Living off the grid, sustainable housing, and the small homes movement.

[Mr. Pickles]

Does anyone in the TB community have experience with living off the grid, sustainable housing, and/or the small homes movement? I'm open to everything at the moment, but for some reason converted shipping containers get me excited.

Any links to forums, literature, and resources are greatly appreciated as is a general discussion of personal experiences.

It's my intention to design, build and own a modest, eco-friendly personal retreat for myself and my family somewhere in the northeast.

[hover]

there was a thread on this within the past year, I am sure of it, that deals with this topic...I'll try to find it.

[hover]

within the past 4 months apparently...

The Tiny House Movement

kinda along the same lines. I am into the idea too.

[hover]

here's a neato company doing their take on it...not too bad, actually...I think the prices are a tad steep, but doable. The fact that you can download their floorplans almost DARES you to do it cheaper.

http://mekaworld.com/company/

[rr5025]

I too am really interested in a shipping container now.

http://www.thegreenestdollar.com/200...ing-container/

Wish I could set one up in Schenley park.

[Mr. Pickles]

Originally Posted by hover

here's a neato company doing their take on it...not too bad, actually...I think the prices are a tad steep, but doable. The fact that you can download their floorplans almost DARES you to do it cheaper.

http://mekaworld.com/company/

I'm familiar with Meka Homes as there was an article in the local paper a few weeks back. This is exactly the type of structure that interests me. Man, if I had a construction background, I would totally do it myself.

I read the other thread (thanks) - let's keep this one serious.

[Mr. Pickles]

Originally Posted by rr5025

I too am really interested in a shipping container now.

http://www.thegreenestdollar.com/200...ing-container/

Wish I could set one up in Schenley park.

I can't see this link at work, but I'll check it at home. FWIW, shipping containers can be had for about $3000.

[Mr. Pickles]

Here's the interior of two similar Tumbleweed homes - I think this one is only 85 sq. ft. Talk about simple and elegant. This one speaks to me on so many levels. There's a design maxim that states something like "a design is perfect when nothing else can be removed" or something like that. This home is a perfect example of this.





I'm at the point in my life where I realize I need very few things to exist happily. We currently have a 2400 sq ft home with a full but unfinished basement. Most of the space is unused. I'm beginning to resent the fact that I spend 90% of my free time managing my property and estate. My relationships with family and friends is suffering as a result. I'm tired and unhappy most of the time. I'm ready to shed all of the excess baggage (my posssessions).

[4Mal]

Scope the Sunset magazine small/smart house designs...

[basstotheface]

How do you get the permit to just plop the storage unit somewhere on a lake?

[L-A]

Originally Posted by basstotheface

How do you get the permit to just plop the storage unit somewhere on a lake?

Own the lot and make sure you're within the local restrictions?

[Mr. Pickles]

Originally Posted by basstotheface

How do you get the permit to just plop the storage unit somewhere on a lake?

Storage unit? I assume you are referring to the tiny homes such as the Tumbleweed. They are considered trailers (campers?) and aren't beholden to the requirements for permanent dwellings.

As for the converted shipping containers, some of them are portable which makes them different from fixed homes as above. The rest follow zoning restrictions for minimum square footage I would assume.

[()smoke()]

if you want to truly maximize your sustainability in terms of less reliance on fossil fuels and minimize your ecological footprint, you need to do a fair bit of site analysis and tweak any of the cookie cutter prefab houses you see offered by any of these companies to your particular location

you can plop one of these anywhere, but aside from being small and using less building materials and energy than a larger house and the eco-friendlier materials that i hope are being used in them, it isn't really much different from just putting a regular tract house up

i'll find a few links to illustrate, but the idea is that you can do a whole lot more if you build specific to your environment--that's why the indigenous architecture of so many cultures works, they build to their environment, and it's why so much of the architecture at the same time doesn't--it's plopped down without regard to environment

proper solar orientation, glazing sizing and location and spec, insulation, and space planning can net you a lot more value for your money...passive solar design is a big one that these cookie-cutters usually lack, and to make use of prevailing breezes for natural ventilation and cooling, you need proper placement of your house to it's location

i'm very interested in this, and i'm actually very supportive of using modular construction to accomplish sustainable housing--but i believe the components should be chosen and put together with regard for the environment and use of the dwelling rather than offered as pre-planned packages...i've seen some incredibly well-designed modular dwellings and i've seen some very bad examples...

i think it is fantastic that you are interested in this and it is very encouraging that others are considering it as well

[()smoke()]

http://www.solardecathlon.org/past/2...ery_homes.html

here's a great resource you can use to see some examples of how one might pursue solar design