MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 6, 2014) – The Philippines have developed a collapsible shelter which can be assembled quickly and use in emergency situations and Filipino officials call it the F-House.
The F-House, a fast-build, firm, and fold-away shelter was developed at the Department of Science and Technology – Forest Products Research and Development Institute.
It can be assembled as quickly as a tent for people during disasters and can also serve as a depot for emergency supplies or distribution center for food, medicine and other supplies.
“Like tents, the F-house can be folded, packed, stored and used repeatedly. The F-house has a floor that can be mounted on specially designed pre-fabricated footings that can be adjusted when the terrain is not flat,” said project leader Dr. Florence Soriano, who was also a former DPST-FPRDI director.
Soriano said the F-House can be well-secured just like the regular house. It also offers the same indoor comfort and amenity of a permanent house because its structural design allows it to be resistant to weathering, extreme temperatures, winds, and other harmful natural forces, he said, adding the it is also stable during storms as tension cables tied to ground anchors secure the roof.
He said the shelter can also be easily transported. It can be put in a rigid case and placed at the back of a trailer or in a low-bed truck, in case of multiple deliveries. When dismounted from the trailer or truck, the F-House can be wheeled to destined location through prefabricated footings previously positioned and leveled.
“The rigid case can be unfolded and erected into a house in just one hour or less. This can be easily done by four medium-built unskilled workers, using only simple carpenter’s tools and gadgets,” Soriano said.
He said the prototype shelter can accommodate five people. It can be stored in a space approximately five times smaller than its actual service size.
The walls, floor, and roof are resistant to weather, termite, fungi and is also fire-resistant due to its wood-wool cement board panels that are fixed and fastened using specially designed light-weight metal sections. The prototype F-House, which can be erected instantly, is already integrated with provisions for power supply.
Soriano said the cost of fabricating one prototype with double walls is P 75,000 and can still be lowered when mass-produced or when the walls are singly sheathed.
“We assure end-users that the fabrication of the F-House was adequately supervised in the shop using only quality-tested materials. The method of erecting the shelter was well planned and engineered. Hence, buying the F-house is like buying time when a safe and comfortable refuge is needed most,” he said. (Apple Jean Martin and Framelia Anonas)
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