Talk about recycling

[Particle Man]

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/8/twelve-amazing-shipping-container-houses.html

some text:

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 into make-shift 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, vacation homes, and off-the-grid adventurers. See what makes them green as well as cutting edge.

[HurricaneHeather]

I'd do that in a heartbeat. :shrug:

[thunderex]

The architect of the Redondo Beach house has his office just around the corner from me. I've met with him a couple of times and when it comes time to rebuild our house, he's going to do it with shipping containers through his new pre-fab company. Neat guy too. His own personal house is about 2 blocks away.

[Papa_Complex]

There's been talk in the past of modular condos; essentially a unit set up like a shipping container, with standardized attachment points. The 'buildings' would just be frames that could accept the containers. When you move they would just take a crane and pull your housing unit off your original building, toss it on the back of a flatbed, drive it to your new location, then hoist it onto your new building.

[CrazyKell]

My father has used shipping containers as storage blocks for years!

[ontwo]

Those kick ass. I would like to have one as a simple cabin retreat. Awesome :rockout:

[AquaPython]

my father was friends with someone 10 years ago that was trying to make houses for 3rd world jamaica cut out of these things. a little bathroom, and a window or two, and call it a day.

[njchopper87]

I saw something like this on TV. Believe it or not they can become a decent home if your creative enough.

[Rangerscott]

I'd take one for a storage unit. I dont like paying $75 a month.

[Homeslice]

Look nice......I'd be concerned about energy costs though, due to those large windows even if they are good quality. And seems like sound insulation would need to be dealt with using filler materials.

[Adeptus_Minor]

They did a short feature on one architect that specializes in that sort of design on USA Network.
I really like the designs and wouldn't mind owning one, but in our climate all that open air wouldn't mix well with the six or more months where we have to run the A/C to keep from sweating indoors.
Heat, humidity, bugs... yeah, I'm not that eco-friendly. :lol:

[thunderex]

The one done here has a spray-on insulation that supposedly was used on the shuttle. He claims the R value for it is quite good although I'd probably still want to have normal walls inside. And we can obviously keep windows open year round. If the housing market hadn't tanked so badly I'd probably already be in the process with them but it is what it is. It'll take us a few years to get to that good point now I'd guess.