Eco-friendly home
DOWNSIZING to a tinier sustainable home is naturally better for the environment because of its smaller footprint.
Technically, tiny houses are smaller and would use less building materials and resources to run which makes it much better than a conventional home.
In an article by realestate.com. au, it was stated that an eco-friendly tiny house can go further and be essentially an off-grid tiny home.
According to Kylie Emans from Designer Eco Tiny Homes, solar panels, composting toilets, and rainwater tanks are some additional elements for sustainability.
However incorporating renewables is not the only step, stating that sustainable design and green building are also both crucial.
Some key elements that make a green tiny home include an energy efficient design, using recycled and sustainable materials, running selfsufficiently, plenty of windows and skylights, good natural ventilation, effective insulation, efficient appliances and energy saving lights.
The article reported that although tiny homes were generally small, it didn’t make building one easier as you would need to cover all the steps involved in building a conventional house, just on a smaller scale and with sustainability in mind.
So here are a few tips on how to build an eco-tiny house. It is important to ask for advice and talk with other tiny house owners who have already been through the planning and building process.
You can also visit websites online to do your research and brush up on local regulations to find out how small your home can be.
Planning ahead is important, as a tiny home design has to be clever especially if you want to include green elements such as a water tank.
Draw up a rough tiny house floor layout. Ask yourself, what you need inside then plan how you can incorporate this while creating a home that feels spacious.
It pays to get a professional involved during this stage as they will have experience on what actually works in a tiny space.
How you’ll keep the lights on, wash your clothes and handle your waste are all important elements to think about, according to Kylie.
“If you are going the extra mile and making it off-grid, the electricity set up, toilet and water will be set up different internally,” she says.
Also, how much solar will your tiny home need? Do you have a dishwasher or washing machine, or air conditioning?
Do you have access to water on the property or do you need a water tank?
“Regardless of what setup you choose, be cautious about adding too much weight, as your tiny home must weigh less than 4.5 tonnes to be roadworthy.”
Once you’re ready to start building, sourcing environmentally friendly products may be one of the most time-consuming steps in the process.
Here’s some things you’ll need to do;
Calculate exactly how much material required to minimise wastage;
Visit second-hand building yards to find recycled materials; Source sustainable wood and natural lightweight materials when buying new; and
Try and minimise items freighted from far away, and use sealants and paints that are ecofriendly.
“Unless you’re a jack of all trades, you’ll need help to build your tiny eco home. Bringing in a professional is also a bonus if you intend to sell your home at some point, as it will give the new buyers peace of mind.
“Before choosing a builder or a tiny home supplier it’s worth doing a background research on them to see if they are accredited for green building and have good reviews from previous customers.”
Energy efficient appliances are key for your tiny build and according to Kylie, choosing white goods that are the right size and have a good efficiency rating is a must.
Finally, a tiny home is not a small investment so get comprehensive insurance for peace of mind.