Grain Bins as Homes?

Brandon with Brad Poppen (left) and Brett Nelson of Sukup Manufacturing

Across the Midwest, grain bins are a familiar sight. Now, a company in Sheffield, Iowa, is building bins to be used as homes.

Sukup Manufacturing typically makes grain bins for farmers who need a place to store crops. Concerns about hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters led the company to also make bins called Safe T Homes. Brett Nelson, lead designer at Sukup, says that such shelters are meant “as housing for people who need it.”

Nelson came up with the idea while designing a grain bin for his own home. His design includes heat shields, a loft, and windows with steel screens. Each home is sturdy and comfortable. “The temperature in Safe T homes is at least 10 degrees cooler than being outside in the sun,” Poppen said.

When a disaster strikes anywhere in the world, “we send the bins in shipping containers 10 at a time,” said Brad Poppen, an engineer at Sukup.

Kids in the loft of a Safe T Home.

SAFE AND AFFORDABLE

So far, most of the Safe T Homes have been shipped to Haiti, which is vulnerable to damaging storms during hurricane season. Since Haiti is a poor country, a lot of people cannot afford decent shelter.

Sukup stepped in to help keep as many people as possible out of danger. During a recent hurricane in Haiti, Nelson said, “60 people were able take shelter in one Safe T Home and escape damage.”

Each Safe T Home costs around $6,000. One home can be built within 24 hours, according to Nelson. Most of the costs are covered by donors in the United States.

Sukup tries to build 100 Safe T Homes a year. The company always has at least 10 homes ready to ship out at any time. A safe and affordable design means that the homes can save lives and help people recover more easily from natural disasters.

A family eats a meal in a Safe T Home.