Gimme (more) Shelter

The Intershelter is a portable geodesic dome capable of being transported in the bed of a fullsize pickup truck and set up by three people in about three hours. One configuration offered is designed to shelter people evacuated from a disaster zone and capable of withstanding winds as high as 160 mph.

Units come equipped with either a warm weather package or cold weather package  and is designed to withstand extreme environments for sustained periods of time with features such as pre-wired for DC solar panels, battery bank, interior lighting and device charging station, and zero emission climate control system.

Is it as "green" as some of the other comparable products profiled in GreenZoneSolutions? Well, it's hard to say but I'd go out on a limb and say no. According to their website, the Intershelter domes are made of P2000 is a hybrid rigid-board insulation that in our opinion is decades ahead of the conventional ideas and products used for insulating building structures. P2000 is made with a dense expanded polystyrene (EPS) core and utilizes a high grade reflective finish on one side and a very durable white woven finish on the other." The specs of R factors and ability to provide shelter are hard to argue with. Now, I'm no environmental scientist or chemical engineer but P2000 just doesn't sound to me like it's produced using an ecologically friendly process - effective? Yes. Green? I'm going to hold any endorsements at this time.

The third critical element required in order to be considered a GreenZoneSolution is that the product or idea must be remarkable - meaning good design. Can the Intershelter boast style and functions that are without compromise and add value, comfort and convenience while using renewable resources and providing resiliency in harsh environments? Well..... again, this is a bit of a toss up. What the Intershelter does, it does well: It is an easily transportable alternative to a tent that sets up quickly and provides shelter in disaster-like settings, with a claimed lifespan of 50 years. Kudos for those great design elements. But what it does lack (and some would argue with me that this is just not important) is a sense of style. My personal taste has reach but I think the Intershelter provides just the basics in comfort and convenience. That's what they promise and that's what they deliver - all for a price of about $14,500 per unit. Not cheap, but if you're in the market for a shelter that utilizes renewable resources, reliable in extreme conditions and remarkable in its features, the Intershelter just might be for you.