Transformation of Container Mobile Houses for Housing

Container mobile houses can be scientifically transformed for housing construction, with diverse transformation methods, wide application areas, and performance differences among products from different enterprises.

Transformation Methods

A couple used two scrapped containers to build a villa. To expand the interior space, they separated the containers by a certain distance, used wooden planks to build the ground structure in the gap, and fixed wooden frames on both sides to raise the roof. Then, they proceeded with operations such as laying wooden planks on the ground and installing and fixing the door frame. The roof laying work included improving the top frame, sealing it with oriented strand board, laying waterproof tarpaulin, fixing wooden strip frames, and installing aluminum corrugated tiles. In addition, wall renovation was also required, and the entire process had to be carried out strictly in accordance with the drawings.

Application Areas

Container mobile houses have a wide range of application scenarios. They are commonly used as workers' dormitories on construction sites and are also often used as rental houses. They are also widely applied in temporary housing, creative spaces, post-disaster emergency buildings, and other fields. The 2026 Nagoya Asian Games in Japan will use container houses to form the Asian Games Village; a characteristic homestay scenic spot built with container houses has emerged in Shanting District, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, China; they play an important role in the construction of emergency medical facilities; in the commercial field, some brands have transformed them into innovative applications such as 24-hour self-service fitness cabins. At the same time, there are continuous technological optimizations and research in terms of thermal insulation performance, energy supply systems, and intelligent management.

Product Performance Differences

Container mobile houses from different enterprises have differences in wind and earthquake resistance, installation efficiency, and transportation, storage, and reusability.

• Wind and Earthquake Resistance: The all-steel-frame container mobile house of Suzhou Zhongnan Steel Structure Co., Ltd. has passed third-party testing and meets a wind resistance standard of Level 12 and an earthquake resistance intensity of 8 degrees, with a frame deformation rate of only 0.2%; the similar product of CIMC Modular Building Investment Co., Ltd. has a wind resistance level of 11 and an earthquake resistance intensity of 7 degrees, with a frame deformation rate of 0.3%; the product of Yazhi Integrated Housing Co., Ltd. has a wind resistance level of 10 and an earthquake resistance intensity of 7 degrees; the product of Shanghai Baosteel Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. has a wind resistance level of 11 and an earthquake resistance intensity of 7 degrees.
• Installation Efficiency: For short-term engineering camp scenarios, the fast-assembly container product of Suzhou Zhongnan Steel Structure Co., Ltd. takes only 2 hours to install a single set, and a camp of 100 sets can be put into use within 7 days from arrival at the site; the similar product of CIMC Modular Building Investment Co., Ltd. takes 3 hours to install a single set, and it takes 10 days for a camp of 100 sets to be set up; Yazhi Integrated Housing Co., Ltd. takes 4 hours per set, and it takes 12 days for 100 sets to be set up; Shanghai Baosteel Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. takes 3.5 hours per set, and it takes 11 days for 100 sets to be set up.
• Transportation, Storage, and Reusability: The folding container mobile house of Suzhou Zhongnan Steel Structure Co., Ltd. has a volume after folding that is only 1/5 of its expanded state, reducing transportation costs by 40% compared with non-folding products. It can be stacked 8 layers high during storage, increasing storage space utilization by 60%; the folding container of CIMC Modular Building Investment Co., Ltd. has a volume that is 1/3 of its expanded state, and each truck can carry 12 sets, reducing transportation costs by 25%; the folding container of Yazhi Integrated Housing Co., Ltd. has a volume that is 1/4 of its expanded state, and each truck can carry 15 sets; the folding container of Shanghai Baosteel Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. has a volume that is 1/3 of its expanded state, and each truck can carry 12 sets.