To address Hawaii’s high cost of living, Brandie built an off-grid container home called “The Green Box,” which provides a cost-effective housing option. One woman has discovered a one-of-a-kind solution in a state where increasing housing prices have made it practically impossible for many residents to purchase a home.

Brandie, a long-time Hawaii resident, has built an off-grid container home as a creative approach to battle the high expense of living while remaining connected to the land and community she values. Brandie’s journey to build an off-grid container home began after her family was forced to leave their Hilo home.

“We had to sell the house for various reasons,” she explains. “I always knew I wanted to come back and live here, but at the time, I didn’t have the money to buy or build a house.”

With escalating housing costs, many local families have been priced out of the Hawaii housing market.”It seemed like a smart use of resources,” she confesses. “You take what attracts other resources and transform it into your house. It’s a wonderful idea.

The off-grid container home is totally powered by solar panels installed on the roof. The panels provide 2,600 watts of power, and the house also has a battery system to store energy.  “We never have to pay for power,” Brandie explains. “Everything is totally powered by solar.”Check out Brandie’s off-grid container home in the video below.