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Shelter

Decisions you make about shelter will significantly impact your camp's sustainability, energy use, and overall comfort. Use this checklist to plan smarter, reduce waste, and create a space that keeps your campmates cool.

Planning Shelter

Track Camp Shelter Needs

Survey campers about shelter types during onboarding to optimize layout and shade planning.

# of campers in tents vs. RVs/Trailers vs. vehicle camping
# of structures in direct sunlight vs. under communal shade.

💡 Pro Tip: Integrate this into your camp's onboarding or logistics forms

Durable, Modular Infrastructure

Prioritize high-quality, reusable materials and modular designs to save money and reduce waste.

Transform storage containers into shelter.

Group Gear Inventory

Set up a system for campmates to share shelter supplies and catalog group-owned gear.

Inventory communal tents, air mattresses, bikes, chairs, etc. - @Espressobuzz 2022

Shading & Cooling

Communal Shade

Providing shade over tents with adequate air flow or ventilation may eliminate the need for air conditioning or evaporative coolers. Aim to get all campmates under light-colored or reflective material communal shade, reducing their need for personal cooling and the power that demands.

Shade Structure Pros & Cons

Reduce Cooling Energy Use

Use swamp coolers instead of ACs to lower power demand and evaporate off filtered greywater.

Wow! What! Solar Shade!

How is that possible? Watch Marcus de Paul describe how solar-powered shade can:

Power your camp, and
Provide the shade for your tents that will help you to eliminate your dependence on high-energy usage air conditioning.

Communal Cooling Spaces

Central cooling areas with insulated structures and shared systems like misters to reduce need for personal cooling.

Mystopia evaporative cooling dancefloor - Philip Dupree 2024

Overchill Evaporative Cooler

The Overchill EC was demonstrated in 2024 to produce sub 70F air on 90F+ degree days, using less than 70W of solar power and 2.5 gallons of water a day. It was sufficient to maintain a 72F/80%RH ambient temperature in two different styles of small shelters, wholly sufficient to allow you to sleep during the day on the playa.