House Made of Shipping Containers Makes Waves in Gainesville

Stephen Bender, an architect and professor of architecture at the University of Florida recently built a house made of shipping containers in the Porters neighborhood of Gainesville for a man named Tom Fox. This sustainable, green house, which is powered by a solar array isn’t very popular in the Porters neighborhood, which is full of run-of-the-mill, one-story homes. In fact, several Porters neighborhood residents have publicly spoken out about the house to the media. They believe it calls too much attention to itself and is an unattractive addition to the neighborhood.

Despite public criticism, Tom Fox, has been proudly living in his sustainable house for the last three months. The house is made of 100% recycled shipping containers, which means no trees were harmed to aid in its construction. Additionally, the 5000 square foot house boasts three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a rooftop deck lined with solar panels to provide electricity to the house. Fox’s house is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) recognized house for its sustainable construction, energy efficiency, and reliance on alternative, eco-friendly sources of power.

Although making a house out of shipping containers may seem strange in an older, traditional neighborhood in Gainesville, it isn’t so unusual in other parts of the U.S. Buildings and homes made out of sturdy, steel recycled shipping containers are gradually popping up in places like New York City. And buildings made out of shipping containers have existed in London for a while. In fact, Fox was inspired to build his own home out of shipping containers after he saw how architects were using the containers in London.

Author’s Bio: Ryan is a guest post writer on the topics of green buildings, real estate, and interior design. Right now, she is primarily focused on Austin real estate listings, Austin homes for sale, and Marvin window prices.