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Planning for Resiliency: Portable Living Structures
A Graduate Thesis by MONICA A. JOHNSON
Mount Ida College
Company Name: Global Portable Buildings Inc. (GPB)
Product: Portable Buildings
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: Santa Rosa, CA
Price Range: $16,750 - $76,600
Global Portable Buildings Inc.


The mission at Global Portable Buildings Inc. is “to supply high-quality portable buildings at excellent prices to all destinations in the USA and worldwide” (Gobal Portable Buildings Inc.). Each building is created from a new ISO standard steel container and has a structural warranty of 10 years. GPB offers a wide range of units;
The Genesis Series have no internal divisions and include AC electrical system, telephone/internet connection, 2" rigid insulated finished walls and ceiling, windows, entrance door, finished linoleum/vinyl floor and utility room. This series comes in two different sizes, the 8’ x 20’ can sleep 6 people with double bunk beds and the 8’ x 40’ can sleep 12 with double bunk beds.
The Essential Series contains everything the genesis does, but includes a full bathroom. This series also comes in the 8’ x 20’ and 8’ x 40’ options.
The Ultimate Series is the most complete option for the portable building. This series also comes in the 8’ x 20’ and 8’ x 40’ sizes, but includes a full bathroom and a kitchen.
Other units include;
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Six Person Bunk House-8' x 40'- Equipped with 3 double bunk beds, 2 bathrooms, 3 tables/desks with chairs, 3 sets of double standing lockers and the amenities listed under the Standard Features in figure .
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Shower Unit-8’ x 20’- Equipped with 6 shower stalls and 4 sinks.
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Toilet Unit-8’ x 20’- Equipped with 6 toilet stalls and 4 sinks.
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Multi-Units- A modular building created by using 3 or more 8’ x 40’ units and connecting them to create 1 unit.
GPB has over 300 multi-purpose buildings in stock at all times. These units can be delivered by way of “standard cargo container ships, cargo planes, trucks or rail, enabling delivery even to the most remote, inaccessible areas” (Gobal Portable Buildings Inc.). GPB is aware of the need for disaster relief housing; they advertise their units as desirable for earthquake and hurricane disaster recovery as well as temporary emergency housing (Gobal Portable Buildings Inc.).

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