Presenting Team Members:
Grant Walker – PhD Student in Civil Engineering
Alka Khadka – Master’s Student in Civil Engineering
School: Oklahoma State University
Challenge: Resilience for All in the Wake of Disaster
Problem Definition: Develop holistic solutions to improve the resilience of the built environment, making equity a central focus of the proposed solution by strengthening the ability of communities—especially those that are underserved, marginalized and vulnerable—to adapt, persist, and recover in the event of natural or manmade disruptive events.
Project Title: R3ER Shelter Design: Cowboy Covers
Solution: The holistic solution provides the R3ER (Resilient, Equitable, Environmental, Energy efficiency, Rapid) shelter design called “Cowboy Covers” in construction method, design, and energy efficiency of the shelters by conducting a case study at Stillwater, OK. Especially, the 3D printing design-based construction method entailed energy efficiency which showed lower EUI compared to the benchmark EUI approved by ASHRAE Standards Committee. The holistic solution, “Cowboy Covers”, has multiple uses of the facility: shelter, office, hospital, which can justify the environmental justice. As a result, the communities would not only (1) be less exposed to disaster damage or less vulnerable to disaster impacts but also (2) ensure maximum utilization of the limited resources to reach out a larger number of people who might be facing life threatening situations in a timely manner.