BUILDING AN ECO-FRIENDLY TINY HOUSE
Tiny houses are homes in the size range of 100-400 square feet. Some people will contend that any house exceeding 200 square feet is a small home rather than a tiny one. However, the distinction is minor.
In any case, the tiny house movement has gained significant momentum in the past five years. This is in part due to the fact that tiny houses cut down on our ecological footprints.
Moving into a tiny house can be quite the commitment, similar to owning any home or property. This article will detail all you need to know about owning and maintaining an eco-friendly tiny house.
Building an Affordable Eco-Friendly Tiny House
While tiny houses might be more modest, that doesn’t make building one simpler. From planning to execution, you will have to go through and plan all the elements and features associated with building a regularly sized home, albeit on a smaller scale and while keeping sustainability in mind.
This section will take you through the necessary steps to build an affordable and functional tiny house.
Gather Information
It is good to be well-informed before embarking on a tiny house construction project. Talk with existing tiny homeowners who already know what works, ask them if there are any common mistakes to avoid. Visit different homes and search online to get a sense of existing design ideas.
Don’t forget to consult your local community and state authorities to find out the construction laws and regulations. These may affect your ability to add certain features and build in certain locations.
Make Plans
Note that tiny house designs need to be crafted with an eye for detail, particularly when incorporating eco-friendly elements that can involve your plumbing and electrical systems.
To begin with, make a sketch of the desired floor layout, determine what fixtures you’ll need and where to install them within the limited space available to you. It is often a good idea to employ the expertise of a professional when you get to this point. Such an expert will tell you if your plans are feasible.
If you want to construct a mobile tiny house, trying limiting your dimensions to 2.5m wide, 4.3m high, and 19m long.
Power, Sewage and Water
This part of the planning should not be overlooked. Be certain you know how power and water will be supplied to your home, as well as how to deal with waste. Determine the appliances you will need to install and how much power is required to run them.
Your location is key in determining what energy source you’ll use (solar energy, wind, or municipal grid) and if a water tank will be required.
Get to Work
The next thing to do is start building. Purchase robust materials you find pleasing, and that will suit your design. If you are not a very handy person, you might need an eco-friendly builder to help you get started.
Buy Fittable Appliances and Register Your Home
So that you can live comfortably in your tiny home and still be eco-friendly, energy efficient appliances should be purchased. Determine if you want a refrigerator, dishwasher, or oven, and check if they are available in sizes that fit your eco-friendly tiny home.
On the off chance you intend to go mobile with your tiny house, you need to have it registered with the state authorities.
Eco-Friendly Home Ideas to Sustain your Tiny House
Tiny living spaces make an extraordinary substitute for standard houses. Due to their small size, they often require less power and water, contributing to a reduced carbon footprint.
Windows
Windows are a fundamental part in planning and building a house. The installation of well placed windows doesn’t just reduce your energy bills by allowing you to use natural light instead of electrical, but can help insulate your home from harsh weather conditions.
Another advantage of windows is that they enhance the flow of air into tiny homes, making your home well ventilated.
Using Solar Roofing Tiles
Solar roof tiles are an eco-friendly and renewable energy source that is a great source of electricity in tiny homes. They take energy from the sun and convert it to electricity. Lifetime investments, they may be somewhat costly to acquire.
Solar roof tiles cut back on electricity bills and help you limit your use of other fuels that would otherwise produce carbon emissions (such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide).
Eco-Friendly Composting Toilets
These toilets are self-contained, odorless and essentially waterless. They obviate the necessity of linking your home to a septic system and help you get around paying for expensive installation costs.
As your waste decomposes, it can be used to grow vegetables and plants sustainably. Together with a water tank and solar energy, you can almost go completely off-grid in your sustainable tiny house.
Plants
Plants are an incredible way to incorporate nature as a stylistic element in your home, adding color and improving the quality of your air. Plants also reduce your carbon footprint by extracting pollutants from the atmosphere.
Plants accomplish this through a process known as photosynthesis, whereby they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converting it into carbohydrates and in turn releasing oxygen to the atmosphere.
Plants can be grown inside and outside your tiny house.
Final Thoughts
At this point, you should take the opportunity to check out a few sustainable and creatively designed tiny homes online. Looking at these will give you a look at the plans and materials used by others.
Regardless of whether you desire a home that is completely off-the-grid, or one that offers some eco-friendly features, you now have enough information to get started and fulfill your fantasy of starting a sustainable new life.
