Shipping container homes are becoming a popular alternative for home builders wanting something different. They are cheap, easy to build and have many eco-friendly benefits. For many excited architects and builders shipping containers are providing a new form of architecture, where containers can be used as building blocks and structural elements for houses, offices and even cities.

Container homes are built with shipping containers. They are very affordable and strong enough to become the framework for a house. Building a container home is quite easy. Builders place one or several containers onto a regular foundation, cut windows and doors in the container walls, insulate the modified container properly to resist heat and cold, decorate it and voila - a container home turned modern home. The modular structure of shipping containers means that they can be easily attached to each other. This allows architects to create interesting and unique designs.

The cost of a 40-feet cargo container is about US$1800. As you can imagine, building a house made from shipping containers. In general, the cost to build container house is half that of the cost of building a conventional house. Cargo container homes are low cost, very strong, have a fast construction time, easy to modify, and shipping containers are widely available.

However, there is some skepticism with the benefits of t alternative houses. For example, it is argued that the high heat conductivity of steel requires better insulation for such houses in comparison to the usual brick or wood houses. Also, there is concern of the health risks that originate from the original flooring of shipping containers, which are usually treated with harmful chemicals. The original flooring of shipping containers is always removed before construction begins.

Though container housing a new concept, the popularity and public interest in them is growing rapidly in many countries. The obvious economic benefits, with the green eco-friendly practices of recycling and sustainability, create a lot of opportunity for modern architects and builders to develop and improve the container home concept.

It won't be long before we start seeing alternative houses such as container homes grace our neighborhoods. The idea of taking used metal cargo containers and using them as the foundation of a house, building, shelter and so on really excites me. I have already seen some great container home projects, such a student accommodation, modern offices and even prisons. I can't wait to see how container housing evolves over the next 10 to 20 years.