top of page
Planning for Resiliency: Portable Living Structures
A Graduate Thesis by MONICA A. JOHNSON
Mount Ida College
History of...
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are incredibly destructive to homes, families and the lives of many individuals as they are a more frequently occurring tragedy. The Center for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) maintains an emergency disaster database called EM-DAT (Than, 2005). “According to the EM-DAT, the total natural disasters reported each year has been steadily increasing in recent decades, from 78 in 1970 to 348 in 2004” (Than, 2005). Scientists believe that the rising temperatures of Global Warming is the cause of the increase in natural disasters; specifically hydro-meteorological disasters which includes droughts, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons and floods (Than, 2005). The image below is a chart that shows the rising numbers of natural disasters from 1950 to 2001.
Hurricane Katrina occurred on August 29, 2005. The hurricane affected many of the southern coastal states, and also other areas including Kentucky and Ohio. Katrina put about four hundred thousand out of work, left 1,836 people dead 705 still missing and completely destroyed 275,000 homes (FAQs).
More currently, Hurricane Sandy impacted the east coast in a shocking turn of winds. Sandy caused fires, floods, heavy winds, as well as snow when it traveled and hit the coast from October 22 to October 31, 2012 affecting the Caribbean all the way up to Maine (Drye, 2012). Storm surges ranged from 13-14.5 feet, winds were between 79-90 miles per hour while snow totals were between 24 and 34 inches (Freedman, 2012). While the final tolls of homes lost have not yet been released Sandy “is likely to be the most damaging hurricane ever, despite not being the most powerful to ever have made landfall” (Seccombe, 2012).
Temporary Housing
Prefabricated housing dates back to 1833 when it was first invented. The ‘balloon frame’ (right) was a popular structure for housing; it is essentially a floor, 4 walls and a roof; very simple (Davies, 2005, p. 44). Soon after that, portable cottages quickly became a huge fab. It was advertised as the house that “could be erected in a few hours after landing, with windows, glazed doors, and locks, bolts, and the whole painted in a good and secure manner” (Davies, 2005, p. 47). Because of the popularity of the cottage, many others were trying to come up with a better design but “none could match the sturdy practicality of the original” (Davies, 2005, p. 48). The portable cottage industry declined in the early 1860’s . The next major structure was developed in 1908 by Sears Roebuck which was advertised across 4 pages in their catalogue (Davies, 2005, p. 51). The company offered 22 different models; prices ranging from $650 to $2,500 (Davies, 2005, p. 51). The house kit included precut wood, windows, doors, siding and shingles, along with nails and paint. Plumbing, heating and wiring were optional but not required (Davies, 2005, p. 51). It wasn’t until 1940 that Sears stopped participating in the housing business altogether. After the National Housing Agency had given $153 million dollars for temporary housing, there were about 100 prefabrication firms underway by 1914” (Davies, 2005, p. 56). The industry has grown since, with many different variations and styles (See Precedent Studies).
Global Warming
Sustainability is also a rising issue and trend around the globe. El Nino is commonly known as the climate change in the Pacific Ocean right around the equator. It used to occur every 4-7 years, but is now occurring more and more often. “El Nino has become the scapegoat for practically all the appalling experienced over the past year” (Galtie, 1999). It is believed to have caused “violent downpours and landslides in what is one of the driest deserts in the world and devastating droughts in monsoon months” (Galtie, 1999). Ken Trenberth, a climatologist, believes this change in behavior of the Pacific Ocean is due to global warming because it appears to have caused more frequent as well as more severe El Ninos (Galtie, 1999). An increase of carbon is the air is directly linked to the rapid global warming affects. The extra carbon is caused by new technology and manmade structures that are releasing harmful gasses into the air affecting the atmosphere (Galtie, 1999). This directly links current life styles to the weather changes. Sustainability is becoming more and more important to the environment and essentially to life.
Shipping Containers
Shipping containers have been around since 1956. They were invented by “an American named Malcolm McLean” (All About Shipping Containers). McLean was a truck driver and “owned the fifth largest trucking company in the United States by 1956” (All About Shipping Containers). Between 1956 and when he bought his first truck in 1934, “all cargo was loaded and unloaded in odd sized wooden crates” which was a very slow process (All About Shipping Containers). McLean experimented a lot with finding easier ways to load and unload cargo from ships and trucks. “His final design is what we know now as the shipping container…super strong, uniform design, theft resistant, stackable, easy to load, unload, truck, rail, ship and certainly store” (All About Shipping Containers).
These shipping containers are often referred to as ISBU, Intermodal Steel Building Units. ISBU’s are so popular in US for building construction because they are cheap and plentiful. “After nearly 3 years of publicity, hype and interest, it seems ISBU construction is not a Fad but an incredible growing trend…not because of the US and global economy, but because ISBU modules are so strong, easy to use, and versatile—almost like stacking blocks. Even with fairly extreme modification and wall cut outs, the strength of multiple ISBU’s is far greater than any conventional home or building” (Why Use ISBU?).
The ISBU Association gives many examples of what these shipping containers could be used for. In reference to buildings; Construction offices, workshops for home and business, sales offices, laboratories, shower modules, restrooms and toilets, kitchens, etc. are all options the association lists (Why Use ISBU?).
bottom of page