Tauranga residents are accustomed to seeing shipping containers stacked on cargo ships, but soon the steel storage units could be stacked up in suburbs around the region.

These shipping containers on Hewletts Road near the flyover will soon be transported to Taumarunui to build a seven bedroom home.

A business has launched in Mount Maunganui that specialises in building cost-effective, environmentally sustainable houses out of shipping containers.

Earth Cube Design owner Chris Brauchli says the containers are just a skeleton for homes that eventually transform into architectural triumphs.

Over $1 million is being pumped into Tauranga's first container home on Oceana Drive in Welcome Bay.

About 21 shipping containers are being used to construct the 900sqm house.

'The bottom line is that it is a much higher standard for a much better price,” says Chris.

The shipping containers stacked on Hewletts Road will be used to build a seven bedroom, four lounge house in Taumarunui.

Chris says building homes out of shipping containers is a relatively new concept, but the building method has existed around the globe for at least two decades.

'In New Zealand we are doing it differently in that we insulate the outside – a lot of them insulate the inside, which makes them smaller.”

He says the containers go through a thorough rebuild process and are completely re-engineered.

Chris says using containers can reduce the build time and on one job it was cut by 12 months.

'We have a global network for sourcing the containers – that's quite a big job actually.”

Demand for container houses is growing with new orders coming through since Earth Cube design opened late 2010.

'I had the idea last year and since then it has taken off like a rocket.

'Last week I got two new designs through the door. Everything from apartment blocks to beachfront houses.”