Shipping container homes, known to be eco-friendly, money-saving options for new homeowners, have started hitting the real estate market. In Phoenix, AZ a custom shipping container house with 2,969 square feet and three bedrooms has recently been placed on the market for a whopping $610,000.
How does a tiny home made from a recycled shipping container sell for so much? For one, at nearly 3,000 square feet, this home proves that not all shipping container homes are tiny. On top of that, these modern, sustainable homes are very much on trend.
The home, located at 2753 East South Mountain Avenue, was constructed from more than nine recycled shipping containers — a popular building material for the eco-conscious homeowner. To date, there are nearly 17 million shipping containers in the world. Enough to circle the world twice. Of that 17 million, though, only six million are currently in use.
Recently, shipping container construction has sparked the creation of pop-up restaurants and tiny homes for enthusiasts across the country. Phoenix, AZ is a hotspot for such restaurants. At the shopping park The Churchill you can find restaurants and more made from steel containers.
Shipping Containers Are Popping Up All Over The Place
In addition to the Phoenix area home for sale, a former shipping container Airbnb rental property has been put on the market in the Twin Cities area. Compared to the numerous upgrades and $610,000 price tag, The LightHotel was created to accentuate the beauty of shipping container homes as modern eco-solutions.
Started as an art project in his backyard, The LightHotel was built in an eight- by 20-foot shipping container by Geoff Warner and students from the local University of Minnesota School of Architecture. The project was designed to explore both sustainability concerns and space concerns. Giving students the opportunity to transform the 120 square foot living space into something the felt spacious and inviting.
In Seattle, the country’s 18th largest city, you’ll find shipping containers used in homes, office spaces, pop-up stores, and more. Architect and Seattle native Joel Egan founded Cargotecture, which specializes in turning shipping containers into residential and commercial properties. According to his website, the company has built shipping container structures in Seattle, but they have also built structures in Texas, California, Vermont, Utah, and Florida.
Why Are Shipping Container Homes Eco-Friendly?
Most shipping container homes feature solar panels and the recycled shipping containers themselves reduce the overall environmental impact of home building. Most of the time the metal material can help to reflect the heat of the outdoors, saving a lot in cooling costs during the heat of summer. On top of that, because they are made from recycled materials, less greenhouse gases are produced in the construction of the home itself.
For many years, shipping container homes were synonymous with the tiny home movement. However, that’s no longer the case. Multiple steel shipping containers can be welded together to create a much larger structure. That’s appealing to buyers who want a sustainable lifestyle but still need space. A 2016 Houzz survey found that over two-thirds of homeowners (68%) planned to include a recreational area in their new or custom built home, and modern shipping container homes can feature all sorts of luxury amenities — without sacrificing their eco-friendly appeal.
The shipping container Airbnb features a trailer system, transforming it from stationary to an RV easily. Compared to more permanent structures like the Pheonix home or the pop-up restaurant parks made from recycled shipping containers, the possibilities within the world of recycled shipping container construction is endless.
