You Can Now Transform Shipping Containers Into Sustainable Swimming Pools

A Vancouver-based pool company is upcycling single-use shipping containers to build backyard swimming pools across Canada and the U.S. In addition to their stylish features, these container pools are notable for their sustainable natures. 

We've seen shipping containers being used in various innovative scenarios, and for most of the time, they make for an eco-friendly alternative to traditional materials. You might remember our previous coverage on container buildings, a $200K container university lab, and even a container-based hydroponic farm, all of which prove that shipping containers can do so much more in their lifetimes than just carrying cargo. 

Upcycling single-use shipping containers

Modpools' founder Paul Rathnam had been in the container business for some time before coming up with the idea to upcycle them into swimming pools. He knows his way around shipping containers and where to find the ones that are fit for upcycling. 

In an interview with Fast Company, Rathnam explained that he would buy the containers that are doing a single trip across the Pacific, carrying electronics and clothes from China to North America. He also added that “North America doesn’t really have much to send China,” and as a result, China doesn’t need the same containers back. In some cases, the containers are just left to rust. 

Most of the time, the company upcycles shipping containers that are transported overseas just once and then left to their fate. By turning them into pools, Modpools gives them a new lease in life for at least another 30 years. 

Sustainable pools with smart features

The company website simply explains the container pools as "Modpools are designed to be plug-n-play, meaning everything you need to run your pool, comes built-in. Modpools come equipped with a pump and filtration system, a heater, wifi control, and a color-changing LED light." 

What's more, the container pools are modular, meaning that they can be customized according to clients' needs. The pool comes with a smart control app so that the owner could easily adjust the water's temperature, jets in the pool, and the lighting from their smartphone. If requested, a divider wall could be set in the pool to provide both the hot tub and the pool experience at once.

What makes Modpools popular is how portable, easy, and efficient to build and install them. According to Rathnam, since people spent more time at home than before during the pandemic, it has led to an increase in the sales of container pools.

It is good to know that a contemporary product that is green, sustainable, and nifty is picking up. Who knows? Maybe by upcycling and recycling single-use materials such as these shipping containers, we could one day help overcome our growing issue of waste management, one step at a time.