Students at Green Mountain College in Vermont, guided by Professor Lucas Brown, began working on tiny homes several years ago and have now developed OTIS—Optimal Traveling Independent Space—70 square feet of modular living space, easily suitable for one, that fits on a 5′ X 8′ utility trailer and can be towed by a large four-cylinder vehicle.
With environmental sustainability as the backdrop, the 16 students in the Renewable Energy and Ecological Design class (REED) included a composting toilet, a single 120-watt solar panel for electricity, water cachement and a small wood stove for heat and cooking. Making it if off-grid allows travel for the modular most anywhere.
The windows are made of polygal, which has a higher R value than single paned glass, and the
transparent shell, which brings in natural light, utilizes the same material as found in insulated Kalwall panels. The curved wood struts that provide the frame for the tiny home are milled on computer-controlled equipment for precision. The students researched, designed and built the home in 15 weeks.
As Brown tells MHProNews, noting that Millennials are shying away from the suburbs: “The appeal of living a smaller and more nomadic lifestyle represents a new take on the American Dream, especially among students in this millennial generation. They (students) aren’t interested in being tied down with rent or a mortgage right after college. Something about having their own living space which is very low maintenance and very mobile suggests a different set of priorities.” Student Adam Zais, from Wisconsin, says, “Things like this–even if it doesn’t change the world, it’s helping to change our ways of thinking and that’s important.” Brown says the house would sell for $8,000-$10,000. ##
(Top photo credit: lbdandfdesign.com–Bottom: treehugger.com
