With the global environmental concern growing in popularity across the globe, more and more people are turning to shipping container structures for green alternatives. There are countless numbers of empty, unused shipping containers around the world, just sitting on shipping docks taking up space: once out of their use, it is too expensive to send them back. Thus it is definitely a great options to turn those ones into useful and solid living spaces, also due to the fact that they are made by ideal building materials (they are able to hold heavy loads, or to be stacked in high columns; designed to resist harsh environments -such as on ocean-going vessels- or sprayed with road salt while transported on roads). They can be consideredstrong, easy to use, and versatile–almost like stacking blocks, but definitely more eco-friendly.
Furthermore, it is worth to point out their advantage in expense:many used containers are available at an amount that is low compared to a finished structure built by other labor-intensive means such as bricks and mortar — which also require larger more expensive foundations. You definitely save a lot in financial terms.
Also, you can think big: the same reasoning can be applied either to one mere shipping container or to many of them thought as a unit; this meansrealizing that connecting multiple shipping containers together is also unibody construction, whether multiple one-level, or multiple ten-level, you have created the ultimate unibody construction unit with far more strength than the already, super stronger container alone. If you think about the strength and durability of just one shipping container, imagine the incredible strength when 2, 4, 6, or 100 are connected top, bottom, and sides. Even with fairly extreme modification and wall cut outs, the strength of such contructions is far greater than any conventional home or building. About security, they are super-safe, vandal proof, fire proof, just to mention a few of their main features, they resistgrievous climatic conditions, and regular rough handling. Thus, their later use in construction ensures durable projects. Besides, remember that shipping boxes already comply with ISO standards.Some other advantages can be considered such as their fast construction, or their easy adaptation to be covered with traditional stucco, vinyl siding, woods, bricks.Thus they can turn to have a wide variety of functions, as houses, offices, storages, multi-car garages, and nonetheless be great in style, either in their inside or outside.Following here there are some beautiful exemplificative pictures:
The abundance and relative cheapness of these containers during the last decade gathered attention throughout the world and it is starting to become much more common to convert them into living spaces. Again worth to be stressed, instead of being shipped back empty, or being left sideways, new applications are sought for the used containers that have reached their destination.
Laura C
. SMC Blogger
Shanghai Metal Corporation 