Shelter is one of the basic human needs and also the most important factor influencing the exposure of people and their assets to disaster risks, especially in flood prone areas and more so in water-logged areas. Gorakhpur is one of the cities in eastern India where water logging has been a problem because of its layout, topography and a host of other factors?and this challenge is worsening by the year.Housing has been identified as one of the nine vulnerable sectors in the city (Wajih,et al, 2010). Hence, evaluation of housing designs and structures in terms of costs and benefits in relation to climate change impacts is relevant for management of current and future disaster risks and facilitating resilience building. Keywords: Climate Resilient Architecture; Economics; Floods, Hurricanes, Typhoons; Local Empowerment; Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation; Shared Learning Processes; Social Vulnerability Disclaimer: This document is an output from a project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) for the benefit of developing countries. However, the views expressed and information contained in it are not necessarily those of or endorsed by DFID, DGIS or the entities managing the delivery of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, which can accept no responsibility or liability for such views, completeness or accuracy of the information or for any reliance placed on them.

The Sheltering Series describes the background, policy landscape, methodology and approach used by the Sheltering From a Gathering Storm team and highlights key issues that were discovered and explored during the project in India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. Sheltering From a Gathering Storm aims to improve the understanding of the costs and benefits of climate-resilient shelter design, and contribute towards the transformative change necessary to make communities more resilient to future disasters. For more information about the project and other available materials, please see: i-s-e-t.org/SHELTER

Disclaimer: The Sheltering Series contains preliminary research and findings. These products are disseminated to catalyze discourse on timely issues. Most discussion papers undergo revisions, and some will be published formally in a different format.