112. The Octopod: A unique off-grid solar powered cottage made out of shipping containers

Shipping container architecture has become more and more popular over the years. We check out an off-grid solar powered Sea Container cabin called the Octopod located near Bobcaygeon, Ontario. The Octagonal design is unique, but the real innovation is in the design of the systems in this off-grid seasonal home. A very small 1 kilowatt solar system is split between DC and AC to maximize efficiency. See photos, blog and CKUA podcast: www.greenenergy...

[@SnakeHandler-g7u]

That flannel/denim shirt is the most Canadian piece of clothing I've ever seen.

[@stacyhackney6100]

Great ideas and execution

[@F.mci-jb1mk]

congratulations without a doubt a great idea, I really enjoyed a hug from Portugal.

[@dietpiediaries6287]

Very creative! The engineering of ideas

[@mingohernandez6475]

I'm in love with this home . love the ingenuity behind building it. plus those computer fans pushing hot air into the back of the containers was pretty ingenious

[@vestel777]

Mingo Rivero I Agree

[@beverlylevy6559]

I'm impressed.

[@afrocarib3]

Beautiful !

[@woodsgal6239]

I would want to enclose all of the spaces between containers and use them for a variety of storage or workshop spaces, maybe even a chicken coop.

[@143summer28]

This guy is super smart!

[@rayray6305]

Very innovative, but not my pick for the BEST Shipping Container Home... Great ideas, hope they enjoy & prosper...

[@OffGridHawaii]

Yeah white roof is key! Thanks for making this video, very interesting house. I am currently in the process of creating my own shipping container home and you've shared some great ideas. Nice seeing other people repurposing containers to function as a living space.

[@Red_Proton]

Green Energy Futures can learn a lot from Michael Reynolds and his Earthship, I think.

[@Red_Proton]

I'm very interested in the Earthship. I'll look into the Magic Container Plans. Thanks.

[@qristv1912]

thanks for sharing

[@awckid3]

Very industrious man. Thanks for posting!

[@staninjapan07]

Impressive, interesting, and looks like a great place to live.

[@edma1869]

Very cool! Thanks for the tour

[@normsawyer4192]

nice work

[@tkol123]

I just rewatched the video, and I have to say, the house is growing on me. It's quirky.

[@dear9530]

Thanks!😀

[@dannytavarez9796]

nice setup and about runing dc ,cool i will keep it in mine thanks

[@PDZ1122]

Architecturally, it might be interesting, but it's inefficient in cost and look at all that surface area versus volume. All those surfaces need to be covered and insulated and finished. Bad use of materials and costly. $130,000 is about 5 times my budget. And computer fans for air circulation??

[@philxdev]

+PDZ1122 same here. I think the outside surface area is too big and the living space inside is too little for that many containers used.. also the roof structure is too massive.. these containers are very sturdy and can hold a lot of weight on their on... also insulating shipping containers is not that easy, causing the price per square to go up...

[@251988dannyboy]

Seth Johnson skimming off the top probably

[@georgewu5]

Ｔｈｉｓ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　ｄｏｅｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　！

[@rickyfabre9259]

YOU BE THE MAN , I HAD SOME OF YOUR IDEAS , LIKE TO SEE THEM BEING USED, WE LIVE ON 9 ACRES , MY WORK IS SHIPPING CONTAINER, LOOKING IN TO BUILDING A SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME, THANKS FROM DOWN SOUTH , RICKY

[@mizzlynng]

So cool

[@johnh1001]

With that centre roof section protruding up in that fashion it appears like a WW11 bunker .

[@zhp500]

In Canada, more moths of winter then summer. Exposed metal sides, and a lot of them. This dude must spend most of his free time outside hunting down fire wood.

[@judyhobday5334]

no mention was made of the livestock water tank on end as a wood box,container. I may end up doing something similar at my home. Just like the look.

[@georgerosado5194]

that was amazing...

[@malaejahjeter3722]

awesome

[@GemsSanti]

We are about to start our journey in off grid living in 2019 project is in the works will be in touch as launch begins

[@victoriarioux76]

How exciting! Looking forward to hearing from you...

[@joshlouw1]

Im all for using shipping containers! I like the idea of building something different like you have done here, but I think the space can be used more efficiently if the design was simpler, like a rectangular or square shape IMO. It would cost less too, because as soon as you start changing the shape of the roof, everything underneath (the frame) needs to change as well and it becomes more expensive. I know squares and rectangles are "boring" shapes and it looks like every other house. You also lose quite a bit of usable space on the outside of the containers where it forms a V-shape. Yes you can use that to store things on the outside, but I think that can be used better on the inside...

[@headlesseyes]

Why didn't he just cut open the walls for more space and substitute wood construction in between?

[@ros681]

all containers under one roof...imagine if he open the container sides, easily double the storage spaces..cool energy efficient plan

[@TheDepreys]

nice setup.. i love it.. i just put 200 watts on my rv lol

[@chubbyninja842]

I really like this design, though I'm surprised at the total price. Those containers normally sell for about $3K each, so containers aside, everything else cost him about $100K to build. Yikes! He must have a lot of pricy materials in it. I think that this could probably be done at half the price if you did most of the work yourself, and went easy on the add-ons. Maybe put a rocket stove/thermal mass heater in it.

[@beerwench28]

ZombieTex There is certainly significant cost in the interior decor, but that's an aesthetic cost. I wonder if a cost breakdown would be shared. Perhaps structural costs, aesthetic costs, and the cost of the DC electrical system, panels etc can be separated and shown?.. What did it cost to assemble the 1kW electrical system? Does it make economic sense?

[@lengthOFpole]

$130,000 for a total cost would be o'k. If that is $130,000 for just the cottage then that's quite expensive. Bobcaygeon is a large area with several different land values. but a cotrage property should cost between $40,000-and $90,000 no lake front and a nice size. 20' shipping container is about $1350-$1500 used plus delivery and for a build like this $200/h crane fees. usually 3 hour min. The 40' containers are only around $200 more and a better choice for the money. Now this wheel and spoke shape is interesting. With some better planing on roof design you would not need the vertical supports since the container is essentially a pair of 8' steel I beams. the in-floor heating from the wood stove is a good idea. putting in a small "400-800' of 3/4 pvc pipe" "about $100 per 400' "geothermal heat sink for air conditioning in the summer would be a good idea. They have high efficiency ceramic composite insulating paint that is often used on shipping container homes. It might be a nice way to add another r-30 of insulation to the living space, Since in Canada we can get very cold winters although depending on where your land is for a cottage might not be much of an issue as allot of cottage land does no have road access in the winter. Very nice low maintenance cottage.

[@mrchrisknight315]

his web site doesn't work. too bad. it's nice that some one in Ontario is living his dream and breaking free from the norm. a lot of people on the comments are complaining. but let's face it its his money let him enjoy building and living the way he wants! after all that's the main thing about shipping container homes that attracts moat of us. the child like Lego creator that is inside all of us!

[@251988dannyboy]

i am wanting to build my self one and thought about a skeleton frame before seeing this video...

[@thumbsuptraveller354]

I like your video, but slow the camera movement down a bit. I had to pause it several times to see the rooms.

[@stevetipps5876]

wow, just $130k, not bad for off grid- gimmie a break.

[@ai4px]

Just asking.... I wonder about the surface area of all those containers radiating heat in winter. I love the hub and spoke,but wouldn't bunching the containers into a square be more efficent? It really looks cool though.

[@brusckez]

good work. however the most important area in the house isn't well thought through. The bathroom doesn't have windows, the kitchen I think It could be better positioned and the living room has a huge table that likely it'll be used once a year..

[@fordgt402]

If the containers are positioned in a square formation,that would cut down the cost to 4 containers only

[@PDFx1a]

Wow, they must have had a really good source for the containers. I hear they can be pretty costly, even when purchased as scrap.

[@victoriarioux76]

Thom Westergren Ironically these were premium containers given they are relatively new and ordered from one assembly batch to limit risk on variation but yes, it took a while to find the right supplier. Prices do fluctuate as they're treated like a commodity so the first containers we purchased years ago were significantly less costly.

[@PDFx1a]

Interesting. Thanks for the follow up.

[@dyeaton1]

The high cube 20' containers new shipped to your port from Shanghi China are about $2300.

[@dreamingflurry2729]

I must say: It looks great, but what does he do with all the unused room between the containers going outwards? I mean I am all for making a house that's not just a rectangle/rectangular box, but it seems like a lot of wasted space...on the other hand: does this isolate the rooms from each other if there's noise? (Partying kids when you want to sleep for example!) For me the center structure would have more glass probably :) (to make the entire center a conservatory/sunroom - with extendable covers for heavy sunshine (and maybe even heavy snow!)...and it kind of lacks a balcony (it's got a terrace, but no elevated position for you to oggle the surroundings :( ) I'd also have more solar and some wind-turbines (and some hydro if it's possible)...I just like certain creature comforts! ps: I would also kind of place the heating unit in the absolute center of a house (so that heat can radiate outwards from there, especially if you use a wood-burner for heat in winter - this way you probably only have to keep one fire going to keep the whole place warm!)

[@josephatnip2398]

lol he has a wood stove but he looks like he has never ran a chainsaw....rich trendies make me lol

[@joeschwartz8152]

Joseph Atnip And who are you? Paul fucking Bunyon. If Bob seems trendie to you,well, that makes me lol. I'll bet that feller has at least 1 Husqy that runs like a top and probably another for back up because you never know. The wood burns the same whether you cut it yourself or pay somebody else to do it and stove doesn't care either way.

[@Toshirozawa]

Cool house, but does anyone else find it weird that two oil companies sponsored this? Or did I miss the joke.

[@251988dannyboy]

Green Energy Futures so they can charge us for it we can make our own nice to see the info so we can use it for free to our own private individual use.. but then laws would change to trap you to make sure you pay your taxes and they have there fingers in your pocket!

[@thelanarchist6912]

That's funny, sponsored by the oil industry. can't be all that green. I do like the idea of making a big post and beam roof to work under, maybe use the short 20 foot containers.

[@southronspirit]

great video , i am wondering if they are using rain cachment for gray water

[@puretoy1]

it is set up for clean water catchment in future if desired, given the white membrane roofing material, but the drilled well with solar powered deep well pump and elevated interior water tank meets all the water needs currently

[@BruceschultzAU]

Why not have just put walls under roof ? And had bigger more open rooms ? At the end of the day, that is so expensive for so many tiny rooms. Not to mention the condensation issues you are about to encounter. Good luck

[@daviddegraff5137]

cool

[@georgewu5]

Ａ　ｓｔｕｐｉｄ　ａｎｄ　ｗａｓｔｅｆｕｌ　ｄｅｓｉｇｎ　！

[@beerwench28]

Any thoughts on making better use of the "dead" space between the spokes/pods? I love the low energy consumption ideas, but the design engineer in me wants to stuff... stuff between the spokes.

[@victoriarioux76]

Michael Kaczmar I'm with you. We relocated the sauna into one wedge, the other wedges currently provide shelter for the riding lawn mower, argo, boats and other toys but yes, can we make better use of the space? We planned to use one wedge for a wood pile but I have mixed feelings about that.

[@joeschwartz8152]

Michael Kaczmar I was thinking about that as he went from one 8x20 "pod" to the next.You could easily open walls up to 12 feet and use those wasted areas in between to provide more living space, extra storage and to break the monotony of "seven spokes radiating outward from a central hub". He did a fine job but it seems a little space shippy to me. This would also help with the heating problem by adding more thermal mass and by separating the cold outside air from the central hub and the pod walls by 12 feet or so whereas now it's never more than a few feet away.

[@beerwench28]

Joe Schwartz I hesitate to "pick" the design apart, but the spoke layout just seems less efficient. It certainly increases the surface area-volume ratio of the living space, a downside for energy management. The roof structure adds a significant amount of cost to keep weather-resistant containers out of the element. That's the last I'll comment on these aspects. I actually would like to consider the water pumping and storage method for my home in the future. I wonder what my energy savings on my conventional home would be if I did not need a pressurized well tank, and simply pumped from my well to a higher elevation holding tank. The pump would cycle less often, and not work against the static bladder pressure in the well tank. Will the additional head height offset the reduced pumping work against the bladder... not sure. Hopefully others can take the energy management that works from this system and apply it elsewhere.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

Michael Kaczmar I was thinking that the shipping containers actually act as a radiator in this configuration. Maybe it's intended as just a summer home? If you're going to the expense of covering the containers with a roof, you might as well go the rest of the way and enclose all that space -- with additional openings into the central space between the current "rooms." Some interesting ideas, though.

[@beerwench28]

Perhaps, but decreasing the surface area to volume ratio is physically the more efficient way to go when trying to minimize heat transfer; whether it's hot air getting in, or letting warm air out.

[@Zygmunt-Zen]

Talk about thinking outside the box, or container in this case. Wondering about the insulation level inside container. I know he clad the inside with unfinished wood, but guessing rigid foam would be behind it as thermal break from metal container.

[@victoriarioux76]

It was spray foamed.

[@TheMrsemmapeel]

Please, please, please explain why green/off-grid is $$green$$?

[@jekku4688]

Amazing idea, but so RAW and unfinished. Would be great if the design were more sleek and modern. I mean. What's up with the furniture? I love the idea, but the look is just too weirdly random for me.

[@vestel777]

I LOVED this video. I also heard about a woman in Canada that was told that it's illegal to live off the grid. What are your thoughts on that? I love your off the grid cabin and want to know where I can get the blueprints to this cabin. I live in West Central Illinois and I don't even know where to go to buy shipping containers.

[@MrFakit]

There are so many places in Canada where there is no grid ;)

[@victoriarioux76]

Google Sea Container Cabin dot com and you can purchase the full set of construction plans directly from us.

[@vestel777]

Victoria Rioux Thanks I just did.

[@yori4666]

I think money isn't the object in this project. He had an idea and the money to do it. His project. He can do what he wants. There seems to be a lot of ciber off grid police out there and people that don't like them. At some point you just have to use your back button and move on.

[@ADVENTUREKM]

how much land is required for this project? is it totally off the grid? did you have to get any permits etc. cool house I want one. Kevin

[@puretoy1]

The project is 60 feet in diameter, so you need more than that, and extra space for a septic system. Yes totally off grid and Yes this project was built with a full set of approved building permits by the municipality.

[@SK-eb5gt]

having a small space and not enough windows make it look smaller inside, the walls being all wood also doesn't make it modern home but as like a log cabin feel i guess but not for me.

[@JQUICK21]

Please let me know what kind of Bike that is at the beginning. I love it! Thank You!

[@victoriarioux76]

It's made by a Canadian manufacturer named Argo, model is Conquest. It's an amphibious ATV.

[@JQUICK21]

Victoria Rioux was talking about the black bicycle with green wheels

[@victoriarioux76]

I see it now. It's part of the Green Energy Futures intro trailer to all their episodes. Sorry, I don't have the answer to that...

[@dodgeplow]

There is no way a tiny computer fan is going to move air to any notable amount all the way to the end of that container.

[@victoriarioux76]

We weren't sure the fans would provide enough air flow however it surprisingly works well for these 20' containers.

[@danthemotoman6028]

@1:51 you don't have amenities in life = You are camping, very expensively at 130K!! Buy a Woodmizer instead

[@kamalakrsna]

Only I regret that he had to use those joist hangers... probably a building codes legality requirement.

[@heckyes]

That would never pass building codes where I live. They are the biggest barrier to cheap alternative living solutions.

[@puretoy1]

this is one of the largest barriers for people pursuing container based homes if you spend enough time with your local architects and structural engineers, you can normally satisfy building code requirements, as was the case for this project being a first for this region of Canada, but it certainly takes more time and effort to get approvals for non-standard construction methods

[@philipppiier17]

$130 000 ???? lol thats ridiculous.

[@dyeaton1]

What make and model freezer and from what distributor ?

[@victoriarioux76]

Don Yeaton It's a Steca made in Austria. Model PF 166 or PF 240.

[@4runnermike]

100+k? Dose that include the solar setup?

[@victoriarioux76]

Yes it includes the solar panels, setup and battery bank

[@monkeyearcheese420]

his Canadian is on lock. denim pockets and a bolo. big pimping ah

[@tkol123]

That's a very wasteful design. There's a reason why most people go for either circular or square design in their dwelings - surface exposure. He must spend a small fortune on cooling and heating his house with so many walls exposed to the elements. Plus the price of all he described must have set him back, at least, 150k to 200k... that's a decent size new house. Way out of my price range.

[@JoeMalovich]

+tkol123 Massive surface area to volume ratio! 4 shipping containers arranged in a square (or 6-8 if you like things more round-ish) with a roof over the central space would net 4-8x40 rooms and a massive 40x40 central living room! Basically I can't think of a less efficient way of using 8 shipping containers.

[@tkol123]

+Joseph Malovich Yeah, my point. I am not an engineer, but efficient design is efficient design. This guy likes his house the way it is, so good for him. I like it snug and comfy. To each his own.

[@ncmartinez_his]

+Joseph Malovich - Ditto.

[@georgewu5]

ｔｋｏｌ１２３，　Ｉ　ａｇｒｅｅｄ．　Ｖｅｒｙ　ｗａｓｔｅｆｕｌ　ｉｎｄｅｅｄ　！

[@coreylahey1711]

what is this guy wearing ???

[@matthewm7666]

No air conditioning?

[@puretoy1]

yup, no a/c the clear story windows 13' feet above the living room open up in the summer to create a natural convection effect, drawing fresh air from the main level patio doors, and the white membrane roof means the building attracts very little heat from the sun

[@yt12394]

how do you deal with keeping snow off of the roof?

[@victoriarioux76]

it's designed to hold the snow load so no action is required

[@victoriarioux76]

The snow stays - the roof is structurally designed to hold the snow load.

[@frankfromupstateny3796]

It's great....but most people...me included...don't have 150 I.Q's to do something like this.

[@bettyloudockens3199]

I didn't see a way to bathe or any closets. I prefer a Monolithic Dome.

[@puretoy1]

+Betty Lou Dockens there is a wet sauna with integrated shower for bathing, plus the lake, and two closets, but more could be built depending on personal storage requirements.

[@michaelanderson8514]

i just found you just my style

[@Mr539forgotten]

Certainly not feeling this design. I mean, it's good he built it, humans learn through failure and if he lives happily ever after in it for the rest of his life then that's great, but if he abandons it in 5-10 years for a better project then we've learned a few things from it. I think personally, that maybe he is confident working with wood, or reasonably so, but not so confident with metal. Sure, 130k is on the expensive side, but what's more telling is that for what he achieved with 130k, there's a lot to be desired. No one would have a problem with a 130k off-grid home if it was basically a mansion, this looks like a 30k-40k type home to me. He did some good things though that I think people missed. Rather than having a huge array of panels and an AC inverter, he's made a good choice to try and keep it all DC. Of course, it's obvious to be conservative with your energy use and buy more energy efficient devices, but AC/DC inverters and battery storage is an energy inefficiency... You get less energy out of those that you put into them, so it's great to go all DC. For instance, a comparative off-grid home may have panels with an AC inverter for conventional appliances, then install energy efficient LED lighting, but such things require a ballast and a DC inverter (like the brick on your laptop power cord). It's more energy efficient simply keep it DC from the panels to the LED light. Of course, there's a good mid ground where you can have an AC inverter for conventional appliance power but then have a DC lighting circuit wired in prior to the inverter, but he proved there are pros to keeping it all (or as much as you can) DC. Also, it seems everyone has overlooked his water tower. In my personal designs, I have a water tower, I think it's a great idea if you have the capacity to incorporate one in your design. I think people underestimate the luxury of having gravity fed water on demand rather than having to wait for a second or two for water. Not to mention that the energy required to pump the head height is likely less than the energy required to pressurize and maintain the flow for a pump fed water system. You can also use a smaller more energy efficient pump to trickle feed a tank a few hundred liters/gallons rather than a larger stronger pump that has to apply and maintain pressure over use. It's also good that he used a thermal heater coupled to his wood-stove that heats the concrete floor, that's also very smart. What I don't think is smart though is his design. Each room extends out from the center and appears dark and dingy towards the back. Sure, fewer windows mean more heat retention and less heating energy required but I think it worked to the negative. In this case, he's elongated the design of the shipping container and played on it's biggest flaw as a dwelling. People naturally like proportion and they like square rooms. People don't actually mind living in a smaller space, but need to compensate with lighting and proportion to do so... He failed by designing something with the dark, extending and out of proportion areas. Most shipping container home designs use semi open plan and break up the length with interior walls to make roughly square or slightly rectangular zones/rooms. Also, they do things like placing the side towards the sun and using windows up the whole length to bathe the container in light and warmth. Of course, in his desert setting, staying out of the direct sun and heat is the goal and he actually achieved this in a good way. Having the extending roof over all the containers did the exact right thing, it created an air gap, it was painted white to reflect heat and it insulated the container rooms with physics, rather than insulation. But the major benefit of shipping containers in construction is that they are perfectly designed (by intent) to be stackable, which makes multi-level/story homes much more simple and structurally easy to design and because they are structural, they can be weight bearing and they can form a major skeleton for a home. You certainly can cut out holes safely for a window or join two containers together without major structural concerns or calculations. The shipping container is meant to be the major structural component of your dwelling. To over-simplify it the entire benefit is that they're cheap and strong so you can simply cut out a few holes for windows and slap some cheap plasterboard and insulation on the inside and you roughly have a home. By building a gigantic octagon in the center and a huge spanning roof, then cladding the interior of the entire house including the containers with *actual* wood cladding, what purpose do the containers serve? They're not majorly structural, they're not finished with cost-effective materials (like plasterboard and industry byproduct insulation) and almost worst of all he's invested time, effort and materials in building a covering roof which leaves voids of pizza slice shaped wasted space between the containers yet under the roof. If he had a "U" shaped home with 3 containers it would be cheaper, he'd still reap the same benefits of the extending roof (insulation) and the center covered by a roof could be veranda/patio/garden/outdoor something and it would serve a purpose. He could easily replace the containers with simple wood frame construction. With no interior dividing walls, I cannot see how framing a single long box would be hard. *That* wouldn't have to be overly structural either because it's protected by the roof. The fact that he's used so much wood cladding (cedar?) suggests that the cost of simple framed construction is not cost prohibitive and is likely highly competitive to the purchase and transport of shipping containers, as cheap as that can be. Like I said in the opening though, it just looks like a guy who is comfortable working with wood, but very scared of the idea of taking an angle grinder or welder to metal. I'm not going to shit all over him though, he had some great ideas that people have overlooked and some not so great ideas and designs that maybe a couple of us would have seen coming... But now with his flawed outcome, we can all learn about stuff that works and stuff that doesn't. For one, having a spanning roof with flowing air as an insulation method is probably a good idea, but if the containers aren't going to be a weight bearing and structural property in the design, it's probably redundant to use them. In future iterations of similar concepts, maybe people could look into using 3 or 4 containers in a U or square shape and either be making an internal room that way or making an internal courtyard/garden. Also, shipping containers probably need internally dividing walls (but no necessarily doors) that create two or 3 rooms or areas per container. Also, thought needs to be put into lighting especially, whether that's facing major living areas towards light sources and having large windows or maybe having skylights. But again, as simple and effective as skylights are, I see someone who was unconfident with the idea of cutting into a container or modifying it in any way.

[@tysonschneider]

Content was great but the camera work made me throw up a few times.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Too much wasted footage on people or people standing in front of what you really want to see. Project ok, needs better presentation.

[@teflondonhks50caliberbarre72]

he lives in Canada everything in Canada is fucking expensive even shit is expensive in Canada you can do nothing here for cheap everything is expensive...

[@ze_german2921]

That's like living in prison

[@markschuette3770]

i admit i didn't see all the details- but it seems like a strange design- high ceiling in the center where all the heat will rise up (away from where its needed) into. every wall is an exterior wall- the heat loss and gain will cause large temp. swings. and those steel containers have NO insulation! if you do add insul. it would probably have to take up space on the inside of the wall. i also don't see any south windows for passive solar gain?? heck its not difficult to build a passive solar house ! just a shoe box shape (very well insulated) with the long side facing south where you max out the glass and minimize it on the other sides- and all glass NEEDS to have thermal curtains/shutters! built on a conc. slab (and maybe more mass on the walls that see the winter sun if your in a cold climate) for mass to store heat thru the evening. www.bendsolarhomes.com

[@evamagnusson1431]

This is a stupid house! It's functional and plausible perhaps. I would go crazy living in it. It dosnt address the total needs of the family. I presume this is not their main home. I one thing that bothers me is the penny pinching that goes on in certain aspects of the home and the total disregard in other aspects of the home. This slumming for the rich I'm afraid. Full of ego and no heart. I could build two homes off the grid somewhat for what he paid.if you can't bring in this mess for under a hundred thousand than something has gone wrong.

[@TheSparky1861]

+eva magnusson I am sorry to say that is one of the most stupid idiotic buildings I have ever seen.The computer fans with gutter pipe in metal boxes as heat distribution Wow! That's Canadian! Oh my,dont show it off!

[@Zexidous]

+eva magnusson I am going to have to agree with Eva. Cool idea, but could be designed a bit better. I don't think those PC fans will push a lot air at all. The biggest complaint is indeed the price though. 130K is quite ridiculous, and defeats the point of a tiny home. Or at least an off-grid home. Especially considering that a standard 2 floor, 2 or 3 bedroom house is going to cost you about 100K. Why is this even more expensive? Usually, tiny or off-grid homes are in the 5-10k range, with some that I've seen going around the 25-30K range. That is sometimes including the solar panels, the trailer wheels, and the car or truck to tow it around if it's a mobile tiny house. Even if he shaved off 100k, it'd still be in the pricey range, but at least it would make much more sense. I have to reiterate, if he can't get this under 100K, or even under 50K, something has gone quite wrong.

[@Zexidous]

+Wvo Quailwvo Stop that. You've been hawking this area for weeks looking for any comment to try and make others look bad. That is not good man. I don't have an off-grid home. Not yet. But that doesn't mean I can't comment on stuff. I understand it will cost money. But you can't deny that at that price, that is far too much. Price is one very big reason why people decide to go with off-grid homes in the first place. If an off-grid home costs more than a standard home, then that would defeat much of the purpose, and most people wouldn't even bother with the idea. Sure, you can probably save a lot of money in the long run going off-grid, but that long run can be many, many years, and a lot of people don't have that long or want to wait that long to save the money. They need and want something they can afford now. Or something they can do themselves in very little time. Not another hassle and not another mortgage.

[@Zexidous]

+Wvo Quailwvo I think you have misunderstood me, but I am getting the feeling you intentionally misconstrued some of my words. I didn't say you were a bad person. I was referring to the action of sitting here for nearly a month hawking people who post something you personally don't like and responding in a way that seems as if you want to make them look dumb and bad for that post. Many people would consider that trolling. If that's what you want, have at it. I haven't badmouthed anyone. It is called criticism. I don't do it often at all, but when I do, I almost immediately have someone rip on me for it. Some people do it wrong and completely try to destroy people, then claim it was criticism. That is wrong. But criticism for the sake of offering your personal opinion and outlook on a situation is not badmouthing. Yes, going off-grid or getting a tiny home means different things to different people, but to MOST people, it's about having to pay less and be more in control of their environment and life. The reason why many people choose to do it is because they are tired of high and rising mortgages. They may have had a problem at their job and are losing it or are getting less money. They are tired of being shafted by utility companies. Maybe they are just tired of maintaining a home and want to travel, so they want a roaming home (those mobile tiny houses). Of course there is a cost involved. I was thinking he probably paid top dollar for everything, and that's why the price is so high. Maybe where he lives, the cost of living just happens to be really high. But if he paid even slightly above average prices for everything, and did many things himself, I am sure the cost would have probably been cut at least in half ($65K). Still high for an off-grid / tiny home, but not $130K high. When many people come to movies like these, they are curious, but many are looking for inspiration. They want to know it can be done. They want to know how much, how long, where, who, etc. I never said anything like this guy was dumb or something. If he was comfortable paying that amount, and is fine with his house and where he lives, that's his prerogative. But when people come looking for a cheaper alternative to living, and this guy mentions $130K, he probably just [unintentionally] discouraged a lot of people. There is indeed something to learn from everyone's work. I'm sure if YOU looked around in other places than just this one comment thread on this one video, you would see many more types of houses and designs, and the people that want them, and you would probably then understand why a lot of us here, not just me and Eva, mention the price. If you think I have no merit for saying any of this, just look at the other comments made on this movie. Look up, look down, look all around. You may notice a pattern. By the way, I didn't see your house anywhere. Could I see it? Like pictures, or a movie? Or how much it cost and how big it is, and what kinds of things you have on your land and such? (actually interested)

[@TheSparky1861]

how did I ever get caught into this conversation

[@shouldbecomegood839]

let the Canadians live in them since there housing is so expensive!

[@ihavehotmail2]

all those exterior walls cant help efficiency

[@helenaville5939]

I find this to be full of contradictions. It's like a project that set out to find the cheapest way to consume more than you need. The use of the containers is just odd seeing as they then added so much cladding to disguise them. The ethos behind it just doesn't impress. Yes here are some good ideas but overall it's a bit bizarre. Just seeing others here comment that it's sponsored by oil companies sort of doesn't surprise. It screams "Look, we're good guys too." but by over-consuming it misses the core of the point.

[@victoriarioux76]

These containers are spray foam insulated and in order to meet building code, you need to cover it up. Hence the "cladding" interior to disguise the containers.

[@x111-c4f]

NO Microwave ???!! It no fucking life without microwave, the most important thing at home, right after the proper toilet with water supply !!

[@rebel1988us]

Those pc fans are a complete waste of energy.

[@humanshores7694]

The overall cost and implementation of a beam based roof system defeats the purpose and concept of the container use. This smacks more of the upper mobile "Pretending" to be off grid then the true idea of the container concept. Is it pretty? Sure, but it comes with a large bank account attached to it and that is In my opinion a fail point. I do not mean to say that having any money or a lot is good or bad but the original concept is to be "On the cheap" when building a container home. Anything over say 20,000 Including the purchase of the containers starts to exceed a real effort towards alternative living and cost savings. Not to mention, that 130,000 dollars even in the U.S. is enough for me to build a Real Home with power and water ran to it. This is not innovative, instead it is counter productive.

[@philxdev]

+Human Shores nailed it... this concept is NO concept at all..

[@767dag]

Lacking in design, sorry

[@invitalres]

Ha! Switch the light bulb to 10-watt ones yet cover your enormous house in wood! Who are you trying to fool, yourself or us

[@251988dannyboy]

In vital Res You do realise people live in LOG cabins???????????????????? Right!

[@victoriarioux76]

Ontario building code states that you need to cover up the spray foam insulation.

[@haroldcokayne]

I do not like the video as you make "sport" of living with only the basic's... Green technology is a total excess of milking the $$ out of those who can not build on a budget... Net zero is just a buzz word....

[@bobbiclinger7500]

It's too chopped up and makes the rooms too small. That's a lot of money to spend on something so chopped up.

[@laszlokiraly853]

I have spent months researching into building container homes and found a fantastic website at Magic Container Plans (google it if you're interested)

[@Peterhearnemusic]

I don't understand why people use shipping containers for living space it's an ugly narrow metal box cold in winter hot in summer. The also cost around $7,000 each. Make a passive structure you don't need heat recovery. Timbercrete,Hempcrete, rammed earth, all good cheap efficient, ugly metal box not! Sorry this is a massive fail.

[@costeldogaru]

interesting points ,if anyone else is searching for container home design try Renkarter Container Report (do a search on google ) ? Ive heard some awesome things about it and my friend got great results with it.

[@Spooms1961]

Not a very good design. Very expensive.

[@georgewu5]

Mutilple housing units is inevitable! it is the future of housing solution. this stupid plan of octopus does not make sense for the fture nor the present cold weather Canada !Ｙｏｕ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｎｅｅｄ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ａｒｃｈｉｔｅｃｔ　！

[@deejo3021]

Not low cost . What a joke. Way to expensive. Ugly.

[@chainsaw5524]

Stupid house. Ugly house. Screw conservation. Electricity is cheap, use as much as you need.

[@AudioPervert1]

They keep saying "low cost" However it would be a minimum of 40-50 thousand dollars. Oh wait ! this is the privileged (white) class and hence such a false definition of cost.