My idea Urban Blocks is to construct urban landscapes such as schools, hospitals, pools, garages, libraries with recycled shipping containers. Although Shipping container homes already exist and popular, no organization has used shipping containers to build other urban structures, like schools and hospitals, which is where Urban Blocks comes in.
My idea focuses heavily on the UN’s 9th global goal: to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. The specific target is to develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, focusing on affordable and equitable access for all. By using shipping containers as constructive materials with the mindset of creating sturdy and efficient structures, the cost of production would be significantly lower and prove to be an economic value to society.
My idea also concerns the 11th goal of Sustainable cities and Communities as shipping containers can also be used to make other variables of urbanization such as schools, not to mention that there are shipping container home communities. The 13th goal of Climate Action as the utilization of shipping containers as constructable materials will decrease the amount of construction as it makes up for 40% of global emissions. Lastly the 16th goal, Life on Land, has also contributed to Urban Blocks, shipping containers can be an eco-friendly and nature drive alternative as it will decrease deforestation.
Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
Shipping containers are solid and can withstand most buildings. They are made of steel, which is strong and relatively inexpensive, and have a strong steel frame, walls, ceiling, and floor. The steel used in shipping containers is also resistant to corrosion and is high-strength and low-alloy.
The cost for shipping containers varies, depending on their dimensions, but the average cost is $2,000 each.
According to HomeGuide, the average cost to build and install a container home is $25,000 to $250,000, while the average cost of a traditional home in the United States is $420,800.
The use of shipping containers as construction material can also be a very economical trend. Many manufacturers, organizations, or natural owners of shipping containers can sell their new or used containers for a profit, making it an equitable business.
Transforming a shipping container to a home can also be an equitable business.
Welding is heavily used when constructing infrastructure with shipping containers, which could lead to a massive increase in jobs for welders and other professionals such as engineers, architects, and inspectors.
Target 9.a: Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological, and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.
Shipping container homes may be the best solution for less developed countries as they are inexpensive and have eco-conscious features. They are designed to be energy-efficient and can be fitted with a range of renewable energy technologies. They can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions during both the construction and the use of the building. An example of such technology would be solar panels and compost toilets, often installed in these homes. The trend of shipping container homes is prevalent and still growing. People have even started creating small communities filled with just shipping container homes. Here are a few to name:
Stacks at Wilson, an entire community of shipping-container homes built in the Dixie Hills neighborhood in Atlanta.
The Schuyler Yacht Basin is located in Schuylerville, New York.
Tiny House Village is a modern-styled shipping container home community in Orderville, Utah.
Not to mention, they can even be used as portable hospitals in rural areas or to keep up with nomadic transitions, which makes them a great use as nomadic movements are an impactful part of many African tribes’ cultures.
Shipping Container Homes are the future, no doubt about it, but they’re hardly promoted or encouraged. Right now, most of those who own or live in a shipping container home deeply care for the environment and see it as a highly contributing factor toward a greener earth. That being said, these individuals make up a small portion of the population. For a significant impact, we as a society need to expose everyone else to help them see that shipping containers have real benefits other than being an eco-friendly solution and more of a necessary tool. I propose expanding its scope from just being a home to a school, a hospital, or a garage. The reality is that shipping containers are valuable construction materials, even if they are being used as scrapes to build skyscrapers.
Using shipping containers to build schools, hospitals, and garages
Schools will be able to spend more on other expenditures, such as educational programs and extracurriculars, which would be more beneficial and geared toward students. The same can be said about hospitals.
Schools and hospitals could quickly expand to create more classrooms without the need for portables by using shipping containers.
Shipping Containers can be stacked on top of each other.
