Top Secret location in the US with TempoHousing CEO (center)

If you receive the TempoHousing Newsletter you will notice that in the October edition sent out today, they mention:

“TempoHousing will start new production line in the USA”

Even though it’s in the very advanced stages the legal work isn’t quite finished but both sides say, “it’s looking very positive” at this point.

Both parties, the US company and also TempoHousing are both ISBU Association Members, and although our Director knew of the astounding partnership we were sworn to secrecy until about November 15.

However today, to the surprise of the US company, the TempoHousing Newsletter announced it already. No one is really upset, in fact a few smiles, but we’ve still been asked to keep the final corporate information and details private until the lawyers are finished.

We can tell you this much, …the new Modular Home production facilities, using recycled shipping containers (ISBU modules) will be the largest in North America.

The US company already has very adequate facilities for the modular construction, modifications and assembly lines. One facility alone is more than 120,000 sq/ft at one location. That’s 3 acres under one giant roof! Yes, TempoHousing is quite excited to have this US partnership….

According to our Director, this will rival even the largest shipping container home fabrication plants in China. He says the production line will fabricate housing for TempoHousing, and will also offer the service to many other US and Canadian companies to produce their brands of housing, homes and shelters.

They believe they can offer quality US workmanship, yet compete well with the Chinese modular housing factories.

Stay tuned. We will post the full details within a couple of weeks.

These aren’t our only two Corporate Members doing big things this year, but it’s certainly a big boost for ISBU and Container Home enthusiasts in North America.

Yep! This is big!

Eco-Green Video Moves To The GreenCube Network

More than Shipping Container Home videos. The GreenCube TV website has now moved from GreenCube.TV to it’s new home at the GreenCube Network. [ LINK ]

This new home will allow easier viewing of Eco-Green news, information and educational videos for our readers.

The new GreenCube TV site is more than just a one-stop Eco-Green video source, but also includes a valuable commentary and evaluation of each video.

This is a great resource for Container Home videos and they are adding new videos daily to each Eco-Green category.

Global Container Technology Sources Directory

After months of development, the ISBU Association and Container Dealers Association has released the new B2B Directory called, the Eco-Green Sources Directory.

Due to the global economy, many businesses and business professionals in the US and globally are no longer functional.

The new Sources Directory now contains various levels of security for our Members, and also our readers. The levels are:

• Free Registration, but not Certified
• Certified only, but not ISBU Association Members
• Certified, Professional Members
• Certified, Corporate Members

The world has changed!  With so many businesses in the world closing, loosing financial stability, or simply not even legitimate, our Corporate members have requested that we stop, and Re-Certify all business Members and listings, then offer these various levels of security. This should save much wasted time and lost money, while giving our Members and readers an added level of confidence.

Not every company with a website is still in business….  Not every company with a website is financially stable.

In 2010, and so far in 2011, we have rejected more than 1 in 10 Corporate Member applications. Although we can always use the added funding, we don’t regret those difficult decisions.

If you need credible sources for container home construction, plans, designs, architects, engineers, building contractors, decor, and Eco-Green related products, this new B2B Directory should become quite helpful to you.

Visit our new B2B Directory which is the first site within our new GreenCube Network MegaSite. New listings are added, and deleted daily. [ Directory LINK ]

For more information not listed in the B2B Directory, login to the Member website.  [ LINK ]

Our official organization website began in July 2007

Yep!  We officially began promoting shipping container housing and construction in 2006. This is our 5th Anniversary of organization and the 4th Anniversary of our first real .ORG website!

We started with only a few interested container dealers, architects and building contractors. We had a shared website for a year, beginning in 2006. Then our official .ORG website was registered July 5, 2007.

To our surprise, we had readers from all over the world wanting to join. Then finally, in April 2008 there was so much interest in this recycled shipping container concept that we opened our membership program to other Professionals and also to the DIY public. The results were beyond our expectation and the interest has been astounding year after year.

We are now supported by thousands of new Members globally each year.

In 2009, the ISBU Association grew so immensely with all types of professionals and consumers, that we formed the second division consisting only of Shipping Container Dealers, which is now the Container Dealers Association. [ LINK ]

We remain the same “grass roots” organization we were in the beginning and we aren’t domination by any large corporations or special interests.

To celebrate even more, we will launch more global websites this month. This will provide much better global coverage, education and information for Container Technology and the integrated Eco-Green Technologies.

We offer FREE information to our Members: accurate, professional information-not open public forums; shipping container drawings; house plans;  Q/A section, and educational materials.  We are the source!

Thanks again for your interest and support.

-ISBU Association Staff

Example Eco-Green container home

Example container home plans

Not all container home designs and plans need to look like rustic shipping containers. There is much demand for a more conventional type of design as the Container housing trend continues to grow.

Several years ago the ISBU Association began promoting the use of container home architecture and designs that looked more like traditional homes. The possibility for the conventional design of a container home has inspired many home designers and architects.

Many of the basic designs are available for Free to our ISBU Association members along with the 2D and 3D CAD drawings of the most popular shipping container sizes.

Container Home Designs and Plans / Container Technology A-Z

Home Design Software / 2D and 3D CAD Architectural Drawings

All are FREE and instantly available with the $18 Research Membership

To read more about the the Container home plans, designs and free 3D software you may visit the above links, or simply log into the Member website and download these from the Educational Tool section.

Not yet a member? Click here to sign up!  [ LINK ]

Shipping container construction forums

Many readers during the past year have asked why the ISBU Association doesn’t have a community forum.  A better question might be, “why did we close our forum”?

The answer to both questions was quite obvious to container dealers, container modifiers and engineers–very simply, the forums were used 99% by readers and so called professionals giving either very bad information, or attempting to get free advertising.

After hosting these forums on our public website and also in our Member website since 2007, it became very obvious they were becoming the worst source of bad information. Most comments were completely “off the wall” and very incorrect.

We noticed that the truly experienced professionals who knew container construction and modification would not participate. So at the end of 2009, after three years of patience and trying everything, our Advisory Board voted to close our Forums.  …closing the forums was the best decision we could possibly have made.

Forums: The fact is, readers and professionals want accurate, correct, and experienced information from other professionals in the Container and Container Construction industry, not “back yard” professors!

Today you are seeing a few “Shipping Container Forum” websites pop up, hoping to grab you and to lure you in to view fake comments, many fake readers, fake and partial stories, and hope you click a few Google Ads or Amazon books before you leave with frustration.

A very good example of nonsense reader comments is at the Time Magazine news article published yesterday on Container Housing. [ Link ] 

The Time Magazine story was well researched and well written by reporter Tim Newcomb, but virtaully all the “readers comments” at the end of the story are misleading , uninformed, and all the links in the Comments area are to websites that are not legitimate.  Blog comments and Forum websites all have the same problems.

There are no legitimate Container Home Construction forums, or ISBU Technology forums out there. None…  If  it were realistic to have a professional forum with correct information, the ISBU Association and our professional Corporate members would host one and support it.

For acurate information and comments from professionals in the Container construction trade industry, you will find it either here, or inside our Member website.

None of the Shipping Container Forums out there are from experienced professionals; most of the comments in their forums will lead you, and your project, in the wrong direction.

Don’t waste your time reading nonsense Blog reader comments and Forums, just listen to the professionals with experience, here.

Shipping container CAD files

Some of the most requested educational tools are the shipping container drawings from the ISBU Association.

All the shipping container drawings are available in the DIY .tif photos of the original CAD; Google SketchUp drawings; and of course, the 2D and 3D CAD files for the professional architect, designer and engineer.

These are needed by virtually everyone who are interested in ISBU shipping container construction, planning, designing, or modifications.

Not just simple PDF drawings. These are the real thing, and very usable!

We offer the shipping container drawings of the most popular 20GP, 20HC, 40GP, 40HC sizes:

• DIY type shipping container architectural drawings in HiRes .tif format
• DIY and Professional G-Series .skp for use with free Google SketchUp
• 2D architectural CAD drawings in .dwg and .dxf
• 3D architectural CAD drawings in .dwg, .dxf, and .3ds
• Exploded views of all shipping containers drawings in .tif format including materials list

All of these are FREE with the $18 Research Membership!

For more information on the Architectural shipping container drawings and files from the ISBU Association go to our information page. [ LINK ] , view shipping container drawing cutaways [ LINK ] , or become a Member of the ISBU Association and get them all free. [ LINK ]

The ISBU Association has become the most trusted source and lowest prices for shipping container drawings.

Our websites have had a few upgrades and face lifts since 2006, but these new website and server upgrades during this first week of  2011 are quite significant and will better accommodate our continued global growth.

Our websites are being split up into multiple websites so it is less confusing and easier to search and access the “specific” information you are looking for:

• Information & Education 
• News stories
• B2B Resource Directory
• Cubic Inspirations
• ISBU Association main website 

We will also be adding other websites related to specific topics related to ISBU shipping container construction.

Happy Holidays!

ISBU Association Staff