RSS FeedMay 15 2009
Ecopods – Innovation Built Throughout the Design
Ecopods are modular tiny homes that aim to be eco-friendly. They are “off the grid” and are made from recycled materials, giving them a very small environmental footprint and impact. A modular home that is made out of recycled materials? This should get the attention of all tiny home fans.
Ecopods are taking the concept of turning a shipping container into a home and really running with it. What they have done is take the already super-tough shipping container, and made it tougher. They’ve accomplished this by making it weather resistant. Usage of a shipping container is part of how the ecopod is recycled and eco-friendly, but there is more to come from the ecopod in terms of being eco-friendly. For example, the floors are recycled rubber from car tires.
The Ecopods are designed to be highly energy efficient meaning that they can be taken off the grid. The ecopod has a bunch of solar powered options, including a solar-powered refrigerator and roof-mounted solar panels. They are designed to use a 80 watt solar panel, which should eliminate the need to run power lines. This, of course, means saving some money as well.
So what does the ecopod look like? A standard ecopod, they do custom work as well, is a 8′x20′ steel shipping container that has been heavily modified. Ecopod’s team is particularly found of using steel as a building material. Steel not only has a sturdy nature, but it is “infinitely recyclable.” Steel has always been valuable scrap that makes its way back into the recycling system.
Many people may not get excited when thinking about interior walls, but ecopod is incorporating some really interesting technology for their interior walls. Magnesiacore technology uses magnesium oxide compounds and natural silicates to create a non-conbustible and versatile building material. In fact, the ecopod team believes that Magneisacore is superior to “gypsum, cement, clay, wood and paper particles.” Magnesium oxide is very commonly found in nature, and Magnesiacore has been given a thumbs up by LEED for all uses. No wonder ecopod is excited about it.
Ecopods are modular tiny homes that aim to be eco-friendly. They are “off the grid” and are made from recycled materials, giving them a very small environmental footprint and impact. A modular home that is made out of recycled materials? This should get the attention of all tiny home fans.
Ecopods are taking the concept of turning a shipping container into a home and really running with it. What they have done is take the already super-tough shipping container, and made it tougher. They’ve accomplished this by making it weather resistant. Usage of a shipping container is part of how the ecopod is recycled and eco-friendly, but there is more to come from the ecopod in terms of being eco-friendly. For example, the floors are recycled rubber from car tires.
The Ecopods are designed to be highly energy efficient meaning that they can be taken off the grid. The ecopod has a bunch of solar powered options, including a solar-powered refrigerator and roof-mounted solar panels. They are designed to use a 80 watt solar panel, which should eliminate the need to run power lines. This, of course, means saving some money as well.
So what does the ecopod look like? A standard ecopod, they do custom work as well, is a 8′x20′ steel shipping container that has been heavily modified. Ecopod’s team is particularly found of using steel as a building material. Steel not only has a sturdy nature, but it is “infinitely recyclable.” Steel has always been valuable scrap that makes its way back into the recycling system.
Many people may not get excited when thinking about interior walls, but ecopod is incorporating some really interesting technology for their interior walls. Magnesiacore technology uses magnesium oxide compounds and natural silicates to create a non-conbustible and versatile building material. In fact, the ecopod team believes that Magneisacore is superior to “gypsum, cement, clay, wood and paper particles.” Magnesium oxide is very commonly found in nature, and Magnesiacore has been given a thumbs up by LEED for all uses. No wonder ecopod is excited about it.
