GER PLUG-IN
ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA
The prototype is designed as a thickened infrastructural wall containing water and septic tanks that the ger plugs into. Currently, each household lacks basic urban infrastructure: water is fetched from kiosks; pit latrines are dug on site; and district heating is unavailable. Air pollution is one of the worst in the world as ger residents burn coal to stay warm in double-digit negative figures in the winter months. The prototype tests new designs for low tech, affordable, environmental systems including underfloor heating, a cleaner dual fuel efficient boiler and a trombe wall. In this way, the project is conducted as a live experiment: a family will move in and we will record the temperature of different zones of the building, water usage, coal consumption and interview the inhabitants.
Over time, the ger can be completely removed and the family can add additional rooms. This harnesses the incremental and self-build culture that exists in the ger districts, allowing families the flexibility to adapt as they see fit.
Completion Date: Sept 2017 Size: 53 m2 Total Cost: 13,600 USD Unit Cost: 260 USD/sqm
Download Reports:
The Ger Plug-in Housing Prototype-Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption from Field Testing and Numerical Simulation) This report was written in collaboration with Dr Jimmy C.K. Tong, ARUP (Building Sustainability)
The Ger Plug-in Housing Market Research The research and report was conducted by The Asia Foundation
Green Affordable Housing Household Survey Summary The surveys documented in this summary were conducted in November 2019
