Sustainable Building Design:Shipping Containers and Campus Life

Brandon MortonDevelopment Analyst, Office of Sustainabilitybrandon.morton@unt.eduSeptember 2009

www.sustainable.unt.edu

Demand for Space on Campus:Administration, Faculty, Staff, and Students

• Office space

• Research laboratories

• Art and design studios

• Storage

• Classrooms

• Common study areas

• Meetings rooms

• Food and apparel retail

• Computer labs

• Student housing

Architecture in Practice:

Office Buildings, Residential Homes, &Student Housing

http://maltdoesmorethanmiltoncan.blogspot.com/2008/11/shipping-containers-home-sweet-home.html

• The world’s first hotel built from recycled shipping containers has popped-up in Uxbridge, West London. Each prefabricated container comes fully-equipped with fixtures, furniture, and windows from a factory in China.

• The company, called Travelodge, says that constructing a hotel this way is 25% faster and 10% cheaper than the more traditional construction methods. Also, construction is much quicker, because all that has to be done is to fit each container together like it was a giant Lego set. Rooms at this London hotel start at about 19 pounds per night. The London area may see more these ‘portable hotels’ pop-up around the city as the 2012 Olympics approaches.

Hotel made from Shipping Containers, London

http://webecoist.com/2009/04/05/15-awesome-ways-to-reuse-shipping-containers

University of Utrecht Student HousingThe largest university in the Netherlands with approximately 30,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff

Billed as the largest container city in the world, Amsterdam's massive Keetwonen complex houses 1,000 students, many of whom are happy to secure housing in the city's tight real estate market. Designed by Tempo Housing in 2006, Keetwonen is said to be a roaring success, with units that are well insulated, surprisingly quiet and comfortable.Each resident enjoys a balcony, bathroom, kitchen, separate sleeping and studying rooms and large windows. The complex has central heating and high speed Internet, as well as dedicated bike parking.Keetwonen has proved so popular that its lease has been extended until at least 2016.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309#ixzz0RlprPoRH

University of AmsterdamStudent Housing Project Keetwonen, Amsterdam

Water Catchment and Treatment Systems

http://www.harvesth2o.com/zerowater.shtml

A Benchmark for Zero Water Use in Commercial Building: Melbourne's 60L

Key System Components › 10,000 square foot roof area› 2 - 2,600 gallon (10,000 liter) tanks› 6 - .8 gallon (3 liter) toilets› 6 - waterless urinals› 4 - low-flow shower heads› 4 - Grundfos vertical multistage pumps, one for drinking water and one for reclaimed water and a backup for each system› 1 - 4-stage treatment system including UV lamp for drinking water › 1 - 3-stage filtration system including UV lamp for reclaimed water› 1450 square foot (135 sq. meter) roof garden

Google annual rainfall in Melbourne

Potential for Education Programs

Living Sustainability and Innovation Center

Art

Biology

Sociology

Engineering

Economics

“Off-Grid” Renewable Energy

• The Solar panels and wind turbines collect energy

• The collected energy is stored in batteries

• From the batteries the energy then goes to the inverter box to convert D.C to A.C.

• The A.C electric flow will power the lights, computers, microwave, etc

• This is a typical off-grid power system with no alternative source of electricity.

“Off-Grid” Renewable Energy

• When considering an off-grid system it is important to have a good portfolio of renewable energy like solar panels, wind generators, solar hot water heaters, geothermal, etc.

• When considering solar electric systems there are different types.

• Roof mounted systems are more cost effective. There are tilted systems which captured more sunrays. There are flattened systems which maximize the square footage of the roof, but captures less sunrays.

• Also there are ground mountes that can be placed next to the building, they can be more expensive then roof systems.

• An off-grid system requires a means of storing the electrical energy generated by the renewable sources for later consumption. A sizable battery bank provides that needed storage.

• For a 60,000 ft2 building it would need 25kW – 36kW system with a huge battery bank of 70,000 – 90,000 amp-hour deep cycle battery bank.

• It is important to keep the batteries at room temperature (75f). The decrease or increase in temperature can effect the battery.

“Off-Grid” Renewable Energy

Philanthropy and Renewable Energy Containers as shelter to help support impoverished communities

Books for Africa Project: What are the community infrastructure needs?

– Classrooms– Libraries– Homes– Small businesses– Community centers– Libraries

Grameen Shakti (http://www.gshakti.org/)- Access to low cost renewable energy improves rate of economic development and poverty alleviation

Cost to CreateZero Energy, Water, and Waste Building

Architecture Design and Planning:Buildings Materials and Construction:On-site Renewable Technologies:Cost savings:Return on Investment:

Shipping Containers:New: 40 x 8 ft for $4000 20 x 8 ft for $2600Used in good shape 40 x 8 ft. for $1750Delivery charges per container to Denton: $200--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------188 containers x $1950 for 60,000 sq ft = $366,600313 containers x $1950 for 100,000 sq ft = $610,350

‘Sustainable Living Center’

Past, Present, and Future Generations… Proud to be Green.

• “5 Sustainable Cities”by Kathy Jack Lambert (UNT Environmental Science PhD Student)

• What if a Sustainability Living Center was designed to change with every generation and adapt to student needs with each new class?

It could include:• Offices for grad and undergrad students• Eco-Innovation Living

– Residential housing unit focused on rapid innovation of green living including energy, water, and waste systems

– 4-6 undergraduate and graduate students

• Storage space for research equipment• Common areas • Meeting space• Library for Innovation Education and Project

Implementation– Energy & Water Efficiency Education– Energy & Water Innovation education– Home, apartment, and dorm steps to take

*Photos from slides can be found at:http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/shipping-container-homes-460309

Studio B ArchitectureWebsite:http://studiobarchitecture.com/Phone: (919) 667-0404Fax: (919)667-9984Erik Van Mehlman, AIA, PrincipalRandall Lanou, LEED AP, PartnerLocation: North Carolina Resolution: 4 ArchitectureWebsite:http://re4a.com/Phone: (212) 675-9266Fax: (212) 206-0944location: New York LOT-EKWebsite:http://www.lot-ek.com/Phone: (212) 255-9326 Distill Studio

Website:www.distillstudio.comPhone: (401)331- 2811Cell: (401) 996-3840Email: jhaskett@distillstudio.comLocation: Providence, Rhode Island Addis Containers http://www.containerarchitecture.co.nz/index.html Phone: 64 9 634 8181 Fax: 64 9 634 8180 Location: New Zealand

Architecture Firms that Build with Shipping Containers

www.sustainable.unt.edu

wemeangreen@unt.edu