A Great New Way to Live in A Shipping Container!
68Hard Times for Most, Getting Creative for Others
What People will do to get a great place to live!
This is amazing!!!
About 18 million cargo containers are used each year to transport goods in and out of the US. Because these containers are 9,000 pounds in weight, it takes upwards of 9,000 KWH to melt the steel down to recycle the unneeded cargo containers that pile up. The US in now importing more than exporting goods, so a lot of containers like these are overwelming companies. In a day and age where we are scraping money and resources together just to make ends meet, the idea to make homes form these containers make sense,
You can have a home look like anything you want, even brick and stucko or the orginal ficade the container had on the outside (altough that might frighten your neighbors!). A typical roof is put on top because the original roof wouldn't cover the entire house obviously- just the original container. Consider the following:
- it takes on average 8 months to build a house. A container house can only take 10 weeks to build.
- these containers are built of steel to withstand 60,000 pounds sloshing around at sea which a "stick frame" house could never endure.
- they are termite free and water resistant.
- you can build offices, dorms, barracks or anything your mind sets itself to.
- speed and ease of construction, the container is already made, no need to erect a frame for a house.
- earth friendly: consider the energy saved by transforming a single container into a home, rather than melting it down, can power a standard 70-watt lightbulb for up to 15 years.
- it has a lower carbon footprint and is easier to maintain.
- there is a noise reduction when you consider the above aformentioned points. This is nice if you have rediculous neighbors.
- I am sure if you live in a high crime neighborhood that drive by shootings will not be a huge issue with the protection of a steel home.
What a wonderful way to get a great place to live and recycle our resources! Now, If only we could make prisons, schools, and Walmarts from these things.....
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Comments
who knows! But even if they cost more in material, think of how long the would last! In areas like CA, FL, and TX, you wouldn't have to worry about crazy weather destroying them!
Interesting concept. There is always a way to recycle and re-use what we manufacture. It's getting our creativity and imagination the freedom to develop these ideas. Thanks for yours!
What an idea! Cutting out the windows and doors; transporting them into place; linking them one to another...interesting prospect. And then finishing them both inside and out...is anyone doing this?
Are those photos of the house and community college ones that have used the cargo storage units as a building component...or is this just an example of what could be done?
Yes, they are very much real. I found some more info on the web...http://www.houseinabox.com/index.htm
we have a lot of these homes in Texas, where the insulation of these container beat the heat bar none!!
I'm movin' on up.
more pictures of container homes
- Recycled homes, one box at a time - CNN.com
Magoline Hazelton is used to people driving by her home just to take a look. She's also known as the "house lady" by her fellow residents in North Charleston, South Carolina.
brad4l says:
6 months ago
I think this is a pretty neat way to build a house or shed and something I have actually considered doing. I wonder how much shipping containers sell for...