Renovation of Overheated Container Houses

Container houses that are too hot can be renovated using the following methods to achieve thermal insulation and cooling:

I. Selection of High-Efficiency Thermal Insulation Materials

1. Upgrade of Sandwich Panels: Traditional container houses often use polystyrene foam sandwich panels, which can be replaced with basalt wool color-steel composite panels with a lower thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity < 0.040W/(m·K)). These panels have a fire rating of Class A and remain physically stable within a temperature range of -30℃ to 70℃, effectively blocking heat conduction.
2. Increase in Foam Layer Thickness: During construction, thickening the intermediate foam layer (e.g., increasing the polyurethane foam layer to over 50mm) can significantly enhance thermal insulation performance and reduce heat absorption rates in summer.
3. Inner Layer Auxiliary Materials: The inner layer can adopt a combination of fire-resistant gypsum board and moisture-proof film, which not only controls humidity and stabilizes temperature but also reduces indoor temperature rise by reflecting part of the thermal radiation.

II. Optimization of Structural Design

1. Stacking of Double-Layer Containers: Utilizing a double-layer structure to form an air thermal insulation layer, combined with a bottom ventilation slot design, promotes the circulation of hot air and reduces heat accumulation.
2. Adjustable Sunshade Roof: Installing a retractable sunshade device on the roof blocks direct sunlight at noon and lowers the roof surface temperature.
3. Application of Reflective Layers: Using sandwich panels with an aluminum foil reflective layer on the outer layer reflects part of the solar radiation back to the external environment, reducing heat absorption.

III. Ventilation and Heat Dissipation Systems

1. Forced Ventilation Design: Installing mechanical ventilation equipment (e.g., exhaust fans) accelerates the exchange of indoor and outdoor air, preventing stuffiness.
2. Optimization of Natural Ventilation: Opening ventilation slots on the sides or ends of the container house utilizes the thermal pressure principle to form natural convection and lower indoor temperature.
3. Avoidance of Thermal Bridge Effects: Inspecting and sealing gaps in the iron sheets prevents cold air infiltration or hot air backflow, while reducing local high-temperature spots formed by metal heat conduction.

IV. Surface Treatment and Color Selection

1. Light-Colored Coating: Painting the exterior walls of the container house in light colors (e.g., white, beige) reduces solar radiation absorption and lowers the surface temperature.
2. Thermal Insulation Coatings: Using thermal insulation coatings with reflective functions further reduces the heat absorption rate of the exterior walls.

V. Practical Case References A café in Mogan Mountain adopted sandwich panels with an aluminum foil reflective layer, an adjustable sunshade roof, and a bottom ventilation slot design. Measurements showed that the indoor temperature in the afternoon was 5-8℃ lower than the outdoor temperature, and comfort was maintained without air conditioning. A container民宿 (container homestay) in Shanghai achieved a temperature drop of only 1.3℃ after being closed for 8 hours in winter and a slower temperature rise by 22 minutes compared to the outdoors in summer through a double-layer structure and basalt wool sandwich panels.