Sustainable Reconstruction in Disaster-Affected Countries – Practical Guidelines

UNEP commissioned Skat to prepare practical guidelines on sustainable reconstruction, in particular in the context of natural disasters. The guidelines provide guidance in identifying conceptually sound, robust and practical reconstruction solutions that minimise the environmental impact. The guidelines cover various aspects of sustainable reconstruction, including planning, design, materials, implementation, and maintenance.In the aftermath of natural disasters, agencies respond by reconstructing houses and infrastructure. Project managers, however, are often overwhelmed not only by the volume of required activities but also by the extent of challenges related to reconstruction. One of the challenges is to ensure conceptually strong and practical reconstruction solutions that will minimise the environmental impact. The guidelines include the thematic areas of adequate site selection, construction technologies and their socio-cultural acceptance, cost-effectiveness and affordability of housing, technical infrastructure and access to information.