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- \n
- Introduction
\nShipping containers are standardised, modular structures primarily designed for the efficient transport of goods across various modes of transportation. Over the years they evolved to serve diverse purposes not just logistics, including temporary to permanent buildings for various uses<\/span>[1]. Its durability, flexibility and ability to be easily transported and stacked gives it a huge advantage and make it popular in the AEC industry nowadays<\/span>[2]. <\/span>
\n<\/span>Despite the advantages, it brings some challenges as well, particularly in terms of energy efficiency, transportation, acoustic challenges and insulation<\/span>[3,4]. The goal of this assignment is to analyze the relationship between key parameters of the shipping container and chosen high performance criterias by developing a parametric model of shipping container building in Dynamo BIM. After maximum exploration of design space, at the end three best alternatives will be proposed based on analysis.<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n- \n
- Design Challenge, Criteria & Parameters
\nProposed design challenge for this assignment is to find best possible parameters for transforming shipping containers into energy efficient mobile emergency shelters without specific spatial requirements. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Parameters identified for parametric model of shipping container building are;<\/span>
\n<\/span>1. Length of shipping container<\/span>
\n<\/span>2. Width of shipping container<\/span>
\n<\/span>3. Height of shipping container<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The chosen high performance criterias are;<\/span>
\n<\/span>1. Total heat loss over shipping container surfaces(combining walls, roof and floor)<\/span>
\n<\/span>2. Ventilation requirement<\/span>
\n<\/span>3. Energy sufficiency ratio<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Every design alternatives of shipping containers will have different heat loss based on their\u00a0 parameters. The thermal performance of the container’s envelope directly affects the indoor comfort, energy consumption and overall energy efficiency of the design. So, minimizing the heat loss is crucial. Ventilation requirement is also closely related to that. The lesser the ventilation needed, the more energy efficient the container design will be. Energy sufficiency ratio(ESR) is another aspect of it. This ratio denotes the potential of the particular shipping container to be powered by solar energy. Which means a design option with greater ESR is more preferable. Every high performance criterias explained has a direct relationship with the chosen parameters. These relationships are described well in the model. <\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>
\n<\/span>This model could help in answering following questions;<\/span>
\n<\/span>1.What are the optimal design parameters of shipping containers when it is converted into an energy efficient mobile emergency shelter?<\/span>
\n<\/span>2. What are the values of heat loss through the entire envelope, wall, roof or floor? What if the solar radiation is varying?<\/span>
\n<\/span>3. What are the ventilation needs to be fulfilled for each design choice?<\/span>
\n<\/span>4. Which alternative has the highest possibility to be solely powered by solar energy?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n- \n
- Parametric Model Logic
\nThe parametric model of shipping container building in Dynamo BIM is developed to explore design variations by dynamically adjusting the identified parameters. The logic starts from defining a range of possible parameters: length, width and height of the container in mm. From there roof, walls and floor are created and windows and a door are added. Besides, dimensions and type of door and window are fixed, which leads to fixed opening areas. A customized wall type is created, which is not perfect but closely comparable to the actual shipping container properties shown in Figure 1. Same valid for roof and floor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>![\"scb-custimized-wall-type-for-shipping-container\"](\"http:\/\/141.23.68.248\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SCB-custimized-wall-type-for-shipping-container.png\")
<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nFigure 1: Customized wall type for shipping container<\/span><\/p>\n
Environmental data inputs such as solar radiation<\/span>[5]<\/b>, sunlight hours<\/span>[6]<\/b>, air changes per hour<\/span>[7]<\/b>, temperature difference between indoor and outdoor are also integrated in the model, which can be possibly varied based on weather. Other inputs are also added like solar panel efficiency<\/span>[8]<\/b> and energy demand per day. For each high performance criteria, necessary code blocks are created and calculations are done. To make the script, easily understandable smaller groups with sequential step numbers are also tagged along. So, a user can easily change the parameters of containers(group numbered 1) and get the output (numbered 4.1, 4.2, 4.3). The work space of Dynamo looks like in Figure 2.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>![\"scb-dynamo\"](\"http:\/\/141.23.68.248\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/SCB-dynamo.png\")
<\/a><\/span>Figure 2 : Final image of workspace of Dynamo BIM<\/span><\/p>\n- \n
- Alternatives Explored<\/b>
\n<\/span>Unlike normal buildings, shipping containers are not available in an indefinite number of shapes. In total, eight options which are potentially possible<\/span>[9]<\/b> to use for living purposes are explored and listed in Table no.1. Different sets of parameters can be selected conveniently using number slide nodes of container length, width and height.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
- Alternatives Explored<\/b>
- Parametric Model Logic
- Design Challenge, Criteria & Parameters