LORD NEIL BENJAMIN GIBSON DISCUSSES SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSING EXAMPLE: FESTIVILLA

Inter Model Steel Building Units (ISBU), as identified by Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson, remain an ideal construct for housing options.

One such example of ISBUs, or shipping containers as they are often referred, can be seen through the specially built luxury minihotel unit: 2 rooms in one 20 ft container in Denmark for the Festivilla rock music event that attracts over 50,000 spectators during the 5 days. In order to offer top accommodation on the festival ground, the hotel unit was developed and designed to be portable. It contains a double bed, full bathroom, heating and ventilation and high quality finishes. The entire unit was designed for quick installation and simple storage and removal.

Such an approach, once again, reveals the practical and diverse methods shipping containers can be used in providing shelter, even under mobile, situational scenarios.

ISBUs are among the strongest stationary structures in the world, able to withstand enormous environmental attacks such as hurricanes, tornados, typhoons and even earthquakes. Every shipping container is designed to carry at least 30 tons of cargo and is composed of corten steel making it’s construction very durable, capable of withstanding the rigors of ocean travel. Typically, each shipping container is 40 feet in length by 8 feet wide and 9.5 feet.

Similarly, Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson, through SFBBL AG and the SEED Foundatoin, has been working to arrange shipping containers as low income housing, for the needy and homeless around the world. 

"PAKISTAN MAY BE FACING THE SAME, HIGH REBUILDING COSTS AS BEFORE, BUT DON'T HAVE TO," COMMENTS LORD NEIL B. GIBSON

After the 2010 floods that devastated parts of Pakistan, NBC reported the following:

The cost of rebuilding Pakistan after its devastating floods could exceed $10 to $15 billion…He said this was a rough estimate because an assessment of the extent of the damage caused by the floods — which have affected 20 million people — had yet to be carried out.

But the number gave an indication of the scale of the reconstruction needed after the floods swept away roads, bridges and telecommunications, and destroyed crops for food supplies, exports and cotton for its vital textile industry.

"It will take at least five years," High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan told Reuters in an interview. Asked about the cost of rebuilding, he said, "I think more than $10 to $15 billion."

Here is the complete article from NBC.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38719815/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/t/rebuilding-pakistan-after-floods-could-reach-billion/

Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson, in response to the recent flooding Pakistan has been experiencing, a frightening near repeat of the natural disaster events of 2010, commented, “Pakistan may not have to face the same, high rebuilding costs as before. We can offer solutions that are significantly less in construction costs, require much less time to build and substantially more effective in meeting Pakistani housing needs.”

Lord Neil Gibson is a global businessman, humanitarian and philanthropist who has retained enormous experience and success in designing, coordinating and initiating projects that have and continue to benefit the less fortunate in all walks of life.

One such project that has been of focus as of late is low income, ISBU (Inter Model Steel Building Units), or shipping container, housing project. Since the 1960s, the United States military has benefited from discarded shipping containers as structures for a variety of functions, ranging from miniature command units to extensive, fully functioning hospitals.

Neil Gibson has proposed that these shipping containers be used in such as manner as to house those who are homeless, such as the victims of the flood disaster.

The containers, as a residential domicile, will be painted with an exterior ceramic particle paint which blocks UV rays and deflects up to 94% of all heat from the sun. The interior is painted with a similar substance shielding anti-microbial forms of bacteria and fungus growth, which also assists in maintaining a comfortable living temperature inside the homes.

Additionally, ISBU structures minimally affect the surrounding green matter, leaving the natural environment largely untouched. An increased ISBU, or shipping container footprint used in this manner, incidentally, also reduces the typical daily carbon footprint significantly by comparison to more traditionally constructed housing structures.

The average build time for shipping container homes is approximately 6 months or less, naturally contingent upon the specific environment. Faster build times occur using pre-fabricated shipping container homes.

DIEMEN STUDENT HOUSING: A SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSING EXAMPLE DISCUSSED BY LORD NEIL B. GIBSON

Near immediate, long lasting solutions to issues concerning shelters for the homeless have been driving passions for Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson and SFBBL AG, working diligently through the SEED Foundation. ISBU structures, commonly known as shipping containers, have become one of those solutions.

Discarded containers have been used by the United States military since the 1960s as fully functioning, secure and mobile hospitals. Today, they’ve become topics of intrigue and fashion statements, turning ISBU homes into excellent cost efficient shelters for the homeless and affordable housing options for the middle class, including students.

The town of Diemen borders Amsterdam to the East and like it’s neighbor, it also suffers from a severe lack in student accommodations. In response, a 250 student home building, 5 storeys, laid out as a square with a garden in the center was created. Square building designs functioned ideally when using shipping containers, as they provide additional structural integrity. All units are heated with natural gas, from a central installation located in one of the ground floor units. Concrete walkways were added as well.

December 2007 the project was initiated with the foundation and further commissioned in April 2008. Upon arrival, it took only 12 weeks to stack 250 units, an average of 4 to 5 units per day (actual stacking speed approximately 20 units a day).

The Diemen student housing project clearly made use of shipping containers in a creative and highly effective manner, creating a comparatively less expensive solution to meeting the housing needs of students.

ISBUs remain among the strongest stationary structures in the world, composed of corten steel, able to withstand extensive environmental attacks such as hurricanes, tornados, typhoons and even earthquakes, making them uniquely durable, and capable of carrying 30 tons of cargo. The average shipping containers are 40 feet in length by 8 feet wide and 9.5 feet high.

As demonstrated by the Diemen student housing project, the amount of expense and completion time related to installing and constructing ISBU homes are significantly less than more traditional housing. 

COMMENTS MADE BY LORD NEIL B. GIBSON ON RECENT FLOOD DISASTER IN PAKISTAN

Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson commented on the recent events in Pakistan that were horrific flooding the likes the country hasn’t seen in years, a result of tumultuous rains that pounded the normally heat drenched nation.

“Our hearts and prayers are continually with the Pakistani people, as is our readiness to offer immediate solutions to the escalating housing problems that will be apparent once the water recedes,” Lord Gibson said with heart filled empathy.

Neil Gibson is a global humanitarian and businessman who has spent the last several decades helping governments, communities and markets around the world better themselves. One of his recent efforts has been in working with SFBBL AG and the SEED Foundation to provide lower income housing through shipping containers.

“Pakistan will be needing structures to help their people from the natural dangers lurking in the environment. The projected costs, much in referencing back to the previous flooding disaster, are most likely in the multiple billions, if traditional construction methods are used. Shipping container homes are easily a fraction of traditional construction costs, and far less timely to build,” Neil Benjamin Gibson further commented.

The BBC reported on September 10^th:

Pakistani authorities have breached a strategic dyke in flood-affected Punjab to ease pressure on flood defences downstream and protect urban areas.

More than 700,000 villagers have been forced to flee their homes.

Much of the water is reaching Pakistan from Indian-administered Kashmir where flood levels are now falling.

There have been chaotic scenes at one of the region's main airports, Srinagar, as tourists and migrant workers struggle to leave. The death toll in the two countries has passed 450, with troops deployed to rescue people and provide assistance. The flooding is the worst Indian-administered Kashmir has seen in decades. Officials say 400,000 people are stranded there and at least 200 people have died.

Pakistan has not experienced floods as devastating since 2010 - officials say 254 people have died in the past few days.

Here is the BBC link to read the full article:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29137789

SADC LEADERS CONFERENCED TO DISCUSS LESOTHO INCIDENT, AS LORD NEIL B. GIBSON OFFERS COMMENTS

In response to the events of late August, what has been now called an attempted coup by Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing against Prime Minister Tom Thabane in retaliation to the Prime Minister’s suspension of parliament, believed to be a tactic to avoid a mounting vote of no confidence, the leaders of the Southern African Community Development (SADC) conferenced over the matter earlier this September.

The iOL reported.

“Tension remains high in Lesotho, where Prime Minister Thomas Thabane is still refusing to recall parliament - as he had agreed to do last week - until the security situation had been resolved.

Zuma was in Lesotho on Tuesday to try to persuade Thabane and his chief political rival and coalition partner, Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, to resolve their power struggle.

He gave Thabane, Metsing and the third coalition leader Thesele Maseribane two days to agree on when they would reopen parliament after Thabane reneged on an agreement to open it on September 19.”

The iOL further reported:

“But that did not happen. Instead, Thabane wrote to Zuma on Thursday explaining it was not feasible to reopen parliament because of the security threat presented by Lesotho Defence Force commander Tladi Kennedy Kamoli, who led a coup which briefly toppled Thabane last month and forced him to flee to South Africa.

The iOL lastly reported that, “Thabane had agreed at a previous SADC summit on September 1 he would reopen parliament on September 19. But he backed off that agreement, prompting Zuma, chairman of SADC’s security troika - to visit Lesotho on Tuesday to meet the three coalition leaders who then agreed to meet by Friday to set a new date to open parliament.”

Here is the link to the full article.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/sadc-leaders-confer-over-lesotho-crisis-1.1751041

Lesotho’s royal family has and continues to work with Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson, of whom is very much aware of the pressing issues that are the country’s culture, including its present economic challenges. Efforts have been made by Lord Neil Gibson to enhance Lesotho’s people to advantageously harness the nation’s rich natural resources One method was through improvement of the Lestho’s transportation options.

“The Kingdom of Lesotho is an incredible country filled with valuable resources that will easily make the nation self sufficient, diminishing a large part of it’s impoverished population. However, without the means to deliver and transport goods, their marketplace suffers, and high poverty continues unabated,” commented Lord Gibson.

Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa. It is just over 11,583 sq mi in size and has a population of slightly over two million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. About 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line of US $1.25 a day.

AUGUST EVENTS IN LESOTHO, COMMENTS BY LORD NEIL B. GIBSON

During late August, Prime Minister Tom Thabane was safely escorted back to his home in the capital of Lesotho, as a result of fleeing what has been labeled as an attempted coup by Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing August 30^th, fueled by the nation’s military.

The military are believed to be supporters of Metsing, with an attempted coup further thought to be in response to Thabane’s suspension of parliament sessions in June earlier this summer, a strategy many interpreted as a maneuver by the prime minister to avoid a mounting vote of no confidence amid feuding in his coalition.

The BBC reported:

Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has returned home after fleeing the mountain kingdom to neighbouring South Africa on Saturday.

At the time he said the military had staged a coup - a charge it denied. Regional leaders rejected his call for troops to be deployed to restore order.

The unrest is thought to be linked to a struggle between Mr Thabane, reportedly supported by the police, and Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, said to have the loyalty of the army.

Here is the complete article.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29045113

The Guardian further wrote:

Lesotho's exiled prime minister has called on neighbouring South Africa to send troops to the tiny mountain kingdom after accusing the military of seizing power in a coup. Tom Thabane fled to South Africa on Saturday in fear of his life after the military surrounded his residence and attacked police headquarters, killing one officer and confiscating weapons. Since then there have been reports of hundreds of police deserting across the border, residents stocking up on food and basic necessities and confusion over who is running the country of 2 million people.

Here is the complete article.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/01/lesotho-tom-thabane-south-africa

The Kingdom of Lesotho, a nation Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is very familiar with, particularly its resources, culture and pressing issues, as he continues to work with the country’s royal family. It’s somewhat an openly understood concept that tension has been escalating largely to 40% of the population living under impoverished conditions, which is documented well below the international poverty line.

In conjunction with Twin Peaks Investment Group, Neil Gibson has been diligently addressing and working to bring solutions to improving Lesotho’s transportation options as one of number of means to enhance the nation’s people to use the country’s natural resources to create a higher standard of living.

For more information.

www.twinpeakslesotho.com

Lesotho, known as “the Kingdom in the Sky” is a beautiful, mountainous, landlocked country with enormous natural resources, situated in the middle of South Africa. Lesotho is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 meters or 3,300 feet in elevation; 80% of the country lies over 1,400 meters.

LORD NEIL B. GIBSON IN PAKISTAN

Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson and SFBBL AG have assembled a team of localized advisors in anticipation to regulatory requirements attached to a cultivation plan created to stimulate business growth and investment opportunities in Pakistan. Foreign investments toward projects involving infrastructures such as road and bridges has already increased to approximately $4 billion USD annually.

Lord Gibson’s presence and involvement, to an already existing financial momentum, is looked upon with additional favor and enthusiasm to further the already notable growth spurts, especially considering his understanding government and its need to cooperate with the private market place in order to improve the liberalization, deregulation and privatization of Pakistan’s financial, commercial and other business sectors.

Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson and SFBBL AG will be corresponding with local development partners to bring a world of experience to Pakistan, including multinational aid organizations, multilateral lending and export credit agencies to bring added value. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) are among the few who have already expressed interest.