In refugee camps and areas effected by natural disaster, a common policy exists that most structures or improvements must be temporary, even though they may be used for decades. As a result, infrastructure systems are designed to last only a few months, resulting in substandard living conditions. Today, this condition adversely effects over 170 million people worldwide. The Clean Hub is a portable, self sustaining source for clean water, electricity and sanitation. Designed within an intermodal shipping container, the Clean Hub can be fabricated, shipped and deployed anywhere in the world in a matter of days. In keeping with all policies, it can be deemed portable, but since it is self sustaining, it can function in one place for as long as necessary with minimal maintenance. The Clean Hub uses a photovoltaic array with battery storage, a 4,400 gallon water reservoir, a rainwater catchment system, ceramic and reverse osmosis filtration, and composting toilets.



A Catalyst for Stable Societies:
As with the Farmer's Market in New Orleans, the home of the first prototype, we continue to see the Clean Hub as a catalyst for creating stable cultures. Its scaled to serve 150 people at a time which coincides with the optimal number of people in a stable society. Also, when in use, the Clean Hub will produce compost allowing it to be coupled with small scale agriculture. This, in turn, creates a micro-economy.



Other Applications:
After building the first prototype, we received a wealth of feedback from NGOs working worldwide. In response to the immediate and long term needs they expressed, we plan to design and build for applications ranging from a mobile immunization center, a maternity clinic, a mobile theater, and a community center. We also plan to make each project scalable to its specific human and natural ecosystem while still supplying a completely off-grid and self sustaining source for water, power, and sanitation within their specific function.

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