27-08-2013, 06:08 PM
The Versatility of Containers
Invented more than five decades ago, the modern shipping container is the linchpin in our global distribution network of products. In the containers go toys from China, textiles from India, grain from America and cars from Germany. In go electronics, chocolate and cheese.
While a number of resourceful people have converted shipping containers to makeshift shelters at the margin of society for years, architects and green designers are also increasingly turning to the strong, cheap boxes as source building blocks. Shipping containers can be readily modified with a range of creature comforts, and can be connected and stacked to create modular, efficient spaces for a fraction of the cost, labor and resources of more conventional materials.Discover some of the exciting possibilities of shipping container architecture, from disaster relief shelters to luxury condos, green sheds, vacation homes and off-the-grid adventurers. See what makes them green as well as cutting edge.
At 2,000 sq ft it is built to be very eco-friendly, it has 2 lofts which can be converted to bedrooms, green house, studio, office and 2 baths, a 3.6 Kilowatt solar powered source of electricity and water.This recycled shipping container home is perfect for small urban lots, can be positioned or situated for maximum access to sunlight, has a foundation of 40 concrete piers, and is designed to be placed at least 3.5 ft off the ground if the building regulations require that.Inside the home, the walls are made of and fortified with closed cell foam placed inside the steel lumber while the ceiling is fortified with recycled denim and enclosed in the wood lumber. This helps keep the home cool at all times of the year. Wiring and plumbing are done before installing the walls and ceiling too.
To maintain and regulate the temperature, moisture, condensation and humidity like in traditional homes , Super Therm ceramic coating is applied to the external walls. If worked right, the ceramic coating can actually increase the aesthetic appeal of the home. Some Recycled shipping container homes have roofs that are protected by waterproof covering, foam and a smooth finish while the doors and windows are fitted with aluminium dual pain. The main atrium space allows for natural daylight lighting, thanks to the fibreglass walls.
This shipping container home is also surrounded with recycled urbanite or broken concrete planting areas, landscape and gardens. Water collected from the first storey roofs is channelled through the installed gutters into designated tanks while those from the ground floor roofs are drained to the surrounding garden and landscape.
