowledge SPHERE standards as a minimum.
Adapt shelter solutions based on local factors. Establish locally adjusted standards
especially in more developed contexts.
Collaborate with shelter partners, government, and development partners.
Plan for more durable solutions beyond the emergency phase.
Annexes
UNHCR Policy on alternatives to camps, 2014
UNHCR, Shelter and Sustainability, 2021
UNHCR, Shelter Design Catalogue, 2016
4. Learning and field practices
Accessible to UNHCR staff only: UNHCR Shelter & Settlement Assessment Toolbox (…
Shelter Center Humanitarian Library
UNHCR Self Standing Tent
Assembly of an RHU Better Shelter
Family Tent
Refugee Housing Unit 1.2 Fact Sheet
5. Links
Global Shelter Cluster The Sphere Handbook 2018 UNHCR, The Master Plan Approach to
settlement Planning, 2019
6. Main contacts
Technical Support Section, Division of Resilience and Solutions - [email protected]
