Frequently Asked Questions ??

What are Intermodal Containers? Current Intermodal Containers are a standardized structural cargo shipping box that is capable of withstanding tremendously volatile and diverse conditions. These can travel with cargo uses various methods of shipping (i.e. Ship, barge, rail, truck, and even sometimes aircraft) Intermodal cargo has been around since humans started shipping by Mediterranean Barge and then loading to a caravan to go across the desert. Standardized Intermodal Containers are a more recent invention (1956) and is attributed to Malcolm MaClean.

What is the size of a container? High Cube containers which are the most suitable for construction are 40’ Long x 8’ Wide x 9’6” high on the Outside Dimensions. Internal Dimensions for height yield approximately 8’ 9’ and 8’4” in height at the sides where containers are joined. Other sizes are available. And no, 20’ containers are typically not available in High Cube Heights.

How many containers are in the world? There are a number of estimates but the most common is approximately 18 Million TEU. A TEU is a Twenty foot Equivalent Unit which is the measure of containers. (1x 40’ = 2 TEU) It is estimated that there are around 7.5 million 40’ units and 3 million 20’ units. Each year many of these come out of service and are ready for alternative uses like SGBlocks.

Engineering, are they really stronger and uniform? Shipping containers are made of Heavy Gauge CorTen steel framing. Corner posts are designed for a 153,000 lb vertical load. The sides are 14 gauge corrugated walls continuously welded. The are designed to withstand 15 Long Tons (2240 lbs) Transverse and 7.5 Long Tons longitudinally. Each unit and its floor structure is built to hold 65000 lbs stacking weights when stacked 9 high. In other words, they are strong. Additionally, they vary by as little as 3 MM in their 40’ length, an unknown feature in conventional construction.

Why haven’t container construction been done before? Well in fact it has. In concept, it has been going on hundreds of years. There is nothing new about building homes from the crates that carried goods around the world. Further when it comes to containers we know today, various militaries have implemented their use since Korea. Numerous Architects have made some excellent high fashion products and in Europe the container is gaining ground in dormitory style and small apartment living. However, most attention as been paid to them as an architectural system not a structural system.

What does SGBlocks stand for? Safe and Green Blocks

How is SGBlocks different?

1. It’s an engineered Safe and Green structural system. It’s the blocks plus the engineering necessary to make it work together. its repeatable, scalable, and so on. We take the container, perform our engineering and fabrication processes, and make it “ Architect and Contractor ready”. It retains its logistic features but becomes a structural building system ready to go. It’s the roughed in, dried in framing package. We have spent 1000s of hours detailing, testing, building prototypes, improving the connections, the best ways to achieve a fit. It is as much a system as it is a block.
2. Our system can take on virtually any architectural design. In other words, it can be very conventional looking both inside and out. There are no parameters of style just what is in the mind of the Architect. To reiterate, this is a structural building system that can take on the look of a traditional or historic neighborhood, or the very modern design.
3. We have set SGBlocks up to serve the entire nation with our supply and fabrication partner, ConGlobal who is the largest operator of depots and fabrication facilities in the United States. We believe it is important to service the entire country with the new technology and are proud to have our affiliation with such a respected organization. Our depot network also helps with LEED points with regard to 500 mile product transport issues.
4. We believe in meeting Safe and Green needs of both the architectural, building and insurance industries. We believe we have a product that does both potentially better than anything else on the market.
5. SGBlocks is dedicated to innovation, testing, and out of the “Block” thinking. For instance, we offer an alternative building insulation material which can stand alone or “super insulate” the SGBlocks. Each month, SGBlocks advances the technology both internally and with the help of other architects, engineers, and builders.
6. The Sgblocks structural system is advancing into prefinished modular construction to safe even more costs and time.