mid-century modern….container?

We all love Mid-Century Modern homes don’t we? Those sleek lines, low sloping roof profiles, deep overhangs and exposed jutting roof girders. Ah, just sit back and bask in the glow of the modern-ness (shut up, it’s totally a word).

image courtesy of stardustmoderndesign.com

Looking back to the modern style of residential architecture (I can’t believe we have to “look back”…but whatever) there is a beautiful simplicity to their designs yet such complexity in style, material, color and above all experience. The mid-century modern style saw a departure from the segregated and compartmentalized arrangement of previous vernacular designs and offered a new way of living that was more appropriate and more flexible for the nuclear family. Spaces are designed to be open and free flowing. The connection to the outside (even if it is the backyard) is encouraged.

So I say, why can’t we bring it back in a new modern mid-century style by using shipping containers? That’s right baby!

plan sketch - n.t.s. - 2br/2bth - 960 sf

Above is just the first sketch of a home I’m designing that couples the design sensibilities of mid century modern design with container architecture. Thoughts, comments, critiques, ridicules are all welcome. Give it your best shot – I dare you!

Model images coming soon.

you want to build my house out of WHAT?!

title slide - Pecha Kucha 16 @intuitionale

On Tuesday, November 8th, I gave a small presentation at Pecha Kucha 16 in Jacksonville on Container homes. For those of you not familiar with this very fun and exciting presentation style, check out the official Pecha Kucha website and check out the Pecha Kucha Jax Facebook page as well.

Essentially it’s a 20×20 format – you’ve got 20 slides and 20 seconds to talk about each slide. This adds up to about a 6 1/2 minute presentation on whatever topic you choose. Then a brief Q&A period at the end and now get your ass off the stage and let the next contestant get to work! Below are some slides from my presentation.

container construction illustration

illustration of housing square footage growth in one generation

containers = high quality single family homes

While I focused on the “cargotecture” aspect of housing, this presentation was really part of a larger discussion that I’ve been having on this blog for quite some time about more responsible and more compact living.

As political, economic and social pressures continue to mount in our every day lives, it is becoming increasingly apparent to many that “the way things are done” kinda sucks and are looking for higher quality, higher efficiency and smaller living arrangements. It’s as if Minimalism has become the new American Dream. Good bye McMansion, hello streamlined modular container home.

shedworking – the new home office

One of the blogs that I follow showcases shedworkers as well as companies that fabricate and sell small office sheds. Originally I stumbled on to blogs like this while researching how to accommodate multiple functions into smaller spaces as it applies to container homes. But I wondered, even then, if this was going to be a growing phenomenon in the entrepreneurial world and, if so, how could I help?

photo courtesy of garden2goffice.com

So first let’s talk about what “shedworking” really is. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with your dad always telling you he was going to “take you out to the woodshed”…that’s a whole different tale to tell. “Shedworking” is simply a situation where you want to are forced to work from home but you’re tired of working at your dining table with the kids running around, the dog under your feet and your wife constantly asking you to “help me for just one second”…it never really takes just one second, does it?

Shop 160 - Garden Shed by r | one studio architecture

So while you’re cleaning the Cheerios off your keyboard for the third time in an hour, you think to yourself “there has to be a better way”. And of course there is! Shedworking! “But where do I find one of these magical places of wonder and freedom?” I’m so glad you asked. They are EVERY WHERE! There are companies high and low that offer solutions for every budget, every style and every one.

Here are some of the companies that I’ve found that make some damn archisexy products for shedworking:

Roomworks
The Home Office Company
Smart Garden Offices
Atelier Garden Studios

While these companies are all based overseas, most, if not all,  offer shipping options to the US. Also, simple searches will turn up a variety of companies right here in the good ole US of A (like ME! – see the Studio Pod).

So the bottom line is, if you’re an entrepreneur and need dedicated space but don’t feel comfortable going the coworking or office suite route, shedworking just might be for you and at a reasonable price.

reduce size to increase use

image courtesy of google images

A couple of years ago I became interested in modular and container housing and construction.  At the time I was in the relative beginning of practicing architecture as an intern and research into new, exciting areas of architecture was….well, exciting. Even now I love to learn new things, new materials, new techniques and, if you read a recent post, new technologies like BIM and IPD. And all in the pursuit of architecture as a profession, as an art and as a passion.

In investigating first modular construction and then upcycling containers it invariably led me to look around at the current state of housing (as this was my main focus in research) with a critical eye to analyze what was being built at the time. What I began to see, and had on some level noticed all along, is that our housing stock was INSANELY over sized for the use it was serving. Your typical nuclear family of Mom, Dad and 1.5 children do not need the kinds of monstrous and disgustingly over designed homes that were and are available. More importantly they don’t need the mortgages that come along with these homes – hence the current  mortgage and finance crisis we find ourselves in today.

image courtesy of google images

For so many years the “bigger is better” market mentality has been fed by supermarket-style developers and those in favor of the suburbs and SUVs. This has led to a housing stock of very low quality, now very low value, and of a style and design that a new generation of homeowner sees for the truth that it is – WASTE. Space, and therefore money, is wasted at every turn. Looking at your life critically and without the pop culture blinders on, ask yourself if you really need a living room that can comfortably seat 50 or an eat in kitchen plus a formal dining room that looks onto a covered patio with outdoor kitchen. Then we’re faced with the typical design of sleeping and bathing spaces. How much time do you spend in your bedroom? Are you a hermit or hiding from the law? If so, then you probably need a deep dark cave to crawl into at the end of your day. Otherwise I’m thinking your bathroom and bedrooms are mostly functional rather than being “living” spaces.

Applying these observations to modular and container construction, the obvious lesson to learn is that we spend a great deal of energy, resources and money on homes that are much larger than required and even in their nature require a great deal of square footage with no real function or purpose (think about those long dark corridors and circulation spaces that are “in between” the actual functional spaces of a home).

In answer to this observation, modular and container construction offer a clear solution. By their very nature, a reduction of overall living square footage and a shift in the way we think about the usability (i.e. multi-functionality) of space is required. It’s about starting from a minimum requirement and building into it as function and lifestyle dictate.

How do you feel about modular and container housing? Is it a fad, a passing phase, a “niche”? Or do you see a changing mood in architecture today to reduce size and increase use?

sketching: a challenge!!

M.C. Escher - "hands"

Today, I was sitting at my desk, compiling record drawings for a large school project I’ve been working on for the better part of 2 years now, and I got a brilliant idea!

You’re sitting on the edge of your seat, I know.

I’m sending out a challenge to anyone and everyone who might come across this blog to design a single family home out of 2 40′ high cube shipping containers. Dimensions are as follows: 8′-0″ wide x 9′-6″ high x 40′-0″ long. The idea is to generate a floor plan for mom, dad and one child. However you want to make that happen is fine with me. Arrange the containers in any fashion: side by side, staggered, stacked, whatever tickles your fancy.

And this is a sketch contest. I want hand sketches with pen/pencil/sharpie/crayon/whatever and paper. No 3D models, no photoshop collages. Let’s flex that “brain to hand” connection a little and do something fun. Please send your sketches to me via email with a small one paragraph explanation of your design and a quick bio. I’ll post every design that comes in individually. This will be a never ending contest and I would like to post one sketch each week.

There are no cash prizes, but you will receive world renowned fame and recognition on this blog in big bold letters and fancy italics. I might even underline it. How sweet is that!?

Let the sketching begin!

basic container design – insulation

Since mankind crawled out of the caves and began building shelters for ourselves we’ve been obsessed with maintaining a comfortable interior temperature. This is especially true when working with a steel shipping container…after all, IT’S STEEL! If left in the heat, unprotected, interior temperatures will rise higher than the inside of your car on a hot day – and we all know what it feels like to sit on hot leather seats…OUCH.

So how do we insulate a container, not just to maintain interior comfort but also to ensure that our finished structure will remain safe? (note – heat greatly effects the physical properties of every product used in a home or building) There are various types of insulation we can use based on insulating characteristics and cost. Common types of insulation are:

Batt or Roll Insulation: Most common. Found at any hardware store. It’s “the pink stuff”. About R-3 per inch. Cheap and easily installed. In a typical 2×6 stud wall you’ll get about R-18…at least so the label tells you. You’re really getting less than that because it’s nearly impossible to install perfectly, which means you get all kinds of voids and crimples, etc. that affect the R-Value.

Loose Fill or Blown Insulation: Also found at most hardware stores and is made from shredded blue jeans or paper or cellulose. About R-4 per inch. Also cheap, but requires renting equipment to install and can be difficult to fill stud cavities in existing buildings. It’s great for attics and other large spaces.

Rigid Board Insulation: Typically Polystyrene or Polyisocyanurate (plastic). Comes in sheets that are easily cut to size. About R-4 to R-7 per inch. Sort of cheap and easily installed. Can be cut to size and placed in stud cavity. A typical 2×4 wall will give you up to R-21, but again this is affected by voids and joints in the boards.

Spray Applied Insulation: Either open cell or closed cell. Open cell will absorb moisture, so it should not be used in moist climates. Closed cell creates an air tight barrier and is expensive. Both require skilled installers. Most bang for your buck in terms of performance. About R-4 to R-6 per inch (though some say it can be as much as R-10 or R-12 per inch). When insulating containers, I find it best to insulate one of three ways: exterior, interior or both interior and exterior. In extreme climates, warm or cold, it’s best to insulate both interior and exterior to achieve the maximum R-Value without sacrificing too much square footage while still protecting the container and providing necessary cavity space for electrical and plumbing.

Poured or Injected Insulation: Similar to spray applied. Installation is either through a series of holes cut into existing walls or through the sill plate at the top of the wall. Great for renovations and retrofits. Expensive and requires skilled installers. R-values similar to SPF – about R-6 per inch of thickness.

Radiant Barriers: This is a new technology and has not been well tested over time. You may have seen things like ceramic coatings featured by Bob Vila and others touting their sometimes miraculous benefits. I’m optimistic for the technology, but will reserve final judgement for when the product has been time tested and proven. The basic principle is in the name – it creates a barrier that radiates heat energy away from the surface without allowing it pass to the interior.

Any of these insulating materials are suitable for use in a shipping container home. Remember that the container itself is just a building block, one component of the building envelope, no different than wood or metal studs and sheathing. So just like with any other material, it’s important to figure out your cost/benefit scenario early. Options are wide spread and it is simply finding a balance between what you want your home to look like, how you want it to function and how much money you want to spend. Consulting trained architects and designers early on in your project will save you lots of time and money down the road as well.

House the World – Jamaica

I’m so excited about this project and this organization.  House the World is a non profit organization who’s mission is:

“to provide sustainable housing solutions through open-source development. Our adaptability to ever changing scenarios, integrity to provide honest solutions, and charity to the poor defines the organization. House The World hopes to inspire others through transparent teamwork that leverages talent and aligns resources to help those in need. House the World will make a difference by providing safe, habitable, and vibrant housing solutions for people living in poverty. House the World’s long-term goal is to use technology to enhance collaborative networks, inspire others to help the poor, and provide culturally and geographically specific housing solutions for communities.” - housetheworld.org

I was contacted by one of the founding partners of the organization to provide designs for a affordable single family residence that could be partially fabricated offsite and finished with local materials and labor in developing/struggling nations around the world.  Their first “site” is Jamaica.

I got a little overzealous and actually created two designs for them.  One is a design that I’ve been working on as a relief shelter that can be fabricated offsite, completely finished, dropped on site and be ready to go as an off grid shelter.  The second is a combination of shipping containers and earth bag construction, creating a design that is able to be constructed half offsite and half onsite with locally sourced materials and labor.

Both of these designs will be published as open source under a creative common’s license, which means that anyone can offer their own input to either alter or improve the original designs in order to make the most efficient and cost effective residence possible.

Concept No. 1

image copywrite 2011 - r | one studio architecture & housetheworld.org

Concept No. 2

image copywrite 2011 - r | one studio architecture & housetheworld.org

naysayers and pessimists, or “The Can’ts”

Some people will tell you that there are only two certainties in life: Death and Taxes.

image courtesy of google

Well I’m here to tell you they are only 2/3 correct. There are actually THREE certainties. The third is “with enough time and money, anything is possible”. For this reason I LOVE naysayers, pessimists, and what I call “The Can’ts”. You know who they are, the ones who always say you “can’t” do this or that or the other thing because of a million different reasons and things that they’ve spent their entire life thinking about instead of just shutting their trap and DOING IT. Basically they are saying “you’re problem isn’t important enough for me to think creatively about, so I’m just going to take the suckers way out and say ‘can’t'”. Yeah, “that guy”.

Disclaimer No. 1: While, certainly, anything is possible, some things are either improbable or just plain silly. Apply as needed.

Obviously I want to focus this post a little bit more than simply taking on the entirety of those who “can’t” do one thing or another. In architecture, and specifically container architecture, there are those that will tell you that you “can’t” use a green roof, or that you “can’t” use drywall as a wall finish, or that you “can’t” stack containers more than 3 high, or that you “can’t” *fill in the blank*. These people really get on my damn nerves. There are lots of “experts” out there in “container architecture” that want you to believe they have all the answers, that they’ve “written the book” or whatever. The truth is, and please read carefully here, that there are no hard and fast rules about building other than GRAVITY (this is an obvious exaggeration for emphasis of my point). You can look back through history, even recent history, and pick and choose the “rules” that no longer apply because someone took the time to think “outside the box” and get it done. This is called INNOVATION and EXPERIMENTATION, and are the corner stones of a progressive and growing society. Without these simple acts we’d still be living in natural caves and other shelters eating raw meat off a wildebeest that still has a little kick left in it.

Disclaimer No. 2: I do not claim to be an expert, an authority, or even a guru when it comes to container architecture or architecture in general. But I know what to ask and I know who to ask in order to find the answers that are needed.

Now, lets look at some of the “can’t”s in container architecture.

First, Green Roofs. Recently I did a post about this and got this long winded email from a guy about all the reasons you “can’t” do a green roof on a container, including that it provides no R-value at all. First, let me just say that “green roof” technology is about as old as mankind…so, yeah I’m thinking there is something to be said for it’s ability to hold out the elements and keep the interior temperature cooler than the exterior. Ever heard of a thatched roof? :-\  But I’ll get into that more in a second.

Secondly, it is true that the roof of a shipping container is not designed to carry large loads. The side rails and corner posts are designed for this purpose and work very well. That is not to say that the roof of a container can carry NO load, just not one as large as a heavily planted green roof.

image courtesy of google

So how do you properly set up a shipping container roof for planting? I talked about this a little in my previous post. I’ll post the readers digest version here. Starting at the container roof and moving UP you have:
- a perimeter frame made of steel angles at least 4x4x1/4″ with additional plate steel welded to the outside to height of final planting grade
- lightweight steel joists spanning the 8′ dimension at min. 16″ o.c. or corrugated metal decking
- 2″-4″ reinforced lightweight concrete (over metal decking) or 3/4″ exterior grade tongue and groove plywood (over joists)
- waterproof membrane (sheet or liquid applied)
-drainage layer (this is important so that the soil can breathe and so water can move thru the system
- layer of either crushed concrete or gravel 1″ think to help drainage
- layer of aerated soil between 4″ and 12″ depending on what you are planting
- planted vegetation – preferably local vegetation that requires no irrigation

This is the basic “how to” for a green roof. It’s not complicated and it’s certainly not impossible. It’s even DIY friendly if you’re handy with a welding torch and have very strong friends.

To stay on this topic I want to get back to the insulating properties of earth on a roof surface. To ask the obvious question, if earth has no R value then why do people build homes out of rammed earth blocks and even bags filled with the stuff? It is true that the R value of earth, or dirt/soil is low – about 0.25 per inch of thickness/depth.  This is very low when you consider that a typical wall should have an R value of about 12-19 and a good roof at about 19-30 and above. BUT, what the naysayers, pessimists and “The Can’ts” don’t tell you (most likely because they haven’t done the cursory google search beyond “earth r-value”) is that earth acts as a thermal mass.  This means it stores heat energy from the sun during the day and releases it at night which helps to maintain the interior temperature at a comfortable level.  This is MUCH different than simple r-value which represents only thermal resistance. Modern materials are designed to mitigate the flow of heat from one material or surface to another. Earth, on the other hand, simply absorbs heat energy, storing it up, preventing it from passing thru to another material or surface, and then releasing it during the night hours. This is why if you dig a small hole in the ground the earth feels more and more cool as you go down. That is because heat energy only passes so far before temperatures become stable (hence the huge success of berm housing). I could go on and on but you get the picture. And this is just the soil. Once you add vegetation you are only adding benefit upon benefit to your thermal performance.

Let’s move on to another typical “can’t” in my little world. “You can’t use drywall as an interior finish because the container moves too much and it will crack and buckle unless you use an insane amount of control joints.”…..Do I REALLY need to address this? REALLY?! The container moves, eh? Yeah, no duh. So does every other building on the planet. Even the earth moves. Ever heard of a place called California? I’m pretty sure they still use drywall out there regardless of how much their buildings “move”. Ugh *smacks head on desk*. To iterate, steel moves and shifts and buckles and wiggles, yes. So does wood, concrete, plastic, aluminum, fiberglass, butter and jello. They move because natural forces act on them like wind, water, heat and air. These pressures affect the material to one degree or another. This is where your structural engineer comes in. When constructing a building you have to take into account the movement of the principle materials being used. Material manufacturers even provide basic information about the expansion and contraction of their products. The bottom line here is that with proper planning of a building and proper stiffening of the structure you can use whatever finish material you want. Even butter, though I don’t necessarily recommend that.

The suggestion that I’ve heard as an alternative to gypsum board? OSB sheathing….let me ask you, would you want this stuff on your walls visible for everyone and their mother to see?

image courtesy of google

I don’t care what you do to it, it’s ugly. If this is what your architect/designer suggests as the alternative….fire him/her and find someone who will do some real research and find a more pleasing and intelligent alternative.

Here are some container home interior shots that I gleaned from google. And the next time you are looking into building a home or a studio or a garage or a relief shelter and you run into one of “The Can’ts”, ask yourself this: do you want to work with someone who’s going to tell you all the things you can’t do, or do you want to work with someone who is going to find cost effective and responsible solutions to all the things you want to do and in return get you the most value for your money?

interior framing of a container home

interior living space of a container home

interior bathroom shot of a container home

modular mania – an architectural affair

In the face of a crap-tastic economy many architects, developers, builders and even homeowners are looking for ways to save money on construction costs, increase energy and material efficiency, and reduce the time it takes to construct and finish a building.  With this trend of getting a bigger “bang for your buck” is coming a reintroduction of “modular” construction techniques and is causing what I like to call Modular Mania.  Just recently I read no less than 3 articles on modular construction and even doing a basic search on the ever-expanding world wide web will yield 10s of thousands of results for modular products.  And not just houses.  The term “modular” is really starting to take over life as we know it.  Dwindling are the days of “custom” craftsmanship or “made to order”.  Today everything from storage canisters to silverware to furniture to built-in casework – it’s all turning modular.

How do we as architects feel about this?  I’m sure you can guess my point of view, being such a big fan of cargotecture.  But does it help or hinder the profession?  Is there room for modular AND custom architecture?  Can modular BE custom?  Has a scarcity of financing and materials driven us to a point where architecture is evolving into a product rather than a skill or profession?  These are the kinds of questions that rattle through my head late at night while I try to count the swirls in my ceiling.

So what is modular and how does it help us?  Well, quite simply modular construction is no different than conventional construction other than all major building components (walls, doors, windows, insulation, wall finish, cabinets and fixtures) are assembled and fabricated off-site in a controlled environment which makes for less construction waste and less delays due to weather or site access.  The building is constructed in transportable “modules” and then shipped to the site, typically via truck, for final assembly and finish.

modular building being assembled on site - RBAHomes.com

As you can imagine, from the image above, on site construction time is seriously minimized.  And this is where real savings starts to come in.  Because, under the traditional construction model you have a massive coordination of trades, suppliers, fabricators, engineers, work crews….it’s an insane mess at the best of times and complete anarchy at the worst of times.  And you’ve got to wait on everything and everyone.  The foundation guy has to wait on the grading guy, the plumbing guy has to wait on the foundation guy, then they have to wait on each other, and the framer is sitting in a bar somewhere downing Shirley Temples watching “the game” cause he’s gotta wait for all these guys to do their thing, blah blah blah.  All that wasted time equals wasted money.

BUT with modular construction two things can happen simultaneously – site/foundation work and building construction.  With a properly coordinated and permitted set of drawings all of the site preparation can happen WHILE the building is being constructed offsite.  Then, once both pieces are complete and the foundations are ready to receive the load, the building is delivered, like a puzzle, and pieced together in as little as a day.  So instead of 6 weeks for site/foundation work and 1 week for plumbing/electrical rough-in and 8 weeks for framing and 2 weeks for sheathing and waterproofing and 3 weeks for insulation and drywall etc etc etc, we get to do all the necessary site prep while the building is being shop fabricated.  We’re effectively cutting our overall construction time in half.  I don’t know about you but I like the sound of that.

Now that we’ve all got warm fuzzies about the modular construction process, is there room for modular AND custom architecture, and can modular BE custom?

The obvious answer is “pfft, well, YEAH!”

Richard Meier has been designing “modular” buildings his entire career.  He’s obsessed with the “module”, which is nothing more than a principle of proportion in design.  Just because we are designing a building to be modular does not mean it has to be “standard” (images of huge residential tract developments are swirling around in your head right now aren’t they?).  A modular home can be custom designed for a specific site and a specific client – and in my opinion should be.

As with any other technology, new or old, modular design and construction are just another set of tools in the architectural arsenal of modern building and design.  By decreasing the time and frustration required during construction and the coordination of the various trades to such a nth degree, we free ourselves up to spend just a bit more time ensuring that our buildings are properly designed and detailed to provide the client with a more efficient, more useful and more beautiful building.

In my opinion, modular is here to stay, economic turmoil or no economic turmoil, and combined with IPD (Integrated Project Deliver)….well, now we’re approaching architecture and construction on crack! Ain’t no stoppin us baby!   But that’s another story for another time.

Cheers.

basic container design – green roof

I suppose we might want to start off this post asking the question “what is a green roof?”  Is it a roof that is painted green?  It could be, but not as it applies to our discussion.  When we say “green roof” what we are really referring to is a roof that has greenery on it, i.e. planting soil and grass of some variety.  This isn’t exactly a “new” technology either.  Man has been “roofing” with natural materials for centuries.  But obviously we’re stuck in this whole “the world is going to explode tomorrow unless we build everything sustainable and green” mentality that it’s become a “hot topic” and hits all the right political pressure points.  But before we get in to the “nitty gritty” of green roofing, let’s first discuss some benefits of using this technology.

First, it aids in reducing the heat island effect that buildings, especially in urban areas, are prone to create, which is what happens when you have a material that absorbs and stores the suns’ energy during the day and releases it at night rising the local ambient temperature above normal levels.

Second, a green roof acts as a natural insulator to reduce your need for hvac (heating ventilating and air conditioning).  Have you ever dug a big hole and felt the ground with your hand a few feet down?  It’s much cooler to the touch because the soil above it keeps it insulated.  It’s like living in perpetual shade.

Lastly, it just looks really cool….really.

So, what makes up a green roof?  What are the typical components and how do we adapt this for basic container design?  First you have to have a suitable load bearing structure to place your growing medium onto.  This can be many things – timber framing, steel joists, reinforced concrete, or any other typical roof framing methods.  Next you need a suitable waterproof membrane to keep moisture away from your structural supports.  Then there is a air and water drainage layer.  Why is this important?  Air needs to breath and circulate water just like we do.  If the soil doesn’t get any air movement, or if there isn’t a way for water to move in and out of the soil, it can rot and break down and eventually become unsuitable for growth.  This would be bad.

Now, on top of this air and water drainage layer we can put our top soil.  What type of topsoil you use will depend on what you are attempting to grow.  This can be almost anything, within reason – typical grasses, or small shrub plants, or even succulents.  In order to minimize the need for watering and maintenance you’ll want to plant something that is indigenous to your specific geographic location.

Once you’ve added your top soil, obviously it’s time to plant.  Just like any lawn, you can either plant from seed or use plugs or lay sod.  It’s up to you and your budget/time schedule.  Below are some eye candy examples of green roofs used all over the world in different climates.

typical pitched roof with native grasses

succulents atop a shed roof

Implementing a green roof atop a shipping container is really no different.  I’ve talked often about a shipping container being cost effective because you’re purchasing your structural envelope already assembled.  This isn’t quite true when talking about a green roof.  Unfortunately the roof structure of a shipping container is not quite strong enough to support the layers of membrane, drainage, dirt and greenery that we need without buckling.  So we need to reinforce it.  The easiest way to do this is with reinforced concrete.  This way we can create either a flat or sloped surface much thinner than with lumber and sheathing or steel and decking.  Once we have our roof structure, we simply layer on the items mentioned above and WHAM-O : green roof on a container.

green roof atop container home office

In the image above you can see that the green roof is built up atop the container.  It has it’s own structure separate from the container.

extreme green roofing and solar array atop container

Bottom line, green roofs are efficient insulators, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable if done properly.  So, for your next container project, think about employing a green roof.  You’ll get a more efficient roof insulation as well as opportunity for additional flexible space for your home.