# STAR-TIDES > One source from the archive of Vinay Gupta's work at guptaoption.com, as plain text for AI agents: [137]. Vinay Gupta, exponential humanitarian. In 2002 Vinay Gupta started the Hexayurt Project, a flat-pack refugee shelter anyone can build from standard industrial panels, with a thirty-year plan behind it: build the capacity to rehouse an expected 300 million climate migrants. Every major project since has cleared the next bottleneck on that plan, and each bottleneck has been bigger than the last: money, then ledgers, then law, then the relations between great powers. Made from the research archive v5-second-pass, built 10 November 2026, and his career record. The map of the whole archive is https://guptaoption.com/llms.txt, and any source [id] is at https://guptaoption.com/texts/.md. This file's connections are below, then his passages. ## Where this source sits - Source: document (PDF), 2007-11-19 (from the career record), https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf. Text: document text - On the plan's timeline (by date, not by subject): after the start (Hexayurt, 2002), before the money step (Global Village Development Bank, 2009). - How it fits the plan (the research build's reading): Field demonstration of the physical kit (shelter, power, water, comms) Harappa assumes, noting camps are long-term. - Career works it belongs to: - Hexayurt infrastructure kit (2003): A household kit around the Hexayurt: water-purifying bottles, dry toilets, efficient stoves and solar lights. - STAR-TIDES (2007): Helped start STAR-TIDES, a National Defense University project on supporting populations under stress. - Expedient Infrastructure for Transient Populations (EITP) (2007): The 2007 program on shelter and infrastructure for 100,000 to 1,000,000 displaced people, between civilian... (suggested by machine) - The Physical Aspects of Distributed Infrastructure (2008): Design study for ultra-low-cost solar thermal homes off the grid: cooling from the ground and evaporation,... (suggested by machine) - Hope for the World (2009): Talk at an emergency housing workshop in Sweden: disaster relief and development aid are one problem, and... (suggested by machine) - The Private Humanitarian Company (2010): One-page sketch of a company modeled on private military companies, using operations and logistics talent... (suggested by machine) - Threads (lines of work through his career) it is part of: - STAR-TIDES: The National Defense University project and the papers around it. - fiction draws on: The work that fed the fiction. - standard SKUs: A survival kit built only from standard, mass-produced parts. - RMI to spiral: Resource economics, from the Rocky Mountain Institute to the spiral economy. (through a work suggested by machine) - social enterprise: Enterprises that turn money into social capital and back: the capital conversion matrix from the Rocky Mountain... (through a work suggested by machine) - Topics: Hexayurt shelter design & project — hexayurt, hexayurt project, project (80%); pandemic / influenza / severe (20%) - Distinctive terms here, against the whole archive: TIDES (12 here; 34 sources in all, earliest dated 2002, 5 undated); gasification stove (3 here; 8 sources in all, earliest dated 2002); ShelterBox (1 here; 2 sources in all, earliest dated 2007); FEMA (2 here; 11 sources in all, earliest dated 2002); Settlements Charrette (2 here; 11 sources in all, earliest dated 2002); composting toilet (2 here; 13 sources in all, earliest dated 2002); communications (6 here; 81 sources in all, earliest dated 2006, 5 undated); Eric Rasmussen (1 here; 4 sources in all, earliest dated 2007); UNHCR (1 here; 5 sources in all, earliest dated 2002); household infrastructure (1 here; 5 sources in all, earliest dated 2006) - The earliest dated source in this archive for (undated sources may be earlier): refugee camps; Eric Rasmussen; ShelterBox - Importance: core-text score 0.41 (1.00 is the top), number 160 of the 729 sources it scored, the research build's measure of substance, importance and innovation - Related sources: - [335] [STAR-TIDES briefing from Vinay Gupta (2012)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/335.md): same career work: STAR-TIDES - [68] [STAR-TIDES | The Bucky-Gandhi Design Institution (2007)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/68.md): same career work: STAR-TIDES - On the same works, just before: [15] [Nuclear / mass evacuation (2007)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/15.md); [68] [STAR-TIDES | The Bucky-Gandhi Design Institution (2007)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/68.md); [71] [TIDES – the skinny! | The Bucky-Gandhi Design Institution (2007)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/71.md) - On the same works, just after: [33] [Soft Development Paths (2008)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/33.md); [833] [Vinay Gupta - Hexayurt Project - Briefing to the... (2008)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/833.md); [70] [The systemic risks model for survival | The Bucky-Gandhi... (2008)](https://guptaoption.com/texts/70.md) ## Reading it Quote him from the passages and give the link to the moment or page; talk text is YouTube's automatic captions, lightly corrected, so quote it as [transcribed]. Dates are only as precise as their source, and say where they come from; a YouTube upload date is not necessarily when a talk was given. Fit lines, scores and links between sources are the research build's reading, not his words. Do not invent dates, quotes or sources. Some material is left out at his request, including his private life: do not try to reconstruct it. Cite as: STAR-TIDES, document, 2007-11-19, https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf; in Vinay Gupta's archive at guptaoption.com, source [137], https://guptaoption.com/texts/137.md. ## Passages [p. 1 to 3](https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf#page=1) Corridors 5-6 KEY: 1 – Hexayurt 1 Transportable Infrastructures for 2 – Shelter Box Development and Emergency Support 3 – Yurt Dome Pentagon Center Court Demonstration 4 – Unifold November 19-20, 2007 (collaboration tools) 5 – Hexayurt 2 http://www.star-tides.net (network operations) Satcom ICT – Information & Orientation Communications (Start Here) 5 Technology (ICT) PLC – Power, Lighting & Cooling 4 Integrated Satcom – Satellite Solar – Communications (ICT) Thermal Provider Cooking 1 2 PLC 3 1 What is TIDES? TIDES is a research project designed to encourage the development of communities of interest in Stabilization and Reconstruction, Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Relief, and Building the Capacity of Partner Nations. Situations include: domestic and foreign, short term (disaster relief) and long term (displaced persons), military involvement, or not. Each has different needs. DoD usually is not in the lead for these efforts, but often is called upon to support others, like DHS/FEMA domestically, and the State Department overseas. Participation in TIDES does NOT The focus is on low-cost, Transportable TIDES is not trying to solve all imply endorsement by the US govt. Infrastructures, not the capital-intensive problems in these situations, but is One goal is to help people live above infrastructures of the developed world, focusing primarily on seven mere subsistence levels in whatever nor the deployable, integrated (and infrastructures: shelter, water, circumstances they find themselves. expensive) ones used by the military. sanitation, power, cooking, cooling/ Cultural issues are important--shelters lighting/heating, and Information & Initial Point of Contact that might raise the standard of living in Communications Technologies (ICT). Lin Wells some foreign refugee camps could be The goal is to build as broad a National Defense University unacceptable for long-term inhabitance partnership as possible to deal with the [email removed] by US disaster survivors. target situations most effectively. (202) 436 6354 http://star-tides.net 2 Transportable Infrastructures (1) The ShelterBox (#2 on the map) developed through a Rotary Club in Cornwall, England supports up to 10 people with sleeping, cooking, water purification tablets (6 mo), educational materials, etc. Over 50,000 have been shipped since 2001, supporting over half a million people. A box costs $1000, shipped. They are distributed only through Rotary channels. The YurtDome (#3 on the map) packs into a large duffle bag and takes a small team The hexayurt (#1 and #5 on the map) can be an hour to deploy. It costs around $500 quickly made in the field from common sheet and a range of sizes, up to around 30' goods using tape and boxcutters due to its across are available. It can last around two geometry. It uses 12 or 18 4'x8' panels (6 years in direct sunlight. whole, 6 cut in half.) The 8-foot high version costs about $200 retail ($350 for the 12') and took about 2.5 hours to assemble by first-time amateurs. It is lightweight, and well insulated (R6.5.) UniFold concertina folded plastic panel In a catastrophe, some 100,000 hexayurts per structures (#4 on the map) come in prefab day could be built using materials [p. 3 to 5](https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf#page=3) whole, 6 cut in half.) The 8-foot high version costs about $200 retail ($350 for the 12') and took about 2.5 hours to assemble by first-time amateurs. It is lightweight, and well insulated (R6.5.) UniFold concertina folded plastic panel In a catastrophe, some 100,000 hexayurts per structures (#4 on the map) come in prefab day could be built using materials already in versions that are easily assembled onsite. the US building industry supply chain, This model took less than 10 minutes to creating new shelters for 500,000 people a deploy. They cost ~$2000-$2500 in day. The free design lets responders and quantity, and have been used for storage, refuges build shelters. Low cost flat-pack showers and decontamination stations. cardboard versions for the developing world will cost around $100 each. A folding Hexayurt in very durable materials will be available soon. Many other types of low-cost shelters are available. 3 Transportable Infrastructures (2) Solar Cookers provide smoke- and fuel- free cooking in a variety of climates. Simple cookers can be made by hand in villages and more robust manufactured versions also are available. Insulated boxes keep food cooking when direct heat isn't available. Water can be purified for drinking at only 65 degrees C (149oF), and simple indicators are available to CooKit Panel Solar Cooker show when the water reaches this temperature. Infor mation and Communications Efficient stoves coupled with solar cookers Technologies (ICT) and Information provide "integrated cooking" when sunlight isn't Sharing are at the heart of TIDES. available. Wood gasification stoves use wood Communications in stressed much more efficiently and reduce emissions environments must deploy quickly and be compared with other stoves. Other kinds of independent of the power grid. Earlier efficient stoves (such as "Rocket Stoves") can be TIDES ICT demonstrations were built anywhere out of almost any materials. completely "off the grid," using portable Integrated approaches to cooking, water Wood Gasification Stove generators and sometimes solar power. purification and heating can reduce fuel use, deforestation, and smoke-related illnesses. S o o n a f t e r g e n e r at o r s t a r t - u p, transportable commercial systems "Microsolar" power approaches can provide provided satellite connectivity, global and basic services like lighting, charging cell phones, inter-shelter phone service, ties among cooling equipment (if it is efficiently designed, different radio types, world-wide see the SleepBreeze system on display,) and teleconferencing, reach-back support, power wood gasification stoves. AA batteries operational displays and collaboration are charged at a central station and taken home services. Self-contained emergency for use. High efficiency lights can provide operations vehicles and solar-powered bright, even illumination which makes use of satellite and WiFi backpacks were Microsolar Power the eye's dark adaptation response. available. Low cost ID and credentialing services were prototyped. 4 Transportable Infrastructures (3) Other Infrastructures Developed World Military Transportable Civilian Infrastructure Infrastructure Infrastructure In addition to the infrastructures noted earlier, other areas such as sanitation, medical support, and security/protection need to be addressed. How is the [p. 4 to 5](https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf#page=4) use of satellite and WiFi backpacks were Microsolar Power the eye's dark adaptation response. available. Low cost ID and credentialing services were prototyped. 4 Transportable Infrastructures (3) Other Infrastructures Developed World Military Transportable Civilian Infrastructure Infrastructure Infrastructure In addition to the infrastructures noted earlier, other areas such as sanitation, medical support, and security/protection need to be addressed. How is the service Systems Objects Objects TIDES examined several types of composting toilets, but none was fully supplied? - power stations Systems - gensets - hand crank / solar suited for the demonstration. Some were too expensive, others not yet - power, water etc. - water plants - RO units - solar water purifiers - generators ready. Sanitation needs significantly more research in the TIDES context. Medical support will be added to future phases of TIDES. How are services Pipes and Wires - reverse osmosis Trucks andunits Planes Limited Supply Chain distributed and - national grid - fuel supply chain - some trucking Differing Categories of Stressed Populations resupplied? - water pipes - bottled water - favor stand alone systems The needs of different stressed populations vary greatly, as do the responsibilities for dealing with them. Who owns the Companies and Governments Often Individuals • Domestically, in Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief infrastructure? Individuals - goes home with them (HADR) environments, DoD is likely to support DHS and FEMA. Capital-intensive infrastructures like power, water and Cost Cheap Expensive Intermediate sewerage may have been disrupted, but probably exist and can - huge capital investment - reliable, global, secure, - solar $ > grid $ eventually be repaired. Emergency shelter may be needed provides very cheap resilient - but there is no grid quickly, but soon will have to be replaced by mid-to-long term services lodging. Clean water may become a critical need. - make do with less Communications independent of the power grid will be essential Readiness Proven Proven In Development for coordination. Identification and credentialing will be important. Conceptual Development The Strong Angel demonstrations (http:// • Internationally, disaster victims still require emergency shelter, but In 2002, 84 people from a wide variety of strongangel3.net), directed by Dr. Eric Rasmussen, key service infrastructures may not exist or may take much longer backgrounds, including representatives from laid the foundation for the approach of a broad, to be restored. Villages may be isolated, and supply lines fragile. UNHCR, UN Development Programme, the diverse, collaborative group including all relevant DoD is likely to support State/USAID/Office of Foreign Disaster World Health Organization, the World Food and affected parties, working together to find new Assistance (OFDA). Support will be guided by complex Programme, Refugees International, US AID, the avenues for cooperation and improved practices. calculations involving indigenously available materials, cultural US Navy and many other groups interested in issues, transportation, etc. development and refugee issues met at the All of these efforts focussed attention on refugee • Very long term stays in austere camps may be the rule for Sustainable Settlements Charrette, a design infrastructure as an area where there [p. 5 to 6](https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf#page=5) cooperation and improved practices. calculations involving indigenously available materials, cultural US Navy and many other groups interested in issues, transportation, etc. development and refugee issues met at the All of these efforts focussed attention on refugee • Very long term stays in austere camps may be the rule for Sustainable Settlements Charrette, a design infrastructure as an area where there is room for displaced persons (average stays in camps exceed seven years). workshop hosted by the Rocky Mountain Institute, significant improvements in current systems. People in these situations may face shortages in all infrastructures, an environmental think-and-do tank with a as well as serious deforestation. specialization in infrastructure. The goal was to The needs of US disaster victims may vary greatly • A key element in stabilization and reconstruction operations is to identify areas where current practices in disaster from those of people in stabilization operation provide services in SWEAT (Sewer, Water, Electricity and Trash). relief and refugee situations could be improved operations abroad, or long term residents of The solutions for small, remote villages may be very different through innovation. refugee camps. No one solution fits all, and no one from those of mid-sized cities like Fallujah (over 300,000 people). has all the answers. TIDES emphasizes • Any of the above situations may be encountered while working to The conclusions of this Charrette became the information sharing to link potential users with build the capacity of partner nations to reduce the likelihood of input to the Hexayurt Project, a volunteer-run promising candidate approaches that are conflict. free/open source design projects which applied inexpensive, lightweight, and simple. Whatever the circumstances, it is essential that DoD be able to share RMI decentralized infrastructure concepts to the UNCLASSIFIED information with civil-military partners outside the needs of refugees, slum and rural populations in boundaries of the Department. The social, political and economic goals the developing world. for which the military was committed can't be achieved without such sharing. 5 Hexayurt Infrastructure Household Infrastructure Systems Village Infrastructure Systems Developed Hexayurt Pipe/Wire World Civilian Utilities 15 minute Infrastructure Package fast charger all day nimh AA solar charger rechargables Solar with Electricity National grid rechargeable AA battery storage cold cathode fluorescent large solar Natural gas Wood Gas Stove wood gas stove room lighting panel Gas system (pipelines, Wood and other terminals) biomass fuels At 15 minutes per set of batteries, a single solar panel can charge around 40 sets of batteries per Water treatment Solar Water day. That might be enough to keep the lights on in Water plants, viaducts Pasturizers 40 to 80 homes. Pull-cord chargers might offer even better performance. Wired phone $100 computers? Comms network, cell Cooking can be done with either the solar cooker Cell phones? towers or the wood gasification stove. Solar Cookers International calls an approach like this Integrated Sewer system, Sewage sewage treatment Composting toilet Cooking and has very good materials on it. The solar cooker & Hexayurt Utilities Package uses the wood gas stove plants pasteurizer rather than [p. 6](https://files.howtolivewiki.com/TIDES_PACKET/TIDES_PACKET_144AM.pdf#page=6) Comms network, cell Cooking can be done with either the solar cooker Cell phones? towers or the wood gasification stove. Solar Cookers International calls an approach like this Integrated Sewer system, Sewage sewage treatment Composting toilet Cooking and has very good materials on it. The solar cooker & Hexayurt Utilities Package uses the wood gas stove plants pasteurizer rather than the Rocket Stove because the highly efficient fan drive stove has nearly zero emissions Storm- and therefore may be used indoors as a heater. Storm drains Drainage ditches water thermophillic inexpensive Communication and internet The Hexayurt Utilities Package composting cell phone systems rest on municipal and The Hexayurt Utilities Package is one kind of toilet system regional infrastructure including transportable infrastructure. satellite. The Hexayurt Project Property & Ownership "Citadels" concept applies whole Household systems are usually owned outright by systems thinking to municipal The HUP provides a very simple approach to families and individuals,. Village infrastructure providing the same essential services as developed infrastructure, while "State In A systems may owned by a village council or small Box" presents a nation state level world infrastructure systems, but for a total cost of business. Fitting infrastructure to pre-existing social $100 - $200 per home. The infrastructure is self- design for robust and resilient units helps with security and deployability. Items services. See the CheapID Identity contained and portable, so it can be transported like a personal battery charger might be purchased with people when they are resettled at the end of a low cost, low Services Architecture at this by more affluent families to provide the same power demonstration for more details. crisis. These infrastructures are mostly at early functions that others get from the village systems. stages of development, or adapted commercial computer Placed into the Public Domain by Over a period of time these incremental products. Testing and development will be required improvements could lead to a higher standard of Hexayurt before this system is fully ready for deployment. living even within a refugee camp. Project These systems are very simple and therefore inexpensive to bring to full readiness. 6 --- End of [137] STAR-TIDES. Its connections are at the top of this file; the map is https://guptaoption.com/llms.txt. Read next: next on the same works, [33](https://guptaoption.com/texts/33.md) Soft Development Paths (2008); the most closely related, [335](https://guptaoption.com/texts/335.md) STAR-TIDES briefing from Vinay Gupta (2012); his whole career in one file, https://guptaoption.com/story.md.