Two Story Home Constructed of Reused Shipping Containers on Display at West Coast Green 2008
For Release On or After: 8:00 AM ET, September 4, 2008
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Two Story Home Constructed of Reused Shipping Containers on Display
at September West Coast Green Conference
SG BLOCKS™ “Harbinger”, designed by Lawrence Group
to spark inspiration around sustainable design and green living
San Jose, September 4, 2008 - West Coast Green, the nation’s largest green building, business and design conference held this year at the San Jose Convention Center September 25-27th, will be the temporary home to a 1700 sq ft two-story showhouse made of reused shipping containers on display on the tradeshow floor for the duration of the conference.
Designed by The Lawrence Group and built by SG BLOCKS™, the premier provider of code engineered cargo shipping containers, the 2008 Showhouse was the subject of a contest concluding today on the West Coast Green website to name the house. The winning entry, Harbinger, which means “a sign of things to come” was submitted by Gregory Schaefer, the resident chef on Planet Green's daily eco-news/variety show "The G Word". It received 29.75% of the votes logged on the West Coast Green website.
“The SG BLOCKS™ “Harbinger”, designed by Lawrence Group is a spectacular and visionary example of innovative residential design and execution that is not only affordable, but also highly functional and technologically advanced,” said Christi Graham, Founder and President of West Coast Green. “It’s a shining example of what happens when creativity and technology come together for the good of the planet.”
The house will be visited by 14,000 people over the three days of the conference and will be surrounded by over 400 booths positioned along “Main Street.” Ecofabulous
will be outfitting the interiors of the home with reclaimed wood-including Hickory flooring used in the office, entry and staircase generously provided by Restoration Timber and white oak cabinets made from vertical grain Bamboo by Silver Walker. Teragren is providing Bamboo flooring in a walnut finish for the kitchen and living/dining room areas and the bathrooms will highlight Modwalls Recycled Glass Tiles.
Additionally, the SG BLOCKS™ “Harbinger”, designed by Lawrence Group will open to a series of outdoor living spaces and decks, showcasing an outdoor Whirlpool kitchen and a low-maintenance garden of native and naturalized plants. Every aspect of the home’s design, build, materials and features will be evaluated and documented to result in the home receiving Green Point and LEED certification.
“With America traditionally exporting so little, shipping companies are looking for new ways to use the 8,000-pound containers because they are increasingly too expensive to ship back to their point of origin,” said David Cross, CO-Founder of SG Blocks. “The abundant containers are extremely inexpensive, with those suitable for becoming an SG Block ranging from $1500 to $4,000, and are therefore make for invaluable and affordable weather-resistant housing.”
The conference program will include both breakout sessions as well as keynote presentations that illuminate the important features of the SG BLOCKS™ “Harbinger”, designed by Lawrence Group including a keynote presentation by noted artist Chris Jordan, who will speak about the house in relation to its shipping containers core.
About West Coast Green:
As the largest and only conference and expo in the world dedicated to green innovation, building, design and technology, West Coast Green serves as the central gathering point for innovators, business leaders and building professionals. Nationwide, 14,000 designers, green professionals and homeowners come together to network, share resources, grow strategic alliances and foster new ideas that will change the face of the built environment.
This year’s conference will feature over 400 exhibitors showcasing the latest in resource-efficiency among a stunning array of green and healthy building technologies that allow us to work and live more efficiently in our homes and work spaces. Over 200 experts and visionary leaders will be presenting their latest developments, insights, and inspiration at the expanding frontiers of the field.
At the heart of West Coast Green is a commitment to revolutionize the way people build and live in their homes, by realigning ourselves with the natural world. Whether you’re determining regional construction standards, expanding your green business, or simply looking to make your house a smarter, healthier home, West Coast Green is the place to get inspired about making positive change.
About SG BLOCKS:
SG BLOCKS™ is a major partner and collaborator with Con Global Industries, the largest intermodal container depot operator in the country. On the surface it seems that the use of SG BLOCKS™ is about recycling, but it is far more than that. It is about Value-Cycling™. Value-Cycling™ is taking a product that has fulfilled a primary purpose and finding another use for it without spending significant new energy and resources to convert it to another use. SG BLOCKS™ utilizes significant intellectual engineering resources as opposed to natural resources in the conversion process. SG BLOCKS™ is the leader in the United States with regard to application of the technology to real life and real time building issues and intends to parlay this leadership into a significant business over the next two years.
About The Lawrence Group
Multifamily News has named The Lawrence Group one of the Top 100 Multi-housing Architects. Their mission is to help clients realize their dreams. Their mission has remained consistent since the firmʼs founding, and remains the focus of everything they do. The Lawrence Group is one of the largest and fastest growing architectural, interior design and town planning firms with offices and visionaries in St. Louis, Austin, Carolinas, Denver, New York, Philadelphia and Beijing.
