We already know that structures made out of converted or purpose-built storage containers, such as our portable site cabins in London, are innovative and creative solutions to issues such as lack of time or space, but now we have even more good news – they’re also incredibly eco-friendly. Environmental benefits are built into the very nature of their construction, since they take less energy and fewer materials to construct than more conventional homes, offices or other buildings.
This has made them the perfect choice for anybody who has the environment at the heart of their project, such the team at SOAK, who are responsible for an upcoming eco-spa which is about to be constructed out of – you guessed it – shipping containers. Their dream is to combine the rich heritage of the communal bathhouse experience with a far more contemporary focus on sustainability, and once finished they hope that it will become something that will be replicated on a larger scale.
Elsewhere, converted shipping containers have been used as a fundamental building block for other important environment-boosting projects, such as Local Roots Farms – a collection of mini urban farms built in and around Los Angeles. Here, the shipping containers provide a base for sustainable farms which use around 95% less water than their more conventional equivalents, and get rid of the need for chemicals like herbicides or pesticides… all whilst producing higher quality fruit and veg.
These examples demonstrate how the humble storage container can be seamlessly integrated into eco-projects, but it’s also true that they can help to provide more environmentally sustainable buildings even when that isn’t the fundamental aim of the project. For people making storage container homes, there are certain steps which can be taken to ensure that they are as green as possible – and we’re not just talking about giving the outer walls a lick of paint!
An example might be using environmentally friendly insulation such as cotton or straw rather than more traditional fibreglass, or installing solar panels on the outside to help take care of energy requirements – shipping containers are the ideal shape for a solar panel. Of course, ideas which help to save water and energy in more conventional homes also apply in storage containers, so eco-appliances and simple switches from baths to showers can also make a huge difference. This means that storage container structures retain eco-benefits associated with other buildings, whilst adding a whole host of their own into the mix.
You don’t have to start from scratch to reap many of these benefits – simply hiring portable storage containers to use as an office is probably the easiest way to reduce the wastage and high energy requirements associated with setting up a permanent structure and help boost your eco-credentials! If you’re interested in learning more about the options then you can contact us today by calling 020 8459 6972; we’re more than happy to discuss all of the options with you!
