Emergency and Disaster Relief Shelters: Container and Prefab Solutions for NGOs and Governments

After earthquakes, floods, conflicts or large displacements, tents provide immediate cover but quickly become inadequate in heat, cold and rain. Container and prefab shelters bridge the gap between tents and permanent reconstruction: they can be produced in volume within weeks, shipped flat-pack, assembled with simple tools and used safely for several years. Typical solutions are 14 – 21 m² family shelter units, shared sanitary blocks and prefab or container schools, clinics and administration buildings, planned together as a complete settlement.

Why container and prefab shelters?

Turkey has extensive recent experience with container cities and prefab settlements built after major earthquakes, and Turkish manufacturers have scaled up production and logistics for emergency deployments.

Shelter and service building types

• Family shelter units: 14.4 m² (2.4 × 6 m) or 21 m² (3 × 7 m) modules with living/sleeping space; optional kitchenette and WC
• Shared sanitary blocks: WC and shower blocks with separate access for women and men, lighting for night-time safety
• Accessible units: Ramps, wider doors and accessible WCs for persons with disabilities
• Schools and child-friendly spaces: Joined modules or prefab classroom blocks
• Clinics and health posts: Consultation rooms, treatment and storage
• Administration, registration and distribution centres
• Community kitchens and laundries
• Warehouses for relief items

Settlement planning basics

1. Site selection: Safe from floods and landslides, with access roads and drainage.
2. Blocks and clusters: Group shelters in small clusters with nearby sanitary facilities to improve safety and community ties.
3. Distances: Keep sanitary blocks within short walking distance, with lighting along routes.
4. Fire safety: Leave fire breaks between rows and clusters.
5. Services: Locate schools, clinics and distribution points centrally and accessibly.
6. Utilities: Plan water, wastewater, power and solid waste collection from the start.
7. Expansion: Allow for population growth and additional service buildings.

Specifications that matter in emergencies

• Climate: Rock wool or PIR insulation for cold regions; reflective roofs and ventilation for hot climates
• Fire performance: Rock wool-filled panels preferred for densely occupied settlements
• Speed of assembly: Flat-pack kits that unskilled labour can assemble under supervision
• Durability: Galvanized frames and robust floors for multi-year use
• Low maintenance: Simple, replaceable components and a spare parts kit
• Electrical safety: Circuit protection suitable for the local power supply or generators

Procurement for NGOs UN agencies and governments

Humanitarian buyers usually procure through tenders or framework agreements. To support your process, Konter provides:

• Technical datasheets and drawings for each unit type
• Quotations under the Incoterm specified in the tender (FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP…)
• Packing lists, loading plans and CBM per unit for logistics planning
• Production schedules showing weekly output
• Export documents including certificate of origin
• Assembly manuals and supervisor support

Production capacity and delivery speed

For emergency orders, the critical figures are units per week and units per truck or container. Our production plan is shared with your logistics team at quotation stage, and our group company İnter Lojistik can organise road convoys to neighbouring countries, while flat-pack shipments are loaded for sea or rail transport to more distant regions.

Indicative prices

*Estimated October 2026 ranges converted at approximately 49 TRY/USD; volume orders and tender quantities are quoted separately.*

Frequently Asked Questions