Dive Brief:

• A builder in Royal Oak, MI, is constructing a 2,100-square-foot home out of recycled metal shipping containers.

• Inside, the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home will feature bamboo floors, energy-efficient appliances and insulation made from recycled denim, according to architects at Designhaus Architecture, which designed the structure.

• The builder says he’ll sell the home for whatever the market will bear. Architects say container homes cost about 20% less to build than traditional houses.

Dive Insight:

The Royal Oak home is a first for Michigan, but dozens of buildings around the world have been built with the 40-foot-long by eight-foot-wide containers, which once transported washing machines and furniture and sell empty for around $2,000 apiece.