Local company IndieDwell to build student housing with shipping containers

CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS 2) — The College of Idaho is looking to get creative to help solve its growing need for sustainable student housing.

Housing at the college is at maximum capacity.

“We like to have our students on campus, we want them to live on campus," said Jen Nelson the Director of Residence Life Associate Dean of Student Affairs. "They're better connected with other folks on campus, they're more involved. They typically get better grades when they're on campus it more convenient to go to classes.”

The college said on Friday that it's planning to build new dorm units for dozens of students next year by using decommissioned shipping containers.

“This residential housing solution provides an exceptional living space for our students and is consistent with the College’s desire to support sustainability of the environment," said Richard Erne, vice president for finance and administration. "Combining these factors with the overall economics, the new housing project fits perfectly into our residential housing program.”

Why shipping containers?

The college says a shipping container dorm, compared to a large-scale conventional dorm is roughly half the cost. It will also take half the time.

“They're healthy. They're wonderful spaces to live in and so that's one of the exciting things is that we're adding to their story,” said Nelson after discussing that these shipping containers are now given a purpose.

Caldwell company indieDwell will be constructing the two three-story structures. After they're finished, the units will house 54 students. One of the units should be finished by the spring, the college says.

“There's a lot of wonderful things going on in Caldwell right now and partnering with this company has kina been the icing on the cake,” Nelson said.

Pricing has not been determined, but Nelson says they aren't expected to have too different of costs than traditional dorms.

IndieDwell says there are about 24 million decommissioned shipping containers across the globe.

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