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The official Cuban press reported as an “innovation” an initiative to build homes using reused metal containers.
The project has been presented as a solution to the housing shortage and the limitations of cement and fuel that have hindered the housing plan in the country, in addition to the damage accumulated from cyclones like Melissa.
According to the report from Granma, in Villa Clara, the Electromechanical Company of the Ministry of Construction is progressing on a project to manufacture 20 homes using containers, with 90% of the resources already secured, and whose distribution would be coordinated by the provincial government.
The director of the entity, Justo Rodríguez Gattorno, told ACN that the pace depends on the availability of materials, but he presented it as a demonstration of the "versatility" of the team.
Specialist Aracelys Machado Hurtado stated that the reconversion requires "precision" engineering and welding to ensure "habitability, security, and comfort," and claimed that industrial containers are being transformed into "fully equipped" residential spaces.
In the same text, a resident of Santa Clara, María de los Ángeles Pérez, commented that any “new and well-made” solution is welcome if it speeds up the response for families waiting for housing.
Matanzas: political inspection and initial deliveries
The coverage of Girón also mentions that in Matanzas, the President of the National Assembly, Esteban Lazo Hernández, accompanied by authorities from the Party and the provincial Government, checked the progress of the so-called "container houses."
In his statements, Lazo acknowledged that housing is one of the biggest current problems and attributed the delays to a lack of cement and a fuel shortage that paralyzed production, in addition to the damage from cyclones; regarding Melissa, the text states that it affected over 100,000 homes.
In this context, the government coordinator Idhovaldo Díaz Martínez stated that, "in celebration of the Triumph of the Revolution," three initial container homes will be inaugurated in a "transforming" neighborhood of the popular council Pueblo Nuevo.
The report specifies that each unit would be 27 square meters and that seven houses of this type were expected to be delivered in the first half of January to families in need in Matanzas.
The official note presents the project as part of a strategy of "innovation" that includes the use of recycled and prefabricated materials, with an emphasis on meeting structural safety standards.
However, the text does not provide details on housing costs, exact execution timelines, expected lifespan, criteria for selecting beneficiaries, or specific technical conditions.
According to experts consulted by the state-run press, these containers will have a cover on them, which protects them from the elements and moisture, while also acting as thermal insulation.
However, they will still be very hot during the summer, despite that coating.
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