If you ever ever gone spelunking on a hot summer day you will understand where Steve Rees got the inspiration for his earth cooled Norther California shipping container home. Best part about it, all in with solar it only cost $30,000 and has been off the grid for over 10 years.
“After a few years of camping on their 10 acre plot in Northern California, they bought two shipping containers, hired an excavator and got to work. Doing most of the work themselves, their finished home cost them $30,000 (solar included). Their 640-square-foot space cost them less than $50 per square foot.
Rees explains that while this is less than conventional construction costs, the savings only begin with construction. With a solar-powered well, a bit of propane and solar tubes for most of their light, they haven’t had any city water or electric bills since 2002. Winter temperatures in their home (even during 20 degrees outside) never fall below 62 degrees (an RV catalytic heater is sufficient for heating). Even when the temperature rises to 110 outside in the summer, their home has never risen above 82 degrees.”
With this kind of thermal efficiency, I could picture entire ski communities living in sunken shipping containers saving heaps of money on heating costs. Picture it now…..ski bums living like Hobbits.