Engineers transform containers into homes

Inspired by a church mission trip to the Dominican Republic, a Lewes building engineer is on a mission to end poverty, one home at a time.

During that June mission with Bayshore Community Church of Rehoboth Beach, Lance Manlove helped set up a solar-powered well pump for a small community that had no electricity or running water.

Manlove said he saw the immediate impact of making water available for the people of the community. “I realized that more has to be done, and I had a calling to help,” he said.

At about the same time, Patrick Staggs of Lewes was inspired to help others after attending a Global Leadership Summit, an annual event aimed at helping participants realize God's vision for their lives.

The two friends talked about their experiences. A week later, they launched Homes of Hope. Manlove is executive director, and Staggs is president of the board of the nonprofit organization.

The concept is to transform shipping containers into self-sustaining houses. “Their size is universal,” Manlove said. “Our design can be replicated anywhere in the world. We want this to start here and spread out.”

The cost to build and ship a container house to the Dominican Republic is $15,000, Manlove said.

A group of volunteers is currently constructing a prototype container home on a donated lot on Central Avenue in West Rehoboth near Church Street. “It's near the bike trail, so we hope lots of people see it and get interested,” Manlove said.

Manlove enlisted architect Tim Tice – who is now a board member – to design the prototype.

The 20-by-40-foot container home is designed for a family of five or six and includes a bedroom at each end connected by a living room, small kitchen and bathroom – with a shower and compost toilet – in between. Windows and a door are cut out of the container.

Solar panels are attached to the roof to provide electricity and a 500-gallon rooftop cistern provides water for washing. “The idea is to be completely sustainable,” Manlove said.

“And off the grid,” added Staggs.

“It's a little cramped, but they have nothing now,” Manlove said. “It will be like the Hilton.”

He said most residents in poorer small communities outside Santo Domingo where their houses will be set up live in makeshift houses with dirt floors.

Once a home is transported to Baltimore and completes the 1,500-mile trip to the Dominican Republic, the organization Empowering Action takes over placement. Manlove said the set up time once a home is in place is less than two days.

“Empowering Action is helping to beat the cycle of poverty,” Staggs said. “They have transformed people's lives.”

Working with churches, Empowering Action, based in Oakton, Va., has plans for large-scale transformation of impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic through its 16-week Abundant Life poverty-reduction program.

“We are hoping the container homes will be the shelter portion of the program,” Manlove said.

Manlove and Staggs said they are looking for funding to support construction of additional homes as well as donations of materials or labor and churches, organizations, businesses or individuals to sponsor a container home. Sponsors will also be welcome to help during construction.

Homes of Hope's first container house bound for the Dominican Republic has been sponsored by Bayshore Community Church and will be shipped and set up during a mission trip in late July.

Manlove, a mechanical engineer and president of Echelon Custom Homes in Rehoboth Beach, is a certified passive home builder and green building professional. He is co-founder of Zero Energy, a division of Echelon with a focus on building ultra-efficient homes.

Staggs, who has a mechanical engineering degree, has a background in operations improvement. The former director of brewery operations at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is now director of continuous improvement for Crown Cork and Seal and president of Revelation Craft Brewing Co. in Rehoboth Beach.

For more information, go to containerhoh.org. or contact Manlove at lance.manlove@comcast.net or phone 302-228-2967.