Although architects and builders have been experimenting with shipping container homes for the last few years, questions about structural integrity and legality have continued to nag. Founded two years ago, SG Blocks (for Safe Green blocks) is one of the companies at the front of the field working to source and convert shipping containers for construction.
An outside-the-box idea
September 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Mainly an “experiment” at this time, the homes have the potential to take off in the industry, said Bill Gati, a member of the American Institute of Architects Custom Residential Design Committee.
“It’s cutting-edge, and people that use it are considered mavericks and trail blazers,” he said.
Architect Peter DeMaria of DeMaria Design in Manhattan Beach, Calif., says the recycled containers, which cost between $2,000 and $3,000, are only “the tip of the iceberg” of the designs. The homes, which use anywhere from four to eight containers, can include add-ons such as solar panels, green roofs, radiant heating and other environmentally friendly or energy efficient features, DeMaria says.
David Cross, founder of SG Blocks, a company that modifies containers at 17 U.S. locations, says there are about 75 homes nationwide using shipping containers.
SG Blocks, Harbinger House
September 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Harbinger House
The visionary Harbinger House is being designed by The Lawrence Group and built by SG BLOCKS™. SG BLOCKS™ is a major partner and collaborator with Con Global Industries, the largest intermodal container depot operator in the country. On the surface it seems that the use of SG BLOCKS™ is about recycling, but it is far more than that. It is about Value-Cycling™. www.westcoastgreen.com
