Research Proposal after editing

Shipping container houses in Kamloops

Summary Statement:

            Every year, many shipping containers are retired and discarded without a second thought when they could be used instead as housing.  Shipping container houses are growing in popularity as an affordable alternative to anything from low-end housing up to custom homes. 

The plan is to find out if it is feasible to build a shipping container house in Kamloops by researching the structural strength and thermal properties of shipping containers and comparing them to what is necessary to both build, and last in Kamloops.

Purpose:

            The research done here will attempt to determine whether or not a shipping container house is a feasible option in Kamloops, B.C.  The expected end result is that it will be feasible, but the container will likely need many additions and changes in order to meet BCBC minimum standards.

Goals and objectives:

            The goal of this project is to provide another option for homebuyers that will not only help reduce the numbers of discarded retired shipping containers, but will also provide a safe, modern, affordable home.  At the end of my research, I plan to have a design for a feasible shipping container house, as well as a written report detailing all I have found.

Methodology and analytical approach:

            In order to determine if a shipping container home is feasible in Kamloops, I will need to first research the climate in order to find out how much insulation will be needed, as steel conducts heat and cold very well.  Since some containers are pre-insulated, I would then need to find out if acquiring a pre-insulated container would be better than getting a non-insulated one and insulating it afterwards.  I will also need to determine if any extra fire protection would be necessary by researching the fire protection rating of the container, and comparing it to the BCBC minimum standard.  Furthermore, I will need to determine if the containers will be strong enough to support the live and dead loads that are associated with homes.  Once those steps have been completed, I will ensure that a home made of retired shipping containers is allowed as per the City of Kamloops by-laws.  Afterwards, all of the information will be put together in a comprehensive report that will indicate whether or not shipping container homes are a feasible option in Kamloops.  I also plan to design a shipping container house using 3D modeling software that will be part of the final report.

Previous studies:

            There have been quite a few studies on shipping container houses since they broke into the housing industry.  Many of those have been on full scale houses, like the kind I’m researching, but with minor differences.  Take the article “Thinking inside the box: A shipping container house” by Pedro Arrais, which documents every step taken in the construction of a shipping container house.  Other studies have been done that looked into the versatility of shipping container homes to be more than just low-income housing, and show that they could, with relative ease, be made into schools and cafes.  The website “thedailygreen.com” has a slideshow of 45 unique designs for buildings made of shipping containers.

Plans for dissemination of work:

            My work and research will be shared with the general public via a blog which will be updated as soon as new, pertinent information is found and will be open for comments and/or questions about the research.