Energy Efficiency of Tiny Homes
Over the past few years, tiny houses have been quickly growing in popularity around the world. You’ve probably at least seen an article about a tiny house: a cozy little cabin where writers or artist-types can live off the grid and escape from society while still keeping most modern luxuries.
Aside from this romantic aspect of tiny homes, they are also growing in popularity because of their relatively cheap cost and incredible potential for energy efficiency!
What are Tiny Homes?
A tiny home is around 100 to 400 square feet, compared to the average American home, which is roughly 2,600 square feet. They really earn the name “tiny”!
Just as with normal-sized houses, tiny homes occupy a vast range of prices, depending on the features they have, their size, the materials they are made of, and the amount of time it takes to construct them.
Tiny houses aren’t just the choice of escapists, dreamers, and people looking to try the hot new thing; they are also becoming an effective tool for combatting homelessness in several large cities throughout the country.
Why are Tiny Homes So Energy Efficient?
Tiny homes leverage their small amount of space and naturally built-in design features to consume as little energy as possible.
In a tiny home, the incredibly small amount of space is much easier to heat and cool than a large home, which reduces the amount a tiny home resident must spend on temperature regulation. What’s more, tiny homes tend to have the entire space between their interior and exterior walls filled with insulation, leading to incredible temperature control.
Tiny homes also take advantage of naturally built-in features to save energy. For example, comparatively large windows let in a lot of natural light, and lofted beds save space and are more comfortable since all of the heat in the home rises to where you sleep!
Tiny home residents can also supplement their energy costs by installing renewable energy technology to generate electricity on-site. This is often a necessity—unless your tiny home is on a regular plot of land and connected to the main power grid, you’ll have to get your electricity somewhere else. Luckily, a few solar panels and wind turbines should be all your home needs to thrive!
Is a Tiny Home Right For You?
While a tiny house is definitely not the right answer for everyone, all homeowners can definitely learn a thing or two from tiny home residents, like being more conscious of energy and water usage, upgrading old appliances for newer ones, and generally being aware of their home’s energy usage and needs.
Check out the rest of our Bright Insights blog to learn more about energy efficiency and the benefits of renewable energy!
