Downsize & Lead A Sustainable Life With These Energy-Efficient Tiny Homes Ideas
Living a minimalist lifestyle for better and sustainable living is the new trend. A large apartment or bungalow not only attracts high maintenance costs, but its energy requirements are also on the higher side. So, if you advocate for downsizing and minimalistic living, moving to an energy-efficient tiny home is the right idea!
A tiny house can be a cute cottage built on your farm or a vardo wagon that can be carried wherever you travel. The more you invest your time and efforts in finding cheap tiny home alternatives, the better ideas you will get. Explore some innovative energy-efficient tiny home ideas here and start building your most efficient tiny house today!
Energy-Efficient Small House Ideas That You’ll Love To Try
Tiny little energy-efficient homes are not for everyone. They are certainly not for large or joint families. However, if you are a traveling monk or a wanderer who cares for the environment, it could turn out to be the best idea for you! Here are some energy-efficient small house ideas that you should try to settle in at least once in a lifetime:
1. Tiny Home On Wheels With Clerestory Windows
Tiny homes are meant to travel with you! So, if you are looking for a vacation home or a creative travel accommodation, buy a tiny home on wheels! These tiny homes on wheels have a towing attachment that can be connected to your vehicle while traveling. Moreover, they have built-in beds and lofts to make your trips comfortable!
Install clerestory windows optimised for venting out the hot air from your rooms. It will not only provide effective ventilation and cooling but also help you reduce electricity bills. It’s even better if you drive this sustainable tiny home with an electric vehicle!
2. Install Floor Tubing In Your Expandable Container House
Container houses are designed for convenience and mobile living. Apart from using them as a tiny house, you can also use them as a meeting room, office, dormitory, and travel house. They come in easy foldable designs and are ideal for quick installation.
Container homes are among the cheaper tiny home alternatives in the market today. To convert them into energy-efficient homes, you can use solar lights and cooking panels!
Also, container homes come with ventilation issues that eventually force us to rely on air conditioners and mini fans. To reduce this dependency, you can introduce the concept of floor tubing in your energy-efficient small home.
This requires the installation of floor tubes that utilise cool water to regulate the room temperature. The water gets circulation across the house using a turbine.
If your energy-efficient tiny home is stationed near by a river or stream, you can harness the natural water and keep the containers cool all day. Sustainable tiny homes can be comfortable too, and this is a perfect idea for your tiny homes this summer!
3. Install Energy Efficient Room Heater
Like cooling the rooms is a necessity in some regions, some regions may require you to install a room heater. By including large south-facing windows, you can harness the natural heating ability of sunlight to keep your living spaces warm and comfortable. This idea not only saves your energy but also reduces electricity costs associated with a room heater.
You may also install solar thermal panels to heat water and rooms. This best energy-efficient room heater will make your tiny home sustainable and less dependent on artificial heating systems.
4. Buy a used tiny house & integrate foldable solar panel kits
A tiny house still requires some connections and accessories to function properly. Extension cords, power adapters, water tanks and hoses, tiny kitchen gadgets, solar panels, and many other accessories are a must in every tiny house.
If you don’t have much time and resources to find and install all these appliances and accessories, buy a used tiny house. Consider these things while buying a used tiny house:
- Are all the applications working?
- What tweaks or changes can make it energy efficient for you?
- Do you like its layout?
- When was it built, and how long has the used tiny home vacated?
- Is it more affordable than constructing a new tiny house even after doing all the upgrades?
To save energy, you can use portable solar panel kits. These panels come with multiple power outputs with varying plugs to charge smartphones, laptops, and other USB devices. You can also charge your vehicle’s battery with them during an emergency!
However, a used tiny house would not reflect your personal preferences completely. If personalization matters to you, try the other energy-efficient tiny home ideas mentioned here!
5. Harness Wind Power For Electricity
If your energy-efficient tiny home happens to be in a windy area, harnessing the wind power to generate electricity would be a wise idea. Wind turbine kits are available for your LED lights, fans, and other electrical appliances. However, if it gets windy occasionally, install a DIY small wind turbine generator kit to decorate your backyard or garden with lights!
6. Get Energy-Efficient Appliances For Your Tiny Homes
Despite using all the energy-saving hacks, you will still need some electricity for electric stoves, refrigerators, washing machines, and other electrical appliances. If you cannot do without these appliances, at least bring 5-star energy-rated appliances that save more energy.
Grinders, mixers, and tiny table fans that run on a BLDC motor also save more energy than conventional ones. So, being mindful about these innovations while building your energy-efficient tiny home could add more meaning to your sustainable lifestyle!
Story For Today
Meet Jenna, who downsized and built a small house for herself that not only solved her financial issues but also changed her life forever! Renovating travel trailers and wagons and converting them into wonderful tiny homes is her expertise. Read her entire journey here and decide if downsizing can help you put your life together!
Conclusion
Are tiny homes energy efficient? Of Course they are! Downsizing is a great thing if you want to lead a carefree and minimalistic lifestyle. However, with confined spaces, you might need some tweaks to bring in more comfort, convenience, and energy savings. With these energy-efficient tiny house ideas, you can explore the art of sustainable living. Share your creative energy-efficient tiny home ideas with us, and let’s take this discussion to the next level!
Also read: Top 7 Screen Porch Ideas That You’ll Love To Have For Your House
