This was first posted on Feb 7, 2011 on a different, now discontinued blog.
As a previous blog posting has attracted a number of people searching for more information about the Tron Legacy shipping container home, I thought it might be good to dedicate a post to this type of green building strategy.
Aren’t they hot and with poor ventilation?
In short, why would anyone want to live in a shipping container? Let me give you a brief history of how they have been used and their benefits.
Shipping containers are the strongest boxes in the world. They can stack 9 high, are weather-resistant, mold-resistent, virtually won’t rust, and are everywhere. As products are made in other countries, they are shipped to the US in these steal containers. Once here, it is less expensive to dump them then return the empty container to its country of origin. Therefore, they are a waste by-product.
The containers were first used to create housing for rural and poverty laden locations. Since about 2005, the use of containers has risen the Europe, Australia, China and the US. From student housing to contemporary high-scale homes, containers have been manipulated to fit a variety of needs.
Due to the steal in the container, large windows can be easily supported,
allowing for some very remarkable designs. Insulation, plumbing, electric, lighting, etc. can easily be installed within the container, and many different containers of varying sizes can be put together to create your ideal living space. In some cases containers are incorporated into regular house designs to allow for different shapes, other than the square look. You may not even know that a shipping container was used in some of the more contemporary houses.
As far as building materials go, they are cheap. Think of what it costs to purchase wood, steal beams, concrete, etc. to build just the structure of a house. Now compare that to 1,200-6,000 per container used.
They are durable. Shipping containers will far surpass any safety requirements required in an inspection, especially if the foundation is poured with the locking mechanism in place (how containers lock to each other when stacked).
Installation is quick. Once the openings are cut out, and the foundation laid, the installation of the house’s framework is very quick. Each section is brought in by truck, laid, and welded together (unless you think you will want to take the house with you if you move, but welding is recommended). Lastly the roof is reinforced. After that, it’s all interior work.
They do retain heat and some containers may have held less than environmentally friendly materials. So make sure to speak with a professional about proper ventilation and that the containers history is either known or checked.
The trick is that some cities don’t know how to appraise shipping container homes, or some neighborhoods might not like the idea, so having examples of well put together homes can be helpful.
Tips
Keep in mind that if you want to go this route, there are many other green strategies to consider (like waste concerns for other aspects of your building project, green landscaping including a living room, and other sustainability practices). Check out the USGBC website for more information about green practices in building.
Don’t take my word for this, do your research!
For a very brief overview on shipping container homes see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipping_container_architecture, but I would recommend finding blogs and books that people have written who have been through the process.
