Energy efficiency enhancement of container boxes converted as living spaces (convertainers)

Abstract

The use of discarded shipping containers as temporary living spaces at construction sites, industrial facilities, and commercial applications, is progressively increasing due to several advantages such as mobility, cost effectiveness, lower construction time and reusability. These containers are called convertainers once they are converted into living spaces. Convertainers should be designed to improve the thermal comfort (to control the temperature and the humidity), indoor air quality and visual comfort (natural/artificial lighting) while minimizing the energy consumption by the facility. Buildings in hot and humid climates spend more than 60% of the total energy cost for Air Conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation to maintain the required thermal comfort of the occupants. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to analyze the heat flow to the convertainers and optimize the layout of the doors and windows to improve the natural lighting while reducing the heat gain to the convertainers. During this study, a mathematical model was developed to estimate the cooling load, to find an optimum insulation method, material, thickness and to optimize the layout to locate the window/s and door/s for a 20 ft convertainer to minimize the heat gain and cooling load.