Skip to content
Reading time: 2 minutes
Container home built by Kauaʻi CC students and faculty

On Saturday, January 31, Kauaʻi Community College held the blessing and opening of its student-driven Container Home Project. Reverend Wayne Vidinha, Sr. of Ke Akua Mana Church conducted the blessing. The project, part of the College’s Hoʻouluwehi: Sustainable Living Institute on Kauaʻi, was designed to provide students a broad range of experience in constructing sustainable housing. Carpentry, electrical installation, welding, and facilities engineering students received hands-on field experience throughout the project.

The prototype home, built from a shipping container, is an alternative sustainable living dwelling model. The college’s goals are to prepare students to enter jobs that employ sustainable living solutions in building and to use the prototype home to advance a sustainable living lifestyle on Kauaʻi, and throughout the world.

Materials used to build the home were reused and repurposed. Natural airflow keeps the home well ventilated and cool. Space and size reduced the home’s footprint and amount of land used, while maintaining a comfortable place to live. A porch provides additional living space, where homeowners can enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

Kauaʻi CC Chancellor Helen Cox explains that the prototype home is one example of how the college is responding to the growing emphasis on the need for sustainable living practices. Kauaʻi CC offers a certificate of completion to students who complete the electric vehicle hybrid course. Its new sustainable science certificate has been endorsed by businesses on island for providing important skills related to food, waste, water, construction and energy.


Related UH News video: Sustainability a priority
at Kauaʻi Community College
, September 24, 2012

Campus projects include an aquaponics system, apiary and an aeroponics system managed by the culinary program. The college also raised ulu in partnership with the National Tropical Botanical Garden; assisted the Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort and Spa construct a hydroponics garden and conducted research on beach erosion.

Kauaʻi CC embraces its huge responsibility to both students and the community to teach the very skills that benefit a thriving community that practices sustainable living,” said Cox. “And we must help develop an understanding of climate change and prepare our students with the expertise to work toward mitigating it.”

Read the Kauaʻi CC story for more on the campus’ sustainability efforts.

—By Camilla Matsumoto

Kauaʻi Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Reverend Vidinha and Chancellor Helen Cox with students and faculty
Back To Top