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Off-Grid Home Ecocapsule To Hit the Market This Year

Kristine Lofgren writes: If you dream of living totally off-the-grid anywhere in the world, you need to get your hands on this home. Nice Architects just unveiled their incredible egg-shaped Ecocapsule, and announced that the tiny solar and wind-powered dwelling will be available for sale later this year, with units shipping in spring 2016. From the website: "Despite its small form each Ecocapsule is fitted with all essentials necessary for a comfortable prolonged stay without a need to recharge or re-supply. Ecocapsule is powered by a built-in wind turbine complemented with an array of solar cells. Dual power system and a high-capacity battery ensures that you will have enough power during periods of reduced solar or wind activity. Spherical shape is optimized for the collection of rainwater and dew and the built-in water filters allow you to utilize any water source.

164 comments

  1. Well that's my dream of the future by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

    No not really

    1. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      All that pessimism fails you to see how great the concept actually is. All you can think is "I certainly wouldn't" instead of what the idea behind this whole product stands for. I certainly wouldn't go to a cosmetic surgery, but I understand how it can help people severe bodily traumas.

    2. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We may as well add a can of Zombie repellent and it will be a complete package. :|

    3. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

      http://www.cjbuildsllc.com/wp-...

      Airstream 1947 Buckminster fuller

      It even has wheels,

    4. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realize what's the difference between a normal travel trailer and this, right..? Never mind, you wouldn't have posted that link if you did.

    5. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

      LOL Yes a few solar panels and a windmill

      But hell if you realized how little it was you might make sense.

    6. Re:Well that's my dream of the future by nobodie · · Score: 1

      This is what I've been thinking of building on some mountain property I have. I'd rather do it myself and then bring it in and set it up.

      --
      Subversion of spatial scale luxury decoration ideas.
  2. Why no wheels? by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 1

    I don't get why they don't have wheels and an A-bar on this -- it looks an awful lot like a caravan to me, even to the point of being pretty aerodynamic (other than the sodding great windmill getting in the way).

    --
    Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
    1. Re:Why no wheels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's an aftermarket option, available for the low-low-low-l...wait a second, how much is this whole thing going to cost anyway?

    2. Re:Why no wheels? by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      The picture on the website shows it can be put on a transport platform and drawn around by a car. So it can be adapted as a caravan if you want to.

    3. Re: Why no wheels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree. This would make an awesome camper. Well, except I'm not seeing any kind of climate control system on it. Might get pretty toasty in some locales. Of course, as small as it is, a window unit would refrigerate it nicely. Not that it would be able to run one off grid.

    4. Re:Why no wheels? by KGIII · · Score: 1

      My favorite?

      http://www.ecocapsule.sk/exter...

      That is the "interactive" view of the capsule. You have two choices, play and not play. I guess that is technically interacting with it. *sighs* I did not even notice a rewind or loop. Fuck, YouTube is more interactive. Also, my giant fucking house is at least as effective and just as off-grid. I have a mains connection but I've been putting power INTO the grid for a while now.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    5. Re:Why no wheels? by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't know, but given its shape I'm assuming it will come in a carton of 12.

    6. Re:Why no wheels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "cost"? We live in the glorious post-scarcity 3D printing utopia now. Just download it, and 3D print it!

    7. Re:Why no wheels? by hattig · · Score: 1

      C'mon, gullwing door! What else do you want in a small habitat that fails to be a caravan, a useful shape, or have efficient use of space?

    8. Re:Why no wheels? by KGIII · · Score: 1

      I almost bought a Delorean once. I didn't. Gullwing doors look nifty but they are not very practical.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    9. Re:Why no wheels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mine have been extremely practical. If I drive the Delorean to work I only need 14" to get out of the door comfortably. When it opens, I have complete access to the interior. It's also just plain fun. The windows on the door are less than practical, but if I go through a drive-through I just open the door anyway since it needs so little room.

    10. Re:Why no wheels? by halltk1983 · · Score: 1

      Did you try clicking and dragging left / right? That turns it each direction. When you let go, it stops turning so you can get a better look. Granted, it's not as good as being able to open / close, but it is interactive.

      --
      Watch for Penguins, they eat Apples and throw rocks at Windows.
    11. Re:Why no wheels? by KGIII · · Score: 1

      Yup. Play and not play.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
  3. Caravan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So they've invented a caravan without wheels but with a wind turbine instead?

  4. Huh by will_die · · Score: 1

    So you have a places smaller than a mobile trailer but without the mobility.

    1. Re:Huh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Exactly.

      In addition, the current camper/caravan manufacturers could probably do a better job than this 'architectural' firm with respect to engineering.

      I'm not impressed. Let's take a small camper, throw solar cells on the top along with a small wind turbine, and stick a water filter on the water hose hookup that also is connected to a rainwater collector.

  5. "filters allow you to utilize any water source" by phayes · · Score: 1

    Really? Any water source? So the egg also replaces the need for a sewer/septic tank for urine?

    I want to see the idiot that used "any" in the summary instead of "many" or "some" drinking the "filtered" output of one of these eggs after I piss in it.

    --
    Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
    1. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Errol+backfiring · · Score: 1

      Sorry? Why on earth would you pollute your own drinking water by using it in a toilet? I sincerely hope that this thing has a compost toilet.

      --
      Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
    2. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Depending on the filters, even piss might be drinkable after it has been purified through the water filtration system. I have no idea what are the actual specifications of the filtration mechanism, but there are many ways in which you can produce drinkable water quite easily even from something like pig shit (as they do in Denmark by the way).

      Drinking water and showering water can have different standards and equally different types of filtration specs. Drinking water processing could include e.g. both filtration and boiling to kill pretty much every living micro organism in it whereas mechanical filtration could be sufficient for the showering water.

    3. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Rei · · Score: 2

      Conventional filtration does not remove salts, which is the main reason that drinking one's own urine isn't a recipe for wilderness survival in the real world (contrary to whatever a fake TV survivalist may have told you) and why you can't survive off of seawater. It takes reverse osmosis or electrodialysis or similar to do that - that is, power-hungry processes. Filters that involve pushing water through fine pores, like ceramic filters wouldn't even remove a significant amount of the urea (the body's way of getting rid of excess nitrogen from protein metabolism). Activated carbon is effective against urea to some extent but usually with only limited capacity. Filtering out bacteria is pointless for a healthy person's fresh urine, as in a healthy person urine is nearly sterile. Neither porous filters nor activated carbon have an effect on ammonia, nitrate or nitrite from old urine.

      It's perfectly fine to shower with urine even without having run it through a filter, or with a simple "mechanical filter". The question of course is, why would you want to?

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    4. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, I'm familiar with what it takes to make sea water (and urine) drinkable. We're not talking about handheld filters here, which of course wouldn't be able to accomplish what you described. It takes around approximately 3kWh to produce one cubic meters of desalinated water (had to check this figure). If you look at the power production capacity in that pod/egg/whatever the hell it is, this figure is easily achievable with its power output when you take into account that it's meant to suit one person's needs. If we assume that a person should drink ~2.5 liters of water per day, one cubic meter would last 400 days.

      That 3kWh figure is probably an avaerage in a large installation. But despite that, if you double or even triple that, it's still easily achievable with solar and wind power because the need for desalinated water is fairly small for one person.

      There are of course no detailed specs available yet so anything is possible at this point. It might or might not be able to produce drinkable water from sea water etc.

    5. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Rei · · Score: 1

      With what power output? The claim that one is going to get 750W from that tiny wind turbine is nonsense. Also, the smaller you make a RO system, the less efficient it gets - quoting industrial-scale figures is not applicable. It'd need something more like a marine watermaker for small boats, which usually use twice as much power. And they cost $5-10k.

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    6. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Because composting toilets don't really work. Not if they're used with any regularity. It does have one, and that's the only big flaw I can see in this design.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    7. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Errol+backfiring · · Score: 1

      They do work. I am using one for a few years (simple receptacle type with compost heap outside, see https://www.thingiverse.com/th... ) now and off course I use it with "any regularity". What could there not work with a compost heap? Do you throw chemicals in your toilet or something?

      --
      Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
    8. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by phayes · · Score: 1

      Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit, at least in this instance. I didn't say flushing using "recycled" urine from the egg, I said that the person who wrote that should drink "recycled" urine.

      A small efficient black box that could efficiently recycle urine and other polluted sources into drinkable water would truly be a revolution. Instead what we have here is clearly massively over hyped and that idiot deserves to drink piss as an object lesson on just what recycling "all" water sources means.

      Do note that we all drink recyled urine, it's just that we have massive waste treatment plants that clean it up before pouring it into rivers where the city downstream uses it as input to their water treatment plant. Apparently the drought in California is pushing some closer to eliminating the fiction that letting if flow in a river for a few miles doesn't make it recycled urine.

      --
      Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
    9. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 1

      There's a super-huge flaw that's staring you right in the face. The egg shape is claimed to help gather rainwater, but it does precisely the opposite -- it disperses it. You need to funnel the water into a single intake, not spread it out everywhere. Basically, their funnel is upside down.

      --
      Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
    10. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      It could work if all the water sticks to the sides and makes it to the bottom of the egg - water could be collected there. I'm sure at least some of the water will fall off the sides and hit the ground though. I'm thinking a more traditional camper-trailer shape with a sloped roof might've been better for collecting water, and of course would've given more interior space.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    11. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 1

      A super-hydrophillic coating would probably get clogged up with dirt pretty quick.

      --
      Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
    12. Re:"filters allow you to utilize any water source" by ncc74656 · · Score: 1

      Because composting toilets don't really work. Not if they're used with any regularity.

      How about if you're constipated?

      (I'll be here all week!)

      --
      20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
  6. Small wind does not work! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Informative

    The energy output of a wind turbine is proportional to the cross-sectional area, and to the cube of the wind speed*. This means that to provide a useful amount of energy they need to be big, and they need a lot of wind - that means a high mounting point. These little pinwheels on short poles are just a gimmick - you'd be lucky to get 20W from them on a very good windy day.

    *Think about it. (m*v^2)/2 will get you half-way there.

    1. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Quite. At $huge wind corp$ we laugh / cry at these turbines - laugh because they're laughably inefficient, cry because they soak up government subsidies and private investment that could benefit both the economy and the environment much more if spent on a multi-megawatt machine.

    2. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 2

      Lots of boats like yachts and cruisers have wind turbines and even small ones can get 25W and peak to 60W. Combine with solar and it's probably sufficient to run a small fridge continuously and lights and small power draw devices at night.

    3. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where are they getting the '750W silent wind turbine' mentioned in the article from?

    4. Re:Small wind does not work! by behrooz0az · · Score: 1

      Well, Technically it can generate 750W if put in a wind tunnel.

      --
      Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion. -- Spazmania (174582)
    5. Re:Small wind does not work! by Rei · · Score: 1

      This.

      Not to mention that low turbines are more subject to turbulence, which shortens their lifespan - and in a "home" like this, would impart this force into shaking the occupants around. So you really have to limit yourself to a small, very low power turbine. This "750 watts" thing isn't going to be even close to the mark - maybe 750 watt-hours per day.

      That said... fine, if all you're running is low power devices like LED lights, maybe a laptop, etc.

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    6. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That said... fine, if all you're running is low power devices like LED lights, maybe a laptop, etc.

      Yeah, look at this thing, it doesn't even have a dryer hookup!

      Seriously, if you're planning on using high-power devices in this thing, you're DOING it wrong.

    7. Re:Small wind does not work! by Rei · · Score: 1

      Personal space heater, small air conditioner, mini-fridge, electric range or oven.... yeah, forget about it. Let's face it, this isn't a home, it's a hard-to-transport glamping shelter.

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    8. Re:Small wind does not work! by KGIII · · Score: 1

      You just power the wind tunnel with windmills that are outside. Duh... /s

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    9. Re:Small wind does not work! by Rei · · Score: 1

      That still doesn't help when the wind isn't blowing sufficiently to generate enough power. They should add a treadmill backup. And they could put it in front of the wind turbine so it can keep you cool while you're jogging!

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    10. Re:Small wind does not work! by Shoten · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Lots of boats like yachts and cruisers have wind turbines and even small ones can get 25W and peak to 60W. Combine with solar and it's probably sufficient to run a small fridge continuously and lights and small power draw devices at night.

      Those yachts and cruisers get most of their power from their engine, and many also have an onboard generator. The wind turbines are a way to get an extra boost while having a fallback solution (ALWAYS crucial for long-distance sailing) in the event that another system fails. The turbines in no way provide enough power to sustain normal life on a prolonged basis in the absence of any other power source. And this is in a living space without things that pull a lot of power like microwave ovens, large refrigerators, washing machines/dryers, desktop computers, etc. A home needs WAY more power than any yacht I've ever been on...which is why at docks you'll see people hooking up to 30W power feeds and being all set. According to current NFPW code, that entire dockside feed would be the equivalent of what you would require for a single large household appliance.

      Oh, and I'm not sure where you're seeing wind turbines on yachts that can put out 60W; yachts that I've seen that were big enough to have electrical systems that could even handle that wattage didn't have turbines at all...they were all huge power cruisers for whom engine fuel consumption was so obscene that running a generator sufficient to power the whole yacht was an inconsequential expense in comparison to simply cruising for an hour at 5 knots. If it exists, I've never seen one on a boat.

      I've lived on a yacht for a prolonged period of time...and while I loved it, I wouldn't even give a moment's consideration to a house where I had to live like that. The "small fridge" and "small power draw devices at night" combination isn't a realistic way to live one's life on land.

      And I know what you may be thinking..."but a lot of yachts have solar panels too!" Yes, they do...but even the wind/solar combination, together, only helps. It's not enough on its own.

      --

      For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
    11. Re:Small wind does not work! by KGIII · · Score: 1

      We should change the gearing ratio so that when we output energy it creates enough energy that it still can have enough power to turn the windmill and thus create additional energy! Perpetual motion, bitches. We just have to start out with one giant gear and then go to one really small gear. *nods* Then we can start it with the treadmill you mention. We got this.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    12. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That still doesn't help when the wind isn't blowing sufficiently to generate enough power. They should add a treadmill backup. And they could put it in front of the wind turbine so it can keep you cool while you're jogging!

      WINDMILLS DON'T WORK THAT WAY! GOODNIGHT!

    13. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1
      Walk along a marina and you'll see yachts with small turbines. They're popular because people don't like running their engines to charge their batteries. Also, if you have no charge in your battery you can't start the engine so it's nice to have something else which can. And of course if your engine breaks down you can still charge the batteries in order to radio for help. But more ordinarily it just saves firing up engines, wasting fuel, wear & tear, noise and pollution from the engine.

      And I said 25W and a peak of 60W for a small turbine such as the piddly Rutland 504 one at the bottom of this list. The ones above it are more powerful and more closely resemble what this eco pod thing has.

      Even a small turbine is still enough to deliver ~600W in a day - enough to run a fridge and some LED lighting without exhausting the batteries. Throw in a solar panel or two and providing the battery can deliver the amps it could probably run a pressure shower, a TV, a laptop and other things with no difficulty.

      So this eco pod can probably do what it claims especially with the larger turbine.

    14. Re:Small wind does not work! by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      My house is off grid (for a few years now) and it's not Maybe one of those peltier ice chests. If you want to call of something that cools a single can of coke to 10C your refrigerator.

    15. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right on!
      I think Mick Sagrillo called it "toy wind", but this is even on the small side of what he was talking about.

      I doubt the cost of this turbine would be recouped in 15 years of operation.
      I think they call it greenwashing, or wishful thinking.

    16. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >to sustain normal life on a prolonged basis in the absence of any other power source.

      Those darned Polynesians must have been really abnormal.

    17. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1

      Efficient boat fridges draw only 1A or 12W, e.g. this one. Of course that's coming from the battery not directly from the turbine so it's a question of how many watts the battery can store, how many amps it can deliver at once, how many watts the turbine puts back in according to conditions and other factors. If you were living on a boat you'd probably use a bigger turbine and some solar panels and high capacity, higher draw battery so you could run more than a fridge, e.g. a flat panel TV, laptop etc.

    18. Re:Small wind does not work! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I've lived on a yacht for a prolonged period of time...and while I loved it, I wouldn't even give a moment's consideration to a house where I had to live like that. The "small fridge" and "small power draw devices at night" combination isn't a realistic way to live one's life on land.

      You know solar has come down a whole lot, right? And there's lots of low-power equipment these days? And you can have a decent-sized fridge, if you can find space to dedicate to a chest fridge. You can put a counter over the top of it, and integrate it that way, or use the pull-out drawer style. Most fridges are woefully underinsulated for the job they're doing.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    19. Re:Small wind does not work! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      "Even a small turbine is still enough to deliver ~600W in a day" ...

      Not even wrong.

    20. Re:Small wind does not work! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      'Greenwashing' refers to companies that make a big public show of being pro-environment, but without actually achieving this aim - instead focusing on publicity because the appearance of green can be a lot cheaper than being actually green.

      A 'toy wind' turbine alone isn't greenwashing. It becomes greenwashing when you put it on your roof to show all your neighbors how much you care about the earth, then sit back and set the heating to maximum because you couldn't be bothered to insulate your walls properly, or when a shop puts an array of them on the roof to lure in eco-conscious customers without mentioning that the pinwheels only generate 1% of their lighting requirements.

    21. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1

      25W*24=600W.

    22. Re:Small wind does not work! by fnj · · Score: 2

      FAIL. Dimensional analysis. LEARN IT. A watt is not a watt hour.

      25W * 24h = 600 Wh or 0.6 kWh
      And that ain't much, BTW. 10 cents worth or less.

    23. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1

      Which part of "~600W in a day" don't you understand dipshit?

    24. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which part of Watts and Watt-hours being two totally different things did you?

    25. Re:Small wind does not work! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      You are getting your units wrong. Very wrong.

      You should be getting a result in watt-hours or joules. Depending on purpose - joules are used in engineering, watt-hours are a unit of convenience in usage calculations and billing.

    26. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1

      the clue is "in a day"

    27. Re:Small wind does not work! by d34thm0nk3y · · Score: 1

      you'd be lucky to get 20W from them on a very good windy day.

      From the article: Its 9744Wh battery is powered by a 750W silent wind turbine

    28. Re:Small wind does not work! by fnj · · Score: 1

      We have all been very gentle, but it's time for a clue stick. W is a unit of power, an instantaneous quantity. Wh is a unit of energy, an integrated quantity.

      If you push with 10 lb of force, do you really think you've pushed with 100 lb of force after 10 seconds, or 10 hours?

      Think. We know it's not easy, but try.

    29. Re:Small wind does not work! by DrXym · · Score: 1

      the clue is "in a day".

    30. Re:Small wind does not work! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're an idiot.

    31. Re:Small wind does not work! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      They lie.

  7. Nice Caravan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nice caravan, bit small but i like the looks.

  8. Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Pretty looking caravan (with optional wheels?) but not very efficient on the space, not particularly comfortable looking and not really practical as a permanent home as they try to suggest. In pretty much every use case you'd be better off with a larger caravan and a couple of solar panels and some batteries that you can set up when you get wherever you're going.

  9. Stupid shape is stupid by DrXym · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The oval shape of this thing wastes so much volume that could have been used for storage, shelves, cupboards etc. And the gull wing door is just begging to be ripped off its hinges or even risk tipping the house over in strong wind.

    I'm sure it wouldn't look so showy if the "world's first ecocapsule" (which is totally not a caravan without wheels) had a more conventional shape but it would have been a lot more practical, and doubtless cheaper to build too.

    1. Re:Stupid shape is stupid by hawguy · · Score: 1

      The oval shape of this thing wastes so much volume that could have been used for storage, shelves, cupboards etc. And the gull wing door is just begging to be ripped off its hinges or even risk tipping the house over in strong wind.

      I'm sure it wouldn't look so showy if the "world's first ecocapsule" (which is totally not a caravan without wheels) had a more conventional shape but it would have been a lot more practical, and doubtless cheaper to build too.

      I was wondering the same thing... Make it rectangular and give it more living/storage space. The oval shape is likely more energy effecient, so just add a bit more insulation to the rectangular one.

    2. Re:Stupid shape is stupid by Rei · · Score: 1

      The oval shape would be better if the thing actually had wheels and was designed to be driven around regularly (optimal shape for reducing wind resistance while maximizing useful interior volume = teardrop or truncated teardrop, depending on the situation). But it's supposed to just sit in one spot. So what the heck? They could still have rounded off the edges to give it a smooth, iPod-y feel without much impact on the space and while still maximizing structural strength and minimizing wind resistance (more to the point, since sits flat on the ground, there's no point at all to curving the base - the only thing that curve does is eat up space in order to make them more likely to roll)

      My first thought when I saw this was that it's the hipster form of glamping.

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
    3. Re:Stupid shape is stupid by KGIII · · Score: 2

      My first love in life was architecture. I actually had intended to go to VT until I was accepted to MIT and study my true love - maths. Anyhow, I really am disappointed by this product - it really should be something rectangular. The biggest reason to use things with 90d angles is because, you know, shit is DESIGNED with that in mind.

      I wanted to design my current home as a geodesic dome. I had great plans and then, loving math, I decided to look at how much usable space I would have. Instead I went with a envelope salt-box with a SSE facing long side for solar panels and on a hill where I have enough wind to make the gods squint their eyes...

      I own an obscenely large RV (and even tow a car behind it) and it too has solar and a windmill on a mast. It is probably almost as efficient as this device is. I like the idea. I hate the results. Maybe I am nitpicking? Maybe I do not have enough information?

      There are countless ways, some already designed, to make a shipping container into a serviceable full-time home. This can be done at reasonable costs and with great results. Maybe I am a grump old asshole with few redeeming qualities but, damn it, I expect better than this.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
  10. Only sleeps one person by hawguy · · Score: 1

    The website says "Ecocapsule comfortably houses two adults", but that's not a two person bed, even if you're sleeping with your SO.

    If you're a 2 person research team who is not interested in cuddling while you sleep, you'll have to sleep in shifts

    1. Re:Only sleeps one person by BasilBrush · · Score: 1

      In the schematic there's something that slides out from the bed area. I guess it's the second bed.

    2. Re:Only sleeps one person by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      What it resembles is a classic Airstream trailer but without the benefit of the wheels. And possibly reduced in size somewhat. Then kitted out with energy-generation and rain collection options.

      I'm not sure that any reduction in size or mobility is sufficient to give this unit a true advantange over said Airstream, which would probably be at least as capable if one didn't demand climate control or full kitchen facilities. And speaking of which, what ARE you supposed to do for dinner with such limited energy facilities? Bicycle down to McDonalds? (Bicycle not included). Should at least come with a solar cooker.

    3. Re:Only sleeps one person by Dr.Dubious+DDQ · · Score: 1

      It looks like it folds out, like a sofa-bed. I'm not sure it's too comfortable though - the one photo they have with people in it, they don't look very happy.

    4. Re: Only sleeps one person by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They just got told the nude pictures will be mandatory.

  11. Isn't going off grid illegal? by pecosdave · · Score: 0

    At least in much of the United States?

    NO! You must not demonstrate you don't have to have the government! You must not prove you don't need a plug back!

    Also the ductility companies don't like threats to their monopoly.

    --
    The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
    1. Re:Isn't going off grid illegal? by will_die · · Score: 1

      In some larger cities it is illegal, the reason being if you don't have power, water, etc it is considered unfit for humans. Unfortunately you read kook sites and don't get the truth, the person did not want to try to change the law they just wanted to do it and pocket some money from selling the idea to others.
      Provided you don't want to live in a larger city than there are generally no restrictions, just move out the city limits and most places are almost unrestricted and you can do almost anything. The worst restrictions you are going to get are country restrictions dealing with the removal of human waste and the soil composition of your leach field

    2. Re:Isn't going off grid illegal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It isn't just cities, many counties have rules too.

      I live in unincorporated area of the county and read some of the occupancy rules this morning.

      My land is already zoned for a specific type and size dwelling. I'm not allowed to have detached buildings of any sort. A camper is allowed on property for less than 10 days per month, but cannot be parked on the yard.

      There is a minimum requirement for 390 sqrft per person too. I calculated 90 sqrft for this egg from the specs - which is overly generous for reality. WAY too small.

      Of course, this is meant for limited use. Perhaps it would be useful at a private hunting camp? It cannot be rented - that would violate codes.

    3. Re:Isn't going off grid illegal? by KGIII · · Score: 1

      I could easily go off-grid. In fact, the grid is so unreliable here that I am virtually off-grid now. I put power into the grid pretty much constantly. I get credits and I understand that I can sell them. I am going to see if I can donate them after the end of this year.

      Off-grid? There are still people in my state who have outhouses and no electricity at all.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    4. Re:Isn't going off grid illegal? by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      No it's not illegal in much of the US. What typically is illegal is to not have a sanitary method of disposing waste or not building to local codes. Those things are done to preserve well water quality and ensure the safety, at least to some degree, of people who may be entering your house in an emergency.

  12. I bet this will sound much less interesting ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I bet this will sound much less interesting once we know the price. Sounds like a camper for very rich hippies ... the rest of us get a cheap tent, an aluminium pot, and perhaps a marginally working crank flashlight/radio (Made in China).

  13. Shitters Full by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For some reason the ecocapsule feels half-baked, but Eddie knows what to do.

  14. So, a wheel-less caravan ? by dargaud · · Score: 1

    Add some wheels and a trailer hook to that thing so that you can move it around !

    --
    Non-Linux Penguins ?
  15. Airstreams version by kqc7011 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Here is a link to a Airstream floor plan. Looks to be well thought out too. They do have a few years of learning how to do this. http://www.airstream.com/trave...

    --
    Passionately Indifferent
  16. The Jetson's want their camper back by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Wow, an ugly impractical solution to a problem no one has by someone with no concept of the reality of living in a small space. This looks like an art school project from a fan of the Jetsons.

    The article actually says "The architects also recommend it as an urban dwelling for singles in high-rent areas such as Silicon Valley or NYC" which is clear proof that they haven't even a vague clue what life is like in the real world.

    1. Re:The Jetson's want their camper back by cusco · · Score: 1

      The architects also recommend

      Ah, there's the problem. My dad was a high-end remodeler for many years. He never got a set of plans from an architect that was actually buildable as received. Generally he could sketch something on a note pad that would be far more practical and functional.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    2. Re:The Jetson's want their camper back by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      AKA Googie architecture.

  17. So... by SuperDre · · Score: 1

    So they reinvented the caravan................... Nope, never gonna live in such an ugly home..

    1. Re:So... by Rei · · Score: 1

      They should go through with making them, if only for the reason that a judge could sentence Jeremy Clarkson to have to live in one as punishment for punching his producer. ;)

      --
      "99 dead duelists of Dios on the wall. 99 dead duelists of Dios! Take one's ring, pass it around..."
  18. Just convert a shipping container by sjbe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The picture on the website shows it can be put on a transport platform and drawn around by a car.

    Or I could just buy a camper that is already "on a transport platform" and get a more practical design while I'm at it. Seriously, this is the sort of stupid concept "designers" are getting WAY too much money to come up with. The clearly started with the external appearance and a checklist of features and worked from there rather than actually spending time considering any functional considerations.

    How do you propose to get this thing "on a transport platform"? It's clearly not meant to be dragged. There is no obvious hookup for a hoist. It apparently fits in a shipping container but that raises the question of why not just convert the shipping container to living space? It's more practical, modular, goes right on a truck and almost certainly is cheaper to make and convert. Plus probably more durable and recyclable. The transportation infrastructure is already available and it's not exactly a challenge to put solar cells and a wind turbine on the roof.

    1. Re:Just convert a shipping container by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You think you're so smart, with your reasons and your practicality and ... hey, that's a good idea!

    2. Re:Just convert a shipping container by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yeah but RVs or shipping containers aren't egg shaped. Which is important, because ego-consciousness demands egg shapes.

      I wonder if the designers intended for people to live in these things in the winter or a hot summer.

    3. Re:Just convert a shipping container by Penguinisto · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Agreed.

      I had done something similar with a 30' camping trailer years ago. It began as a rescue project - I paid $1 (literally) for the thing and dragged it home. After stripping it to the shell, I rebuilt it from the inside out - extra-thick insulation, salvaged RV appliances and cabinets, solar panels on the roof, a pair of Group 4D 12v batteries (the size used on fire trucks), a 150 gallon water tank (to replace the puny 25-gallon one), two massive (80#) propane tanks up front, a *real* queen-sized bed, extra weatherproofing and a new coat of paint, etc. Even kept a computer + LCD monitor in it, which consumed less power than a tube TV.

      By the time I was done, that $1 investment cost me an additional $3.5k or so, but it was already road-worthy, and it allowed me to spend a literal month in it to bracket two hunting seasons (in Utah - first Elk, then Mule Deer) without having to replenish supplies from in-town. The windmill would have been nice, but I already had the panels, a generator and plenty of gasoline stored in the truck bed...

      I barely used the generator or the propane until it began snowing, though... Speaking of which, I wonder how this little egg thingy would do at 10k' ASL in a snowstorm, with the temperatures well below freezing... seems like it would be pretty cramped and cold considering no visible heating source.

      To your point, though: when I was ready to go home, I just stowed the stabilizing jacks, hooked it up to the truck, and drove off. No muss, no fuss.

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    4. Re:Just convert a shipping container by olau · · Score: 1

      It apparently fits in a shipping container but that raises the question of why not just convert the shipping container to living space?

      Tempohousing does this.

      There was an article about the Danish branch planning to sell a full stackable student-sized apartment with shower and kitchen. I think the price tag was around 40-50k USD for one. Unfortunately, I've forgotten the name of the company

    5. Re:Just convert a shipping container by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      My friend's parents had an rv with solar panels on the roof. I don't know why. Running the engine for 20 minutes charged up the batteries ore than sitting in he sun all day. They wanted me to help them sell it on CL.

    6. Re:Just convert a shipping container by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      Shipping containers are not structurally sound once you drill a hole in one and need to be framed like a regular house if you don't want to die of suffocation. Or of boredom of being inside a black box.

    7. Re:Just convert a shipping container by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Running the engine for 20 minutes charged up the batteries more than sitting in he sun all day.

      But it is sitting in the sun all day anyway.

    8. Re:Just convert a shipping container by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      If your goal is to be off-grid and not on-propane, you want to run as much as possible off renewable power. You can fit almost 2kW of PV on a roof now, and at 5h average annual production that is 10kWh/day. To store it you would need 6-8 8D batteries.

      Using a gas generator you would need about 15 gallons of gas a week; propane you would need about 50# per week.

      If your power needs are much lower then it isn't an issue either way. If you can get by on less than 1kWh/day then who really cares...

    9. Re:Just convert a shipping container by NostalgiaForInfinity · · Score: 1

      Which is important, because ego-consciousness demands egg shapes.

      "I'm Frida Waterfall, leader of the Greenorita Eco-Feminist Collective, and we will not let you man-doze this beautiful gyno-desert."

  19. Yeah it's awesome... by sjbe · · Score: 2

    This would make an awesome camper.

    You mean except for the idiotic layout, the lack of wheels or towing equipment, the impractical shape, the lack of substantial water or battery space, the inflexible interior design, the ugly appearance and the expensive round shape?

    Yeah other than that it's great...

    1. Re:Yeah it's awesome... by Talderas · · Score: 1

      Just because it doesn't have wheels doesn't mean you can't tow it!

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    2. Re:Yeah it's awesome... by KGIII · · Score: 1

      I did not read the dimensions but I am pretty sure I can fit that into my RV.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    3. Re:Yeah it's awesome... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      The thing is shaped like a freakin' egg. Forget wheels, just roll it.

    4. Re:Yeah it's awesome... by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      Well it looks like it will fit nicely into a standard 20 foot container with room to spare.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    5. Re: Yeah it's awesome... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I go to a lot of music festivals where camping space is literally elbows to assholes. And electric hookups are all taken a month before the show starts. If this was towable, and had some climate control, it would make a great camper for festivals. Fits inside a standard parking space, produces it's own power, etc. As for the layour, well, not all of us have money for a big tour bus rv. This would definitely be better than pitching a tent. You disagree? Ok.

  20. Novelty mailbox shat from factory anus by TheRealHocusLocus · · Score: 1

    Humans build rectilinear structures because because we like to stock them with our own (rectilinear) furniture and appliances, walk around without stooping or bumping into one another. When we wish to get artsy or need to avoid snow pack accumulation we go with angled flat surfaces because you can tile and shingle them. When we want to be innovative and compact we put hinges on rectangles, as in a fold-out porch, solar array with a single seasonally adjustable angle. We round corners, not the whole thing.

    Everything about this capsule seems impractical, artistically ludicrous and commercially predatory. You can see at a glance that nothing is flat or standard. You will not be one with the Earth, you will be one with the catalog of proprietary overpriced replacement parts and misshapen accessories. The swing-up 'DeLorean' front door is like fingernails on a chalkboard, an obscene engineering middle-finger gesture. Better make sure you have plenty of tools inside and some shape charges to blow your way out after it is sealed by an ice storm. Houses have eyebrows for the same reason people do.

    For some reason it brings this song to mind. I started it playing in another tab while viewing their slide show.

    That's just how it's built. As to how it looks, to each their own. For me the novelty wore off at first sight. I'm sure the sinks, toilet and the microgrid stuff works well enough. The designers should just assemble a core modular (rectilinear) package with that stuff and leave the house-building to house builders.

    --
    <blink>down the rabbit hole</blink>
  21. Inside a shipping container??? by codeButcher · · Score: 2

    I'm looking at all those rounded space-wasting contours. And once you try to fit it inside a (rectangular) shipping container to get it to your locale, there's even more space wasted between the pod and the box.

    So how about some lateral thinking: instead of buying one of these and have them shipped from Slovakia, how about buying a discarded shipping container RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE and fixing it up for living quarters? There's some nice designs floating around on the internet... Which will cost you less, probably, than purchase and shipping on one of these eggs.

    Could still be moved around with comparable ease locally, and when you want to go to another state or country, sell it and start over in the new locale. Although I'm thinking that 2 x 20ft/6m containers might be more livable for my claustrophobic slightly-oversized frame.

    --
    Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
    1. Re:Inside a shipping container??? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Could still be moved around with comparable ease locally,

      Not so much, once you cut holes in a shipping container it's very hard to move it. And most of us like more windows than you can get into the ends of a container, especially given that you're likely to divide it into at least two rooms. If you plan to move your shipping container home, you'll also need to budget for a trailer to move it on. About the cheapest I've seen a container trailer is five grand, and I didn't go look at it so I don't know what kind of condition it was in. And I don't mean a lightweight trailer for moving empty containers behind a pickup truck, either. I mean a real trailer. If you're going to have a home built into it, you're talking about some real weight there.

      If you want to move your home, and want to be eco-friendly, get a vintage trailer. There's dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of them lying around the country needing restoration. Drilling out the rivets and re-gluing the roof skin panels of an Airstream or Streamline (as in my case) will give you real appreciation for the thing and how much work it takes to repair one :)

      All this wandering isn't all that eco, it takes energy to drag a house around.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Inside a shipping container??? by nytes · · Score: 1

      I think you also need to rent a crane (and crane operator) to load it onto that trailer.

      --
      -- I have monkeys in my pants.
  22. Comfortable ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Comfortable is not the word that comes to mind...
    What does come to mind is:
    cramped
    so small, must be noisy. also windmill 2 meters above our head..
    too hot in summer
    too cold in winter
    no way this thing can store enough water for prolonged off the grid usage.
    Where is my of the grid internet connection ?
    "Plenty" of storage space. That must be a whole new definition of plenty that I am not familiar with.
    2 persons in that bed. ?
    1 Month without electricity according to graph on website. That is their definition of comfortable ?

  23. Re:They're not allowed to see what has worked and by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Well, thanks for bringing politics into this for no fucking reason at all. Not to mention you're totally wrong.

  24. Heating? Cooling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Their 2014 power capacity chart clearly shows that you wouldn't want to be there in mid-Nov to mid-Dec - at least not in 2014.

    Heating? Insulation values? Green and grey water tank sizes? It isn't just about electrical power folks. Electrical charging to supplement power and filling the green tank from outside sources? How is the grey water tank dumped?

    The size is concerning - though I suspect smaller people from Asia might be happy. Most N. Americans would go crazy after a week.

    I've lived in a motor home for a few years. The small spaces have lots of drawbacks. If they took some of this technology and merged it with that technology, something very usable would result.

    For long term use inside a city limits, there are codes which must be met. Some are stupid for a dwelling of this type, but city housing departments often blindly enforce codes.

    1. Re:Heating? Cooling? by jblues · · Score: 1

      I lived in a tent for a year - smaller than this thing. But only went in there to sleep or, er, commune with companions. All other activities, including cooking, bathing and so forth were conducted outside, and in beautiful surrounds too. I did six months of temperate zone summer and six of the dry season in the tropics. Wow, that was 20 years ago now.

      --
      If it acquires resources on instantiation like a duck, then its a shared_ptr<Duck>
  25. No dice - Not living under a "screamer" again by luckytroll · · Score: 1

    I used to live on a boat that ran entirely on solar and wind.

    I can tell you, nobody wants to live that close to, or in a dwelling attached to a wind generator like that. The 3 blade design either puts out little to no useful power (1A@13,8V on most light air days) while all the time it spins putting out a shrieking noise that makes the noise made by mega-wind gennies sound relaxing by comparison. Perhaps if you swapped it out for a multi-blade lower output unit, but for the most part the best place for these little monsters is over a hill somewhere not within earshot. Unless you love banshee wails, in which case go whole hog and get some guinea fowl and perhaps a chimpanzee for the full crazy sound orchestra.

    Also, the solar panels are woefully inadequate. You will be constantly making trade offs between chilling with your fridge or charging your laptops with that level of wattage. And for the price, you can probably DIY a 20' sea container and get more bang for your buck, and more solar panel mounting area too.

  26. small wind does work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The energy output of a wind turbine is proportional to the cross-sectional area, and to the cube of the wind speed*. This means that to provide a useful amount of energy they need to be big, and they need a lot of wind - that means a high mounting point. These little pinwheels on short poles are just a gimmick - you'd be lucky to get 20W from them on a very good windy day.

    *Think about it. (m*v^2)/2 will get you half-way there.

    Poppycock. Sailors have been putting small wind generators on their boats for many decades now. Certainly you're not going to power a washer and dryer with one of those things, but if you have a 400 Ah battery bank it will help to keep it topped off.

    Especially given that when it's cloudy, and your solar bank isn't doing much, it often means a weather system is moving through--which generally means wind.

    https://www.emarineinc.com/AIR-Breeze-Wind-Turbine-12-Volt

  27. Government idiots by AndyKron · · Score: 0

    I'm sure they'll find some government idiot to spend our money on this.

  28. Everything about it is wrong by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The amazing micro-dwelling is perfect for nature lovers, scientists, photographers, rangers and anyone who

    ...loves to waste space on shapes which are good for eggs but stupid for houses, and who wants to be kept up all night by their wind turbine.

    If it's supposed to be eco-friendly, shouldn't it be made out of recycled materials? And there's absolutely nothing about the shape which makes it easy to collect water. In fact, it's much harder to deal with on a shape like that.

    Here's how you get eco-friendly: You get a used shipping container for two grand, the energy cost of its production is already sunk. You get it delivered to your lot for 1-2 grand more, most likely. Then you start haunting demolitions and recycled construction material sales for materials. That's eco-friendly. You can't just go buy eco-friendly at a store with a big price tag on it. That stuff is never eco-friendly.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Everything about it is wrong by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      I don't see how using ghosts and poltergeists will make your project more eco-friendly.

    2. Re:Everything about it is wrong by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      Hey quit giving away my idea for a hunting shack.

      Having looked into this a nice 20' container can be had for about $1300 and shipping is only a few hundred more if you are close to port that has them (I do so that is good). Although I would prefer fold away beds, a wood stove, and could do without the shitter as my property has an outhouse already. Then again building things hasn't been a problem for me and I have been working with metal for a while so for me it would just be the material costs.

      --
      Time to offend someone
  29. badly designed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    vaporware

    captcha: sketchy

  30. UK bans guns, doubles crime. solar electric 1954 by raymorris · · Score: 0

    Maybe tell me this "eco pod" isn't hippy liberal as anything can be? Or that it's not totally inferior to a 1960s Airstream?

    > Not to mention you're totally wrong.

    The UK banned guns, violent crime immediately DOUBLED.
    Australia had a similar experience. Liberals cool idea for the US this year - try banning guns, it'll work, I'm sure!

    Solar electric was the future in 1954.
    http://www.beatriceco.com/bti/...

    Tell me again how liberals learn from the past and change their ideas based on what works and what doesn't.

    I do appreciate that they get excited by cool new ideas, I really do. They just fail to check whether the idea is in fact new (it rarely is), or what happened the last 4,000 times the idea was tried.

  31. Design for assembly by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Ah, there's the problem. My dad was a high-end remodeler for many years. He never got a set of plans from an architect that was actually buildable as received. Generally he could sketch something on a note pad that would be far more practical and functional.

    That's not a phenomena unique to architects. I run a contract manufacturing company which means we build stuff that other people design. I can count on my fingers the number of drawings I've received that could be made without clarification or revision in the last 5 years. There invariable is some combination of missing specifications, incompatible parts, inaccurate dimensions, inappropriate materials, missing part numbers, (useless) customer internal part numbers, unrealistic tolerances, design flaws, obsolete/unobtainable parts, confusing instructions, overpriced vendors specified, etc. Most engineers I've run into are somewhere between moderately and reall bad at doing good quality engineering documentation. (read - they are bad at the most important part of their job) They have poor attention to detail and are terrible at writing documents that someone else has to read and interpret. I almost always have to spend a substantial amount of time fixing their product and/or documentation so it can be built. Basically the same problem your dad ran into.

  32. I'm not sure... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

    I'm not buying one of those unless it's certified free-range.

  33. the designers need to be beaten by david_bonn · · Score: 1

    ... or at least fired and not allowed to design ever again.

    First off, on the floor plans the only window that opens is on the same side as the silly gullwing door. So no cross ventilation. I also see no obvious vents to compensate. It is going to get awfully stinky in there before you suffocate.

    Oh, and the kitchenette? Is the range top electric? Good luck with that and that tiny solar array and batteries. On the other hand, if it is a propane range top you will suffocate much more quickly.

    And that cute little solar array on top of the egg? Well, unless you are in Ecuador at certain times of the year a lot of your expensive solar cells will always be in the shade, not doing you a bit of good. People who actually have used solar would realize that an array that small needs to be mounted on a platform so you can at least point it south at the optimum angle for the season.

    I also completely fail to understand how the egg shape makes it easy to collect water.

    Kill it before it reproduces, please.

  34. Eco-friendly and economical shipping containers by sjbe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Not so much, once you cut holes in a shipping container it's very hard to move it.

    Not unless those holes are so large they affect structural integrity. It is almost trivial to put some windows or extra doors into a shipping container without affecting structural integrity. The entire thing is made of steel so you can weld whatever reinforcements you need permanently or temporarily and steel is pretty much 100% recyclable.

    If you plan to move your shipping container home, you'll also need to budget for a trailer to move it on.

    This pretty much falls into the "duh" category. You don't have to own said trailer however.

    About the cheapest I've seen a container trailer is five grand, and I didn't go look at it so I don't know what kind of condition it was in.

    Or you can just hire one for a relatively modest fee unless you plan to move it around constantly. One of the beautiful things about using standardized containers is that there is enormous existing infrastructure for hire to move them about. You can put them on a truck, a train, or a boat easily and economically take them almost anywhere you want. You can even have them lifted by helicopter or crane with no modifications or special equipment.

    If you're going to have a home built into it, you're talking about some real weight there.

    Real things have real weight. Unlike this stupid pod however it would actually be functional for something more than glamping.

    All this wandering isn't all that eco, it takes energy to drag a house around.

    Sure it does but if you are wandering there presumably is a reason you are doing it. A standardized container is FAR more economical and eco-friendly than this stupid egg pod thing.

    1. Re:Eco-friendly and economical shipping containers by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Not unless those holes are so large they affect structural integrity. It is almost trivial to put some windows or extra doors into a shipping container without affecting structural integrity.

      Not according to the people who actually build the things. I've read interviews with them, and they disagree with you. I'm going to do with the voice of experience rather than the voice of Slashdot, thanks.

      If you plan to move your shipping container home, you'll also need to budget for a trailer to move it on.

      This pretty much falls into the "duh" category. You don't have to own said trailer however.

      Once you put a bunch of holes and stuff in it, good luck getting it on the trailer without harming it.

      Sure it does but if you are wandering there presumably is a reason you are doing it. A standardized container is FAR more economical and eco-friendly than this stupid egg pod thing.

      You know what else is far more economical and eco-friendly than dragging houses around the planet? Moving just the people, and a little bit of stuff, and they change which house they live in.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Eco-friendly and economical shipping containers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have four shipping containers here in central Texas. I paid $3300 for each of them, delivered.
      The problem with converting them to living space is how toxic they are. You have to rip out the floor and replace it, and sandblast off the paints inside and out before it'll pass the residential codes. (you'll need to repaint it fast too because they rust like crazy.)
      The steel is surprisingly thin. The strength is all in the corrugation and the corners. You really don't want to cut them up then try to move them.
      And they are steel. Zero insulation. It's like sitting in a sauna during the summer time.
      I'm currently in the process of replacing my containers with geodesic domes made from plywood panels (typical soccer ball design) It's much cheaper and nicer as a living space. (Not full time though. This is my getaway property deep in the rural woods.) For "real life", I'll take a traditional home in the city any day.

  35. just get a travel trailer by NostalgiaForInfinity · · Score: 1

    You can have that now: get a travel trailer and put some solar cells and a small wind turbine on it. I guarantee you it's cheaper and better designed. Get a four season one if you want to stay in it in the winter. And unlike this tiny "house" that violates code just about everywhere, you can actually find a place to put a travel trailer.

    1. Re:just get a travel trailer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but... THOSE kinds of people live in travel trailers. And we would never want to be associated with THEM.

    2. Re:just get a travel trailer by nytes · · Score: 1

      But those trailers are tornado magnets!

      Having one near you means you'll be hit for sure.

      --
      -- I have monkeys in my pants.
  36. How much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looks like a neat design, but something tells me that its far too expensive for what you get. Just the shipping according to the article is $1,600 to $2,500. Why not just buy a well insulated camper and equip it with solar/wind? I'd wager its far cheaper than this thing, easier to transport and you would get a lot more amenities.

  37. You have demonstrated your own ignorance. by gurps_npc · · Score: 1
    Have you ever looked inside a kitchen cabinet? If you fill it with the normal, round plates and glasses, the corners are almost NEVER used.

    The only advantage from square architecture is that it maximizes volume ... WHEN FILLED WITH EASILY AVAILABLE RECTANGULAR furnishings. But those furnishings themselves waste the corners. No one uses the back left and right corners of a chair. No one can every make full use of the corner piece is a wall to wall bookshelves.

    As this pod comes with it's own furnishings, it does not have the major problem that you foolishly overlook in all rectangular housing. The oval shape does not waste a single bit of volume internally. Everything is accessible.

    But that isn't why it's oval. The reason why the external shape is oval is because such a shape is far more storm resistant Wind and rain does not have a single surface to push against. The wind coming directly at the north side pushes the center directly back, but an inch to the left it pushes back and slightly to the right. An inch to the right pushes back and slightly left. The right/left forces meet in an arch, cancelling themselves out. Such a shape can withstand 10 times what a flat surface can withstand. It's called aerodynamics. Notice how planes and cars are round, not boxy. In addition, it withstands flying debris almost as well. Unless a rock happens to hit it directly head on, it is deflected by the oval shape. If you do a minimal amount of research you will discover that round houses are far more storm resistant. This applies even if the shape is merely octagonal, rather than truly round, but spherical/ovoid is the best when it comes to storm resistance.

    Finally the door. It is true that the gull wing shape makes it easier to remove in a storm - if it is open. But closed, it makes for a tighter fit.

    More importantly, a gull wing door makes the opening wider by the width of the door. It isn't quite as intelligent as a sliding door system, but that has some other problems.

    You are correct that the standard rectangular shape is cheaper.

    This shape was chosen because while more expensive, it is FAR MORE PRACTICAL. It stands up to a storm better, collects the rain better, conserves heat/cold better, and also is a far more efficient use of space - as long as it is filled with custom designed furnishings (which it comes with).

    --
    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  38. Re:UK bans guns, doubles crime. solar electric 195 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I do appreciate that they get excited by cool new ideas, I really do. They just fail to check whether the idea is in fact new (it rarely is), or what happened the last 4,000 times the idea was tried.

    But you don't understand, this time it'll be different.

  39. Stupid design by sjbe · · Score: 2

    Have you ever looked inside a kitchen cabinet? If you fill it with the normal, round plates and glasses, the corners are almost NEVER used.

    I assure you I can fit more round glasses into a square cabinet with X length/width than I can a round cabinet of X diameter.

    But that isn't why it's oval. The reason why the external shape is oval is because such a shape is far more storm resistant Wind and rain does not have a single surface to push against.

    Unless you are planning to live in a hurricane, that's demonstrably not a meaningful problem. Most houses are square and you know what? They deal with the wind and rain just fine. Unless you are trying to make the habitat as light as possible (like for spaceflight) it is a far more sensible decision to simply built it adequately strong than to use fancy and hugely impractical round designs.

    The only advantage from square architecture is that it maximizes volume

    Wrong! It is easier and cheaper to build. It is simpler to repair. It is easier to modify. It can store more things with less problems. (easy to store round things in a square box but harder to store square things in a round box)

    Finally the door. It is true that the gull wing shape makes it easier to remove in a storm - if it is open. But closed, it makes for a tighter fit.

    "Tighter fit"? The tightness of the fit has nothing to do with where you locate the hinges. If anything it means you need stronger hinges AND a device to keep the door propped open in the up position.

    You are correct that the standard rectangular shape is cheaper.

    It's not only cheaper. It is easier to build, easier to repair, more practical in utility and easier to modify.

    This shape was chosen because while more expensive, it is FAR MORE PRACTICAL.

    It is far LESS practical. More expensive to built, harder to maintain, less flexible to use and update, and impractical to use. It requires single sourcing of custom furnishings. It's a fail on almost every level.

    It stands up to a storm better, collects the rain better, conserves heat/cold better, and also is a far more efficient use of space - as long as it is filled with custom designed furnishings (which it comes with).

    Tell you what. I'll use a converted shipping container and you use your stupid little people pod. I assure you that I'll withstand the storm better, I can insulate it better, I can collect rain better and more of it, and I can use whatever furnishings I want. Furthermore it will be more durable, entirely recyclable and easier to modify and fix.

    Custom designed furnishings in a weird space basically means you can't change anything and if anything breaks you can't replace it easily or cheaply. Anyone who has actually owned a residence will tell you that the one thing you can be sure of is that things WILL break and wear out. This egg thing is stupid on so many levels it's hard to know where to start.

  40. Something similar by ISoldat53 · · Score: 1

    I have something similar. It's called a sail boat. Mine is roomier and moves around.

  41. Nonsense! You HAVE to buy EcoFriendly at the store by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It has to have a shape that proclaims to the world "Behold my ecovirtue, energy sinner!" It must how your neighbor that You Are Better Than Them, like that Prius parked in your driveway.

    If you can't rub your moral superiority in the faces of others, what's the point?

  42. So it's an RV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As someone who was recently shopping for RVs, all of this is completely nothing new. You can buy RVs of similar dimensions, heck, the rpod is basically identical in size, the T@B is smaller and has most of the features (minus the toilet). Solar panels are popular addons, and yes, you can install enough 600 watts. Wind generation is less popular (as it can't really be used while driving), but available. Toilet and shower? Check. Fridge, sink, stove? Check. Queen size permanent bed? Check. Separate dinette? Check. Sleeps more than 1 comfortably? Check. Storage? Check. Made out of Eco-friendly wood? Check. Wheels so you don't have to flatbed it? Check. Entertainment system? Check.

    The only missing thing is water collection. That can be solved easy enough, but there's a good reason why water collection sucks for RVs: Where do you put the waste water? Plan to pollute? Where does this ecocapsule put all its waste water? An unlimited supply of water is only good until you have to empty the grey tank.

    Maybe I'm not getting it?

    1. Re:So it's an RV by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      You're not the one not getting it.

  43. Re: UK bans guns, doubles crime. solar electric 19 by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    History has ended, we have arrived. A committee can figure out which variant of the solution to all problems that our ideology represents should be prescribed.

  44. Modifying a shipping container and still moving it by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Not according to the people who actually build the things. I've read interviews with them, and they disagree with you. I'm going to do with the voice of experience rather than the voice of Slashdot, thanks.

    Citation please. Twenty seconds on Google establishes that you are making crap up. While there are no doubt some corner cases where modifications are ill advised, there is no fundamental obstacle to modification while maintaining structural integrity. You may add weight but even an amateur like me could do it with little more than a welding torch and some scrap steel.

    Once you put a bunch of holes and stuff in it, good luck getting it on the trailer without harming it.

    That's just nonsense. We move entire conventional houses that were in no way designed to be moved without damaging anything routinely. Moving a shipping container is trivial by comparison, modified or not.

    You know what else is far more economical and eco-friendly than dragging houses around the planet? Moving just the people, and a little bit of stuff, and they change which house they live in.

    It is also cheaper and more eco-friendly to build one dwelling and move it than it is to build two dwellings and only occupy one. Sometimes you don't want a dwelling to be permanently located somewhere.

  45. Structural integrity and boredome by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Shipping containers are not structurally sound once you drill a hole in one and need to be framed like a regular house if you don't want to die of suffocation.

    Both problems are trivially solved with a bit of reinforcing metal and a welding torch. This has been done countless times already. Twenty seconds on Google would have established that this is not a problem. At all.

    Or of boredom of being inside a black box.

    You mean black boxes like these? Or these? Or these? Yeah, those are terribly boring places to be be... [/sarcasm]

  46. Re:A fine example by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I have a custom, semi luxury, offgrid (solar) 1000sqft house. Three people can very comfortably live there, twelve people can comfortably visit. All year.

  47. Re:UK bans guns, doubles crime. solar electric 195 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > The UK banned guns, violent crime immediately DOUBLED.

    Jesus fucking Christ! Now you're bringing GUNS into this?!?!?

    You know, for someone who is trying to protest the fact that you're a whacko for bringing politics into a discussion about little "eco" house vs Airstreams, you're not doing yourself any favors by bringing guns of all fucking things into it next.

    First of all, guns are NOT banned in the UK, but their purchase is (highly) restricted. The restrictions that are in place have been incremental of a period of MORE THAN 100 YEARS, so to say that a ban of guns (which never actually happened) caused violent crime to immediately double is absolute nonsense. Gawd, you're fucking dense. But that's what happens when you try to grind a political axe everywhere you go: you ignore facts that don't suit your agenda.

    > Australia had a similar experience.

    A similar experience to ... what?!? Your fantasy world where facts are irrelevant?

  48. Nanoo nanoo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Shazbot!

  49. I have but one thing to say... by mishehu · · Score: 1

    Nanu nanu!

  50. Re:Modifying a shipping container and still moving by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Citation please. Twenty seconds on Google establishes that you are making crap up.

    Ten seconds on Google establishes that I'm not, from people who have actually done it. You can search down for 'flex' http://www.jetsongreen.com/201... here's another one on container flex, not specifically on the holes http://www.prepper-resources.c... here's a link which has some content in the comments which speaks to it directly http://www.containerhomeplans....

    etc etc etc. See, when I started researching container homes, I looked into this stuff then. Years ago, mind you. And when I did my google searches, I used my standard method for controversial subjects: I tried searches which made both the assumption I wanted to make, and the one I feared.

    If you cut holes in a shipping container, and want to move it afterwards, you're going to have to reinforce it. That can easily cost hundreds in materials alone, and if you don't know what you're doing, you can actually reduce the structural integrity of the container by welding it. The containers are designed to carry all the weight in their outer frames, but the sides of the container are also critical for transferring shearing forces.

    I looked into this from both ends, and it's obvious you've only tried to confirm your biases.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  51. Off gird habitat/toaster oven by jwbales · · Score: 0

    Anywhere south of the 50th parallel this could be called a man-sized toaster oven. Call me back when it's powered by a miniature nuclear reactor.

  52. Epic fail by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Well it looks like it will fit nicely into a standard 20 foot container with room to spare.

    How are you going to get it in there? This egg thing clearly isn't designed to be handled by common material handling equipment like forklifts or cranes.

    Besides if you are going to put it in a shipping container, you might as well just convert the shipping container itself and use that instead. It'll be more practical, cheaper, more durable, easier to modify, easier to fix, more recyclable, recyclable, easier to transport, have a more sensible layout, easier to insulate, have more room for solar cells and not look as stupid.

    Basically this egg thing is an epic fail on close to every level.

    1. Re:Epic fail by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      Yup. The dimensions just seemed to look to be like it was designed to be shipped in a 20' container (just under 8' wide and 8' tall and few feet shorter than a 20' container). I never thought or said they were practical or were better than the box that they would be shipped in. The one advantage it does have is it looks sleek, new and boldly advertises that the owner is a smug asshole of an environmentalist. Also I have looked into getting a shipping container to use as a hunting shack and the only real question that I am still asking is do I get a single 20' container or 2 20' containers to weld together. I lean towards 2 containers as there will likely be more than just myself staying there.

      --
      Time to offend someone
  53. Re: "filters allow you to utilize any water source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you read carefully, I noted that the figures would probably need to be doubled or tripled. And also that it doesn't matter because the required output is so small.

    There's not only a small wind turbine but solar too.

  54. Re:Modifying a shipping container and still moving by sjbe · · Score: 1

    None of those links proves your point. The argument that you can't modify them and then safely transport them afterwards is demonstrably nonsense. It has already been done countless times.

    If you cut holes in a shipping container, and want to move it afterwards, you're going to have to reinforce it.

    Duh. Any time you modify a structure you're probably going to have to reinforce part of it. Doesn't matter if it is mobile or not.

    That can easily cost hundreds in materials alone, and if you don't know what you're doing, you can actually reduce the structural integrity of the container by welding it.

    "Hundreds"? Wow, blows my budget... And if you don't know what you are doing then don't do it. Do I really have to point that out? Sure you can do welding badly, news at 11... Anything can be screwed up but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.

    I looked into this from both ends, and it's obvious you've only tried to confirm your biases.

    My "biases"? Whatever dude. This discussion is finished. You clearly don't have a clue and I'm obviously wasting my time...

  55. Re:Modifying a shipping container and still moving by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    None of those links proves your point. The argument that you can't modify them and then safely transport them afterwards is demonstrably nonsense. It has already been done countless times.

    Oh, is that what you think my point was? Because what I said was that you can't just cut holes in them and then move them, and that it can easily cost you as much as the container itself to reinforce it so that you can move it once you cut holes in it. Why didn't you just speak to the fucking point instead of inventing things to be mad about?

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  56. Re:Just convert a shipping container...or a coffin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Given the shortage of land, and thinking longer-term uses, wouldn't an extra-roomy coffin be better than a shipping container? Of course in the spirt of sustainability and recycling, towards the end of a cycle, the container would outwardly appear as a vending machine, dispensing some sought-after flavors of soylent bars.

    Shades of "Idaho Transfer" which ends with a weary time traveller being picked up and put in what looks like the trunk of a car, only to let out a few screams as fuel-processing starts.

    - - -

    "The best defense against bullshit is vigilance. So if you smell something, say something." - Jon Stewart

  57. Re:UK bans guns by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Gar! I'm Whacko Conservative Man, able to bring pointless political tropes into ANY discussion!"

    > The UK banned guns, violent crime immediately DOUBLED.

    Since the *restrictions* on gun ownership (not a *ban*) happened over a period of 100+ years, your comment that they immediately doubled violent crime is beyond idiotic.

    By all means, though, keep going! We enjoy the rabid ramblings of lunatics.

  58. Re: UK bans guns by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As long as they lack guns anyway.

  59. egg-shaped ... 'cause you know MORE EXPENSIVE by fygment · · Score: 1

    Seriously? Complex curves for the windows, door, sides, interior ...

    Why not repurpose a shipping container dumbasses?! Epic fail.

    --
    "Consensus" in science is _always_ a political construct.