Are you factoring in the MONSTROUS extra costs to heat and cool a
structure with a total insulation R-Value of Less than ONE? Good
grief! Uninsulated metal walls? I can't think of an more
uncomforatable place to live or a more expensive one. Is the sun
shining? Want to step into an oven? Is it night? Care to step into
the meat locker? I'd rather live in a TENT!
I'll bet Mikey will confirm my assertions. He knows what his
containers were like before he insulated them and after. There's a
reason Mikey wants to insulate his containers. It makes economic
sense as well as environmental sense. He's willing to put in the
work and is doing a nice job.
You probably have an analog parked in your driveway. A metal box
with wheels on it. It's called your car. Go sit in that thing on a
sunny day. Or try to sleep in one at night. How much would it cost
heat and cool that tiny space to keep it comfortable? Would it be
more than a typical 1200sqft stick home? I'm thinking it might very
well be. What a miserable existence.
Most papercrete structures are at least R36 walls. If I understand
the math correctly it means that an uninsulated container that is the
same size as a typical MINIMAL papercrete strucuture will cost 36
TIMES AS MUCH to heat and cool. Holy cow! Watch your wallet on that
one! If a papercrete structure has a monthly heating bill of $100, a
same sized uninsulated container will have a bill of $3600!!!!!!
Where's your savings now? I can pay people to make a lot of
papercrete for $3600. That was an example of JUST ONE MONTH'S ENERGY
BILL. Imagine costs over 10 years? 20? 50? I hope you are
independently wealthy. Are engergy prices going to continue to rise
over that time? Better factor even bigger bucks for that.
All I'm saying is compare apples to apples. THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH.
One reason papercrete is attractive is that people can CHOOSE
inexpensive materials and compensate with more of their own labor
instead of expensive materials and less labor.
In time we may come up with more efficient mixer, pumping, and
forming technology to decrease the laber required. We will never
have a system that will make it for free and with no labor at all.
Not gonna happen! We will probably get better systems as time goes
along.
Also keep in mind that working with a tow mixer or barrell mixer is
probably a very inefficient construction method if paying someone for
the time involved. The reason these techniques are commonly used is
because it is simple to get started. The simple mixers are practical
for an individual DIY builder to come up with the equipment to get
the job done. The simple mixers are cheap to build. I can't
remember one instance of someone saying the technique optimizes the
labor required.
If you want industrial quantities and speed, you'll need to think
about industrial scale equipment. Commercial contractors will be
able to afford to invest in that kind of equipment and produce enough
papercrete to justify the costs. An indiviual DIY builder cannot.
When papercrete is in the building codes, contractors will find a way
to make it profitable.
I'm not trying to sour anyone on containers, I think they definitely
can be used for some interesting structures. Just keep your
perspective and look at all the factors. Looking at just a select
few factors will distort the full picture. Look at the total cost of
construction AND OWNERSHIP over time.
Oh yeah. Don't discount the intangible value of living in a house
that you built with your own two hands! It means a great deal to
anyone that's done it.
Keep thinking of unusual ideas and different perspectives John. I
want to hear them even if I disagree.
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "John Annesley" <John@...> wrote:
>
> Cargo container houses: they're green because they're recycled room
sized industrial waste
> that can be bolted together and are fire proof, water tight, and
easily delivered to your door
> on the back of a truck... I don't think that's what this ugly eco
home is, but it sure looks a lot
> like one. Mikey Sklar is covering cargo containers with papercrete
to give them some
> insulation, and from my own rough calculations it would cost more
in hired labor at nearly
> minimum wage to build with papercrete and free or nearly free
materials, than it would to
> purchase cargo containers. They're littering our ports and if you
look hard enough can be
> had for around $2,000. Hardwood floor, steel walls, steel roof,
and water tight, stackable to
> nine high...
> This video gives you the basic units:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NnZTcjB_iU&mode=related&search=
>
> Here's the theory and the worldwide container glut, and a London
development called
> "container city" where the architects used 100% recycled
materials, or at least that's what the
> video claims:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=65C9OLvmjpI&mode=related&search=
>
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