Students Designing Off-Grid Tiny Homes for Others to Copy

Every weekend, a group of University of British Columbia students gather with materials and equipment, to prove that students can contribute to change. They’re working on a prototype tiny home powered by renewable energies they hope will tackle climate change and the demand for affordable housing.

The tiny home has an estimated cost between $20,000 and $30,000 and will include a living area, a kitchen space, and a bathroom with space for a shower, toilet, and sink. Electricity will be supplied by a combination of solar panels, a small wind turbine, and battery storage to support mini fridge and hot plate appliances. Water will come from rainwater collection, with a filtration and storage system. A 3G-network monitoring system will also be implemented to track data like battery levels.

Elie Azar, an associate professor at Ottawa’s Carleton University says that tiny homes could withstand the effects of extreme weather while also reducing greenhouse gas releases. He also says that they provide a positive opportunity to be independent of the grid, “If you have a power outage, if you have an extreme event like a cold snap or heat wave that's impacting the grid — by being independent of the grid, you are increasing your adaptability to climate change”.

After the design and construction phase is completed, the team intends to publish an online open-access guide that provides step-by-step instructions. Their intention is not to personally benefit from the project, they want to share their knowledge and help others.

Borrum Energy Solutions designs microgeneration wind turbines and towers that are perfect for tiny homes and rural dwellings. They provide an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions, propane/diesel costs, and dependence on the electrical grid.