The Shelter Characteristics of Traditional-styled Inuit Snow Houses

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The shelter value of snow iglus at Resolute (74˚41'N, 94˚54'W) in the Canadian High Arctic was assessed. After a survey of snow conditions, construction sites were chosen and two iglus were built and furnished in a traditional way. A large iglu (4.1 m diameter) contained 72 blocks averaging 23.6 kg and had a surface area-to-volume ratio of 2.21:1. A smaller iglu (3.05 m in diameter) contained 46 blocks averaging 28.2 kg and had a surface area-to-volume ratio of 1.73:1. The smaller iglu provided 75% of the large iglu's space for 76.5% of its mass. Snow hardness averaged 12 000 g·cm -2 , and the mean density of the snow was 397 kg·m -3 . The energy required to build and heat each iglu was calculated from the snow characteristics, construction activities, and microclimate parameters measured during occupancy. Heat flux was calculated for human bodies, kudliks (seal oil lamps), and geothermal sources at temperature differentials as high as 45˚C from ambient, for both the unlined large iglu and the small iglu, which was lined with caribou skins on the inside. The smaller iglu was more energy efficient, requiring the fat of one seal every 6.3 days for heating, while the larger iglu required the fat of one seal every 3.7 days. The meat content of each seal would have sustained a family of four for the same time interval, and the resultant body heat would have provided 8% to 14% of the total energy necessary to maintain comfortable temperatures within the iglu.Key words: iglu, snow house, winter shelter, Inuit, snow dwelling, traditional winter houses RÉSUMÉ. On a évalué la valeur de la protection offerte par les igloos de neige à Resolute (74˚ 40' de latit. N.) dans l'Extrême-Arctique canadien. On a d'abord procédé à un relevé de l'état de la neige, puis choisi les sites et construit et équipé deux igloos de façon traditionnelle. Soixante-douze blocs de neige pesant en moyenne 23,6 kg ont servi à construire le grand igloo (4,1 m de diamètre) dont le rapport surface:volume était égal à 2,21. Quarante-six blocs pesant en moyenne 28,2 kg ont servi à la construction du petit igloo dont le rapport surface:volume était égal à 1,73. Ce petit igloo représentait 75 p. cent de l'espace du grand igloo pour 76,5 p. cent de sa masse. La dureté de la neige était en moyenne de 12 000 g·cm -2 et sa densité moyenne de 397 kg·m -3 . On a calculé l'énergie nécessaire pour construire et chauffer chaque igloo à partir des caractéristiques de la neige, des activités relatives à la construction et des paramètres du microclimat mesurés au cours de l'occupation. On a calculé le flux thermique pour les corps, les kudliks (lampes à l'huile de phoque) et les sources géothermiques à des différences de température allant jusqu'à 45 ˚C au-dessus de la température ambiante, et ce, pour le grand igloo nu et pour le petit qui, lui, était tapissé de peaux de caribou sur les parois internes. Le petit igloo était le plus éconergétique, ne consommant pour le chauffage que la graisse d'un phoque tous les 6,3 jours alors que le grand igloo en co...

Future architecture, ancient wisdom: Adaptable structures from arctic tradition

“…Depending on surface area to volume ratios, snow iglus, heated with one seal oil lamp, are as much as 45°C. warmer inside than outside [11].…”

“…The four domed dwellings exhibit one of the strongest and most stable forms in nature, the catenary dome, seen in its purest form in the iglu [11,12]. If the iglu is built any way other than as a catenary dome, and other than with the characteristic spiraling of the snow blocks, it fails [1,11,12]. By contrast, the A-framed ne'en kan is inherently unstable as the frame has a tendency to kick outward at the base.…”

“…Sites above the treeline, like Cambridge Bay offer few winter materials, as even large rocks are buried in snow. For the iglu and qarmaq, the snow must be tested to make sure it is of an even consistency and the right density [1,11]. (c) BUILT BY ONE OR FEW PEOPLE: As shown in Table 1, the ne'en kan required the most people and man hours.…”

“…Similarly, birchbark might inspire a biodegradable, non-plastic, breathable waterproofing layer for the future, using a material that is presently discarded by sawmills. In addition, the catenary arch form is recognized by vernacular and academic architecture/ engineering alike as an ideal form found in nature [10][11][12][13].…”