Earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, geopolitical events, climate changes, and industrial accidents present a unique and similar need. The need to both rapidly respond and stabilize the environment so that rescue, recovery, and rebuild can occur. These events often create either a partially or fully austere environment which lack or have greatly reduced function of critical infrastructure such as power, water, and communications.

This lack of infrastructure function can impact the ability to deliver health care and aid to an affected population. A lack of clean water can create compounding complications by creating vectors or disease to spread meaning that responders are dealing with both immediate injuries from an event and disease spreading component.

To improve response capability and in field flexibility, an family of containerized buildings was developed. These deployable buildings would empower a response team to more efficiently operate managing the delivery of aid, evacuation, and the sustainment of associated equipment ranging from trucks, ships, and aircraft. This family consisted of 20 ft ISO container buildings with a common architecture and discrete functions capable of operating off of a microgrid. The primary functions identified were:

  A) Communications and Management
  B) Sleeping, Shelter, and Flexible

  C) Medical

  D) Maintenance

  E) Water

A microgrid could be deployed composed of generators, foldable solar panels, and battery storage. A wide range of generators and battery storage solutions exist from CAT, Generac, Multiquip, and others. On the solar front products such as those from pvilion were studied and found to meet the needs for deployability and transport, but would potentially need to be augment by more conventional solar. The exact mix of a microgrid would depend on a response need.

Fast Setup

Due to quick connection to external power and lack of a need to expand the structures, initial setup and commissioning of each structure could be accomplished by a single person once placed.

Transport

A design with 20ft ISO containers which is fully enclosed was selected to maximize the transport options. Due to this containers could be moved by all commercial transport options such as truck, rail, boat, and outsized air freight. Containers could also be move with helicopter. On site movements, loading, and unloading of buildings could be accomplished by any equipment capable of handling cargo containers.

To allow for in field flexibility, streamline fabrication, keep costs low, a common container layout was selected. This layout is split into an "A" and "B" zone. 

Zone A

Providing a common service zone holding the electrical panel, battery back up (allowing each unit to have reserve power during micro grid outages), HVAC unit. Zone A would also feature quick disconnect of power by either common 50 amp RV plug or a round harsh environment connector. Equipment from Generac, Briggs & Stratton, and Victron was studied for battery options providing each unit with its own uninterruptible power supply. This configuration allows for use of a microgrid or a single generator and solar connected directly to the container.

Zone B

The building function zone. This region would be lined with tracking using COTS and custom brackets to allow for configuration into one of the key functions. This approach would speed up assembly, and also allow for a close to tool less reconfiguration in the field by swapping around components. This tracking would also allow for materials and equipment to be secured during shipment to prevent loads from shifting. Wall space not occupied by various hardware could be covered with dry erase material to provide additional space utility.

A building to support communication and management of a response operation. Capable of coordinating a ground crew and logistics in / out of the response facility with the ability to act as a miniature field data center.

A building to allow for bunk bed style sleeping of up to 8 individuals. Additional awnings could be attached between two units and on the side to provide additional weather cover. This unit can also act as a shipping container holding response supplies while in transit with the beds folded up or unmounted from the track. Beds could also be reconfigured to convert the space into another function in the field.

A building to push hospital and urgent care capability to the point of need. This facility would empower individuals to be stabilized before evacuation to an appropriate facility. The structure could be deployed to act a node providing power to adjacent tents.

A building to bring maintenance and lightweight manufacturing to the edge. A response operation would require the use of a wide range of vehicles depending on geographic location potentially consisting of ships, aircraft (both conventional & drones), construction type equipment, and trucks. Keeping all of the equipment operational and conducting repairs which would enable the equipment to be moved to a more capable facility will be critical to keeping supplies and people moving. This facility would bring a dimension of adaptability and flexibility to a response. 

Two configurations were looked at one with two side doors and one with only one side door. A wide range of capabilities were researched for inclusion into this including a fiber laser for plate & tube work, mig welding, sheet metal workbench, air compressor, power tool charging bay, ebikes for parts logistics, master mechanic tool chest, 3d printing, and electronics test equipment. Depending on configuration of capabilities some equipment would need to be setup outside of the unit. The large side doors would speed configuration before deployment and allow for faster unloading from both sides.

A building to provide drinking water from a reverse osmosis system. Clean water for drinking and medical response can reduce the spread of disease and lower the workload place on the team by allowing them to focus on the primary need and less secondary impacts such as those related to the inaccessibility of clean water. Clean water is also highly useful for maintenance tasks compared to saltwater. Configurations capable of providing up to 10,000 gallons of water per day were studied.