IKEA Unveils Solar-Powered Flat Pack Shelters for Easily Deployable Emergency Housing

<a href="http://www.ikea.com/">IKEA</a> just turned its flat pack sensibilities from the urban apartment to the global village by unveiling a comfortable, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/solar-power">solar-powered</a> shelter that can provide emergency housing for natural disaster victims and refugees. The flat pack homes were developed in collaboration between the <a href="http://www.ikeafoundation.org/">IKEA Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees</a> (UNCHR), and they can be set up in a snap to provide immediate shelter for those in need.

We’ve all seen IKEA’s innate ability to transform any area into a cozy, homey space (just look at how comfortable their store displays are), and taking on disaster and refugee relief is a no brainer for the company. Until the IKEA collaboration, the UNCHR was only able to provide tents or converted mass-shelters for the influx of refugees into countries around the world.

Now, with IKEA’s help, these displaced citizens will not only have privacy and comfort, but the dignity of having their own place- that can last for three years. The makers of the furnishings in your first “grown up” apartment, IKEA, have turned their easy assembling sensibilities out of the urban apartment and onto the global village.

The Swedish design retailers have created a comfortable and livable solar powered shelter to help both <a href="http://inhabitat.com/flatpack-emergency-shelters-pop-up-in-a-jiffy-without-any-mechanical-tools/" target="_blank">natural disaster victims and refugees</a> alike. A collaboration between <a href="http://media.ikeafoundation.org/" target="_blank">IKEA Foundation</a> and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), the homey huts will <a href="http://inhabitat.com/emergency-shelters-and-disaster-relief-for-the-people-of-haiti/" target="_blank">replace rustic tents for refugees</a> in war torn countries.

We’ve all seen IKEA’s innate ability to transform any area into a cozy, homey space (just look at how comfortable their store displays are), and taking on disaster and refugee relief is a no brainer for the company. Until the IKEA collaboration, the UNCHR was only able to provide tents or converted mass-shelters for the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycled-gecekondoo-emergency-shelters-could-provide-relief-to-displaced-residents-of-istanbul/" target="_blank">influx of refugees</a> into countries around the world. Now, with IKEA’s help, these displaced citizens will not only have privacy and comfort, but the dignity of having their own place.

IKEA’s shelters come flat packed, making for the easy transport of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bvn-architecture-creates-a-3d-puzzle-emergency-shelter-for-a-melbourne-exhibition/" target="_blank">lightweight plastic shelters</a> at once. Assembly of the 188 square foot hut is easy and can be built in just four hours. Five people can sleep comfortably inside, which is twice the size of the regulation refugee tent. The best part, the homes have solar paneled roofing, allowing victims to generate their own electricity, extinguishing the need for candles or kerosene lamps. The roof also helps to deflect solar reflection by 70%, keeping the interior cool during the day and warmer at night.

The new IKEA/UNHCR shelters will make their first appearance in Ethiopia next month, where locals will give the solar powered huts a test drive.