Shipping Containers Become a Amazing Sustainable Home – Brazil

Hi everybody ?

We continue to discover for you. Our container house on today’s tour is from Nova Friburgo, Brazil.

Construction model requires less material and work time, but requires careful maintenance.

Living in a container does not mean living in a tight space or having to deal with heat. Metal boxes are an alternative increasingly in use for those looking for a sustainable and cheaper housing than masonry.

The containers used in these properties are usually 3, 6 or 12 meters long and about 2.5 meters wide. The boxes can be joined together as building blocks, forming different structures in which they work from small offices to luxury apartments.

Installing a container house does not require a foundation, so it is simpler and requires less material than a traditional work.

Depending on the internal project, the savings can reach up to 50% of the value of a similar masonry house. Construction can be completed in just a month, according to the architect. “And without producing any waste. If you make a cut in the container, you can use the material to make the terrace or the door. ”

The architect participated last month in the Expo Container City fair, which discussed topics such as thermal comfort, safety and legalization of these structures in São Paulo.

Residential or commercial projects adapt two types of containers: marine and modular. The first, used for storage and transportation of goods, is more resistant, but requires prior preparation that includes cleaning, body shop, painting, coatings and finishes.

BUILD YOUR OWN SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME STEP BY STEP COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

The second, with embedded walls, is more flexible and can be manufactured on a large scale in the industry.

The architect Felipe Savassi, specialized in this model, says that the main fear in using containers is thermal comfort. A poorly executed design can make the metal structure work like an oven.

For this to not happen, says Savassi, the orientation of the container must be contrary to the setting sun. In addition, care must be taken with air passages, as openings allow greater incidence of sunlight.

For better durability, the container structure requires constant maintenance, especially with external paint, which must be repaired at the slightest sign of yellowing or corrosion spots.

It was at the port of Caju, in Rio de Janeiro, that businesswoman Carlota Carvalho, 44, sought the raw material to build her house. He bought three shipping containers for $ 1860 each.

The work in Nova Friburgo (RJ) lasted five months. The documentation is si mil arà of a masonry house, requires prior approval of the project at the city hall.

To frame the containers and create the spaces, steel frame was also used – galvanized steel structures lined with plates. This made it possible to make larger rooms and give masonry appearance to the boxes. The structure received waterproofing and thermal blankets, and the walls were covered with plaster.

BUILD YOUR OWN SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME STEP BY STEP COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

There was no need to hire specialized labor, says Carlota, who works in the construction industry. “The important thing is to have a good locksmith to cut and weld.”

The businesswoman did not want to reveal the cost of the 274 m² house, but says it was equivalent to a masonry construction, due to the materials used. For her, the advantages were the sustainability and speed of the work. “It is a product that would be discarded and that already comes with a floor, ceiling and walls.”

Source : Pressreader

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