As a big fan of well-designed small spaces with a low environmental impact I’ve always liked Sustain Design Studio’s miniHome series designed by Andy Thomson. Especially since I always thought that they make the perfect green get-away if you live in the city. His intention was to create a sustainable home or retreat to promote a simpler life through sustainable living yet there’s nothing basic about them.
At first glance the miniHome series is a contemporary approach to an RV since the award-winning miniHome SOLO for example comes on wheels. But once on location it’ll look just like site-built architecture. The latest addition to the miniHome models is the 12X36 TRIO that features climate-specific design for optimized passive cooling and ventilation. It has 10-foot ceilings and a larger master bedroom than other 12WIDE models but comes with the same sustainable features like other miniHome models to allow for off-grid living through their connection to renewable power sources like solar (photovoltaic) and wind. Super-efficient light fixtures and appliances support the low-energy consumption. You would still need to be connected to a water supply and a wastewater treatment system but overall it sounds pretty self reliant to me. Other eco-friendly building materials include FSC certified and formaldehyde-free wood with no toxic adhesives or finishes. I’ve to say that sustainable small space living never looked smarter.
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