The words "construction trailer" evoke stale coffee and an accusatory Randy Quaid. But green? Kansas City-based McCownGordon Construction has developed a trailer that's powered by the sun, harnesses the wind and contains a working toilet.
McCownGordon has worked on a number of environmentally sensitive projects, including the Johnson County office building on Sunset Drive and the recent expansion of Bartle Hall. The idea for the "eco-friendly mobile office trailer" came out of the company's sustainability committee.
Most construction trailers are rented. But McCownGordon had trouble convincing a provider to invest in a green trailer. "Nobody really seemed interested," McCownGordon spokeswoman Krista Kutter says. "So we decided to do the project on our own. We purchased a trailer that was destined to go to the trash."
In an addition to being able to function off the grid, the trailer uses reclaimed wood from ReStore. There's even a composting toilet, saving the trailer's inhabitants from having to duck into a Porta-John, a part of life in typical construction work.
McCownGordon field staff used the trailer during the construction of the new student union at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, which is anticipating LEED Gold certification. Senior project engineer Cody Showalter says he noticed that the expanded foam insulation in the trailer muffled noise as well as it regulated temperature.
"It's really got that 'wow' factor, from guys in the field when they walk into it," Showalter says. "You'll have a meeting in there, and everybody looks at it and says, 'Wow, what a nice trailer. This is the nicest construction trailer I've ever seen on a job site.'"
Comfort and sustainability do not come cheap. McCownGordon spent $100,000 on the eco-trailer. Kutter says if mass produced, the trailers would cost $75,000 a unit. Traditional trailers run $20,000.
The green trailer won't be seen around Kansas City for a while. These days it's in Manhattan, brewing coffee for and composting the waste of McCownGordon staffers who are working on the Flint Hills Discovery Center.
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I hope someday it is true that we can rely completely on solar power and give up writing checks to the power company.
I would say that McCownGordon paid for it. It's a great investment in these "green" times. It's an advertisement ploy, as seen in this article; which probably isn't the only one on the trailer (ENR, Business Journal, etc.). Also, if it is self supporting for power that would save a lot of money on the electrical sub contract for not having to supply temporary power and pay for it during the project. And if you are going for LEED certification this would have to be a couple points to that. Again cost savings for not needing as many porta-johns.
I wonder if the rent of the trailer is backcharged to the Owner of the project? If a traditional trailer is $20,000 but this one here is almost 4 times that amount, are the Owner's paying 4 times the standard amount in rent under the guise of General Condietions? If they are, I'd say get back to the Jonny-On-The-Spot. Shitting in the easy bake ovens has been common practice for decades. I'm not paying extra to have you shit in an environmentally conditioned space. Poop in the weeds for all I care. Aside from dropping bombs and little energy useage, what is the benefit to me? Does it count for LEED points on the project? Does recycled shit count in the stockpile/borrow pile? I wouldn't give one recycled crap about what a contractor thinks about the interior of a trailer. What the fuck is he doing in there anyway? Get your ass back out there and get to work. This OAC meeting is adjourned! And no, you won't beating eating your lunch in here getting all cozy and lazy. Tie that fucking rebar!
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