A Great New Way to Live in A Shipping Container!
Hard 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.....
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.
