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Generally containers are good for Quick, Easy, and Mobile. Not so much "Green" per se.
As far as Green -- which generally means Low Energy Use and Low Resource Demand to build . . . maybe not so much.
While the container itself is strong -- Shipping Container walls are just plate steel -- and pick up a LOT of Heat in the Summer, and Cold in the Winter. So here come the resources -- in many locations you would want to add Insulated Panels. But since a shipping container is only 8 feet wide, you may want to add the Insulation on the Outside, meaning that now you need to add an outside finish or some sort of siding to protect the insulation.
Now jumping specifically to the one shown. Again, depends on location. If there are ANY heat or cooling loads . . . I think I am looking a LOT of Glass, and maybe un-insulated steel panel walls? At least it is small-ish, so there is less space to heat and cool.
People like containers because you get a "box" already made. The house shown looks to me like one 20' container and one 40' (with a connecting "hall"), and, at least in these parts, the smaller container would run $3,000 and the larger $6,000, depending on condition.
But you still have a *lot* of work to do to get them habitable, including some heavy-duty welding.
You're making good use of something that is already manufactured. The same would be true if you rehabbed an existing stick-built or manufactured home or built a home from used materials. Other than that, the house shown is not particularly green.
To me, a "green" house isn't just built of already manufactured items. It also uses thermal mass and is clearly designed to maximize sun in the winter while reducing sun in the summer.
We are planning on building our next self-sufficient dwelling out of shipping containers. Having renovated our last home and having built a 24x10 hay storage with a shed roof, I like the fact that the containers come sealed and water tight - this way you don't have to worry about the roof leaking. You can also stack them on top of each other or put a "living roof" on a container or mount your solar panels...
Yes, you will have to insulate the walls inside like in any other home. However, you are recycling a product.
Note that you really want a container that has only made one trip over the ocean. These will be in best shape. One thing to know ahead of time is that you will have to rip out the flooring in the container since usually they are heavily sprayed with rodenticides and other "ides" to prevent infestations on overseas trips. Some folks say to just floor over that but I would rather rip it out...
Good critique offered after your first post. Nothing has changed since then.
Biggest advantage seemed to be that it's re-cycled, except-- it's steel- one of the most efficiently re-cycled materials anyway. It would never wind up in the dump.
The 40 footers run $3000 or so and then there's the cost of moving it to your location, including, most likely, a crane to maneuver it off the truck and into place. It would cost no more to build a slightly bigger, more practical shed out of lumber. If you do it yourself, you could double the size for the same price. I built a 40 x 24 with 9' walls and loft under the 13' peak for $8000.
The containers are built to stack, so forget sticking them in the ground for geo-thermal advantage- they aren't that good against lateral forces.
As mentioned by others, big problem insulating them in most locations. They're best used for storage where main concern is rain & snow and not temperature considerations.
I spent many days inside of shipping containers and boxcars when I was younger. As has been pointed out; there are heating and cooling problems. In the summer it feels like you're working in an oven and in the winter they are only a windbreaker. Without insulation they would be very uncomfortable.
Thinking about them; I do not remember seeing one that was rusted. My recollection of them is that they hold up great in the weather. With that in mind I am curious if they could be tarred or treated and used underground (of course with proper drainage)? I have no idea how much weight the container would take before collapsing; but maybe the roof could be reinforced and it depends on how much dirt would be on the roof. Maybe even the sides would buckle from the pressure?
They're designed to be stacked, so they take a lot of weight. (I know a lot of guys who worked the RR yards In Chicago: regs say they're not to be stacked more than 3 -high.)-- but they will buckle easily from lateral pressure of dirt when buried.
A surface layer of rust is one of the best ways to prevent thick steel from rusting thru. Cars rust thru because body work is only a couple mm thick-- 1.5 mm of rust on the inside and 1.5 mm rust from the outside and the panel is rotted right thru. Heavy chassis/suspension pieces only rust thru if they've been scored deeply.
In the pictures posted above, it looks like the walls have all been replaced by glass windows & doors. What's the point in using the container? Just build the frame & roof from sticks.
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