A team of engineers is looking to capitalize on the sense of smell in locusts to create new biorobotic sensing systems that could be used in homeland security applications.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 16:56
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It's been awhile since we featured a shipping container home on this site, but this recently completed project by the tiny home company Walker Wilderness Enterprises from Brighton, Colorado deserves a mention. It is called Container Tiny House and can even be taken off-the-grid. It makes for a great vacation home, though it could also easily be used as a full time residence.
To make the Container Tiny House they used a decommissioned 40 ft (12 m) high cube container. They left most of its original structure intact, save for installing a door, and several fully-operable windows along the sides. The total floorspace is a modest 320 sq ft (29 sq m), but they added quite a few clever space saving features. To properly insulate the containers, they framed and drywalled it as well as used 3 – 4 in (7.62 – 10.16 cm) of closed cell spray foam insulation to shield the interior from extreme external temperatures.
The tiny home has two bedrooms, which are located on opposite sides of the container. There is also a kitchen and dining area, as well as a bathroom and even a small utility room. The bathroom is equipped with a composting toilet and a shower, while the home is wired to be hooked up to the grid and also features all the necessary plumbing fittings.
To heat the water, they installed a tankless propane water heater, while all the lighting is in the form of efficient LED lights. Customers can also choose from extra features and appliances, such as an oven, dishwasher, a wood burning stove, as well as a solar panel setup, generator, and also a game cleaning station.
The basic version of the Container Tiny House is selling for $50,000.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 17:01
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Researchers have discovered a new way to optimize electron transfer in semi-conductors used in solar fuel solutions.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 21:11
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DNA molecules don't just code our genetic instructions. They also have the unique ability to conduct electricity and self-assemble into well-defined shapes, making them potential candidates for building low-cost nanoelectronic devices. A study now shows how DNA sequences can be manipulated to turn these ribbon-shaped molecules into electron 'highways,' allowing electricity to flow more easily through the strand.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 15:06
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Working as a freelancer from home brings with it a great deal of freedom, but some crave even more of it. Such is seemingly the case for American filmmaker Zach Both, who converted a decade-old Chevy cargo van into a tiny home, which he also uses as a mobile filmmaking studio. Zach used to work as an art director at a tech startup, but left to focus on filmmaking full-time. He chose to do so in a mobile home, because for him, the filmmaking process goes hand in hand with a nomadic lifestyle.
Living and working in a van lets him quickly and easily change locations and go where the storyline of his latest film takes him. As he puts it, living in a mobile home gives him “freedom to write a script surrounded by mountains, direct a shoot in a remote desert town and then collaborate with an editor or composer in Los Angeles - all within the same month. That would be impossible any other way.”
He did a phenomenal job on turning the van into a home. He lined the interior walls and ceiling with reclaimed wood, which he salvaged from a nineteenth-century church in Cleveland, Ohio. He also installed a futon bed, which can be turned into a comfortable sofa and workspace. The stool he sits on while working or eating also doubles as a trashcan. To separate the front part of the van from the living area, he installed a custom-made curtain. And the part I like the most are the awnings that shade the windows, which also act as chalkboards. They are ideal for jotting down ideas and creating storyboards for films. The van also features a small but functional kitchen, which is hidden under the working table.
He also equipped the van with roof-mounted solar panels, which generate enough electricity to power the fridge, home theater system and the mobile Wi-Fi network. There is no bathroom unfortunately, but he uses the shower at the gym when needed.
According to Zach, he spent a total of $12,000 on the remodel, which includes $4,000 for the van, and $8,000 for the materials, tires, tools and repairs. The appliances set him back a further $3,000. Visit him at The Vanual for more info on how he carried out the conversion of van to home.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 16:16
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When it comes to tiny homes, one of the main drawbacks is that they are usually only big enough for one or two people. However, as the trend of living small gains popularity more and more people are attempting life in a tiny home with families. And making it work. Driftwood Homes of South Carolina have recently unveiled a home that will make it even easier for families to downsize.
The home they designed is called Indigo, and measures 280 square feet. It was built atop a 24-foot trailer, and features two-bedrooms, a large loft and a generous living area. The kitchen is quite spacious too, and is equipped with a full-sized, four-burner propane stove/oven, as well as a three-quarter height refrigerator and a table that folds down when needed in order to save space.
The master bedroom is located on the lower level, and is designed to double as an office during the day. This is achieved via the Murphy bed, which acts as a desk when folded up. The second bedroom is located in the loft, which is large, yet the headroom leaves something to be desired. Though it works well for a children's bedroom. The bathroom and master bedroom are both located right under the loft. The bathroom is well spaced out and features a large shower with a clever ledge to sit on.
Despite its small size, the layout of the home offers the occupants a lot of privacy should they desire it. And the clever use of fold up elements makes it feel quite spacious. Much of the home seems to be built out of reclaimed wood too, which is an added bonus when it comes to searching for a sustainable abode. Some key off-the-grid features, such as a composting toilet, a water collection system, and a solar power array would make this home even more appealing to budget and environment conscious families looking to downsize.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 16:26
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It's been awhile since we talked about shipping container architecture, but this wine shop is about to change that. Especially since Australia-based Cumulus Studio, the firm that designed it, created a modern architecture masterpiece. If all shipping container home projects looked like this, I'm sure there would be even more demand for them.
The Devil's Corner, as the shipping container wine shop is called, is located in a vineyard on the east coast of Tasmania, and also serves as a lookout point. It was built out of 10 recycled shipping containers, five of which were used to build the shop part of the structure, and the rest to build the lookout point. The structure covers 6,156 sq ft (572 sq m).
A large part of the lookout tower is clad in timber, and it was built by craning the shipping containers into place. It offers great views of the coast and the surrounding vineyard. They didn't alter the original shape of the containers much, only enough to be able to slot them together. The cantilevered section of the lookout tower is basically just a shipping container turned on its side and with the bottom cut out. They painted the exterior of the container black, to give the building a more uniform look.
The main reason why they opted to use shipping containers to complete this project was their inherent structural strength. Another consideration was also that using shipping containers allowed for speedy and affordable construction. The Devil's Corner wine shop and lookout point was completed in 2015.
I really like the simple minimalistic aesthetic of this structure, and the matte black exterior of the containers goes with the timber-clad tower perfectly. If a shipping container home was constructed in a similar way, I'd want one.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 16:20
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Trailers are fun to take a holiday in, and the teardrop shaped ones are cool from the inside out. This trailer, designed by the startup Homegrown Trailers of Woodinville, WA is made of wood, which gives it an extra bit of charm. It's also large enough to be considered a tiny house and can function completely off-the-grid, while it is also built using renewable materials.
The external dimensions of the trailer are 18 x 7.4 x 6.9 ft (5.4 x 2.2 x 2.1 m), and it weighs 3,000 lb (1,360 kg). This means that it can fit into a standard-sized garage. The interior yields 94 sq ft (8.7 sq m) of floorspace, which is enough to sleep four people. There is also a pop-top roof section, which gives some extra headroom. The trailer was built using FSC-certified wood, cork, and bamboo.
The trailer comes equipped with a kitchen that features a mini fridge and an induction cooktop. The bathroom features a composting toilet. Sleeping is provided via a pull-out bed that doubles as the sofa during the day, as well as two bunk beds.
The trailer has no RV-style electrical hookup, because it gets all the needed electricity from the 800 W solar array mounted on the roof. The harvested energy is stored in a built-in battery, which according to the company can last up to five days without a charge, depending on what is plugged in, of course. On future models they are planning on installing wind power. The trailer also comes with a 12 gallon (45 liter) fresh water tank, has energy-efficient LED lighting installed throughout, and is fitted with Energy Star-rated appliances.
Homegrown Trailers has recently launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to fund the production of the first units. Early price for supporters of the campaign is $25,995, and this will likely be higher once the units are available on the market. They plan to begin offering them sometime between January and June, 2017.
posted by FMP SteelBuildings @ 15:10
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FMP Steel Buildings is one of the premier steel building suppliers in the country. FMP Steel Buildings has some of the most competitive pricing in the industry, without sacrificing quality or schedule. FMP Steel Buildings offers steel erection services in many locations across the country. We can also provide full turn-key General Contracting and Architectural / Engineering services on projects in Colorado and adjacent states, depending on the size and location of the project. Inquire within about these services. Located in Denver, Colorado, FMP Steel Buildings is a steel and metal building supplier as well as a general contractor.Visit for more at http://www.fmpsteelbuildings.com
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