Here is my ROUGH Abstract

Here is my rough abstract if there is any errors that you see grammatically or content wise don't be afraid to leave a comment

Thanks

The Disaster Container

Thesis:  Can a 20’x8’x9’-6” cargo container be converted into a self sufficient temporary emergency shelter using sustainable technology, and offer all the amenities and comforts of a home?

Recently the world has had to deal with one natural disaster after another leaving millions of people homeless and without basic amenities, for example the flooding that occurred in China in May of 2010 left over 800,000 people without homes (Watts, 2010).  Most of the time the victims are stuffed into community centers or sports arenas, and the other times they are handed tents. Both options offer no security and little to no privacy. 

The one option this research will address is the use of a retired cargo container to provide a private, secure, self sufficient, and sustainable temporary emergency shelter. Since the containers have an initial life span on average of 20 years before they are retired (Brown 2009), they provide a great “green” structure and because they are constructed out of weathering steel, which is a steel that is corrosion resistant and used for objects that are mainly in the elements (Smith 2005), they will be able to last for a long time.  Using a 20’x8’x9’-6” seems to be the most economical size as it will allow the most units to be transported at one time and will also reduce the amount of space that is required for setting up the shelters.  Since not every disaster that occurs happens along a coast line, the ability for these shelters to be placed on trucks or trains makes them even more of an asset to have, and makes them easier to deploy. Conversely once rebuilding of the affected area has begun they could be removed just as easily, and as most of the equipment is very durable the disaster container could be reused again and again.

Incorporated in the design would be all the furniture and appliances, because it is such a tight space everything has to be able to fit together.  The doors and windows would have to be able to with stand all the bumps that go along with the transportation, and the equipment would have to be able to function in less than perfect conditions. Since cost is always an issue when it comes to projects such as this, a small portion of the research will go in to determining the actual feasibility.  It will cover the cost of the individual parts like the cargo container, dry composting toilet, PV panels, power storage, water filtration system/storage, the furniture, and appliances. As the cost of labor is a constantly changing variable this will be excluded from the report

The purpose of this research report is to prepare a design for an emergency shelter that is constructed out of a 20’x8’x9’-6” cargo container.  The report will look at the need for emergency shelters, the needs of displaced people after natural disasters, and the design of a single disaster container.  The design will try to incorporate many sustainable technologies like PV panels, a water filtration system, and a dry composting toilet. The research will focus mainly on providing a design that incorporates all the amenities and comforts that one has come to expect when they are in their own home.  This research will hopefully be able to present a design that will provide them with a feeling of comfort and security.