Dutch company Cubicco has createdaflat-pack, modular, prefabricated, hurricane-proof home that can be builtfor less than$200,000. And it could soon come to the Caribbean and Florida.The Cubicco home, which is made up of laminated wood and cork, is designed to hold up to the high-velocity hurricane codes inFlorida'sMiami-Dade County. That means buildings must be able to withstand 185 mph winds, have impact-resistant glass, and beelevated off the ground. Other parts of the home, including hurricane-rated windows and doors, layers of plywood sheathing, and insulation, give it additionalhurricane resistance.The units can be stoodon stilts, moved around and disassembled. Because the homesare prefabricated, buildingcrewscan simply get trained to assemble the Cubicco units, get the parts shipped to a desired location, and complete construction in a few months. The structures' modular designalso means they can be combined into small villages or larger homes.The homes havea few optional bells and whistles to increase sustainability as well, including a water reclaiming system, spotsfor solar panels on the roof, and open slats that allow for geothermal heating and cooling.The price for construction is generally below $200,000 before finishes, flooring, and appliances, thoughit depends on square footage. The company says that units usuallycost about $175 per square foot to construct.It's a high-tech, almost IKEA-like solution to housing, a "future-proof" home that can withstandtropical storms and usher people toward a more sustainable lifestyle.The company has already sold some individual homes to customers in Florida, but this week, it will begin work on its first group housing development in the Caribbean. Cubicco designer Marcio Gomes da Cruz tells Business Insider that the company has residentialprojects underwayin the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.Cubicco is an appealing model on those islands for several reasons. First, the designs are built to be hurricane resistant, a definite plus given howbadly Haiti was recently hit byHurricane Matthew. Second, the prefabricated construction process ismore convenient since some materials can behard to come by in island locations. And third, theconstruction doesn't createa lot of waste, which is an importantconsideration in placeswithout muchlandfill space."Disposal is very expensive in the Caribbeanwhen you want to get rid of a dumpster full of construction debris, it's kind of an issue,"da Cruz says.Da Cruz won't yet say where the specific developments arelocated, or how many units will bein each project. But he says the company expects to finish them in the next few months.Cubicco is now focusing on large-scale projects like these, andhas stoppedselling straight to individual customers. Da Cruz sayspart of the reasonis thatconsumers generally look for the cheapest housing available."Most people in Florida willcome to us because they love the idea and they love what we're doing. But when it comes down to dollars and cents, they don't want to pay for it," he says. "They don't want to pay for the additional installation. They don't want to pay for the water reclaiming system. So it's the kind of thing that, if you don't care about the environment, we're not the company for you."Cubicco's design has been approved under Florida's building codes formodular unitsin Florida (which pertains toeverything but the foundation), but the homes cost more than traditionally constructed houses because of their sustainable, storm-resistant features."We are notaffordable housing," da Cruz says. "We're a higher end product that can be achieved for relatively decent price per square foot."So while some buyers in Florida are stillignoring climate warnings and snatchingup weather- and flood-susceptible properties, Caribbean homeowners willsoon get a new,more disaster-proof option.SEE ALSO:These beautiful round homes are hurricane-proofJoin the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: This Lego-style home can be built in a few weeks with just a screwdriver
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