Tiny house manual

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Guidebook for Design and Construction

by Thomas W. Rettenwender, et al.

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual 2

UC Santa Cruz, Tiny House Design Lab
offers hands-on, project-based training.
Design and practise empowers students
with confidence to realize their visions
and goals. The job skills learned give
students encouragement to take on the
complex challenges of creating affordable
and transient living solutions.

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2 Architects

1 Introduction Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2.1 What is a ‘Tiny House’ ?
2.2 Introduction to The Tiny House Movement
2.3 Acknowlegments

2 Case Studies

2.1 Mikra - San Jose City College
2.2 Jade House - Foothilll College
2.3 Micro Pod - UC Santa Cruz
2.4 Pocket House - Hartnell College
2.5 Thimby - UC Berkeley
2.6 Revolve - Santa Clara University

3 Zero-Net Energy System

3.1 Zero-Net System Design Basics
3.2 Micro Pod Systems Design- UC Santa Cruz
3.2 Mikra Systems Design- San Jose City College
3.3 Pocket House Systems Design - Hartnell College
3.3 Thimby Systems Design - UC Berkeley

4 Building Community

4.1 Newfield, New York - Second Wind Cottage
4.2 Olympia,Washington - Quixote Village
4.3 Madison Wisconsin - OM Village
4.4 Austin,Texas - Community First Village

5 Glossary of Iconic Portable Architecture

6 EcoLogic Architects - Company Profile

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Architects

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual • Affordable

1 What is a Tiny House ? Housing prices in Central California are out of reach for many. For
others the only way to purchase a house involves committing to pay-
A Tiny House is a custom-built, small dwelling unit built on a trailer ing a 30 year mortgage.This results in interest payments almost equal
to enable portability and flexibility. The Tiny House Movement is an to the original purchase price - essentially doubling the price. For
architectural design trend advocating a simplified, energy efficient and example the median home prices in Santa Cruz County reached an
flexible lifestyle. Homes can be built on a trailer for easy transport or all time high of $868,000 in Spring 2018 and these prices are climbing
removed from the trailer for semi-permanent installations. Tiny Houses steadily. Rental prices are extremely high if available at all. For many,
have strict size limitations, specific structural requirements and, at the living in a tiny house offers an opportunity to reduce debt in order to
same time, offer many advantages. have more time and flexibility for other things.

• What is ‘Zero-Net’ Energy? • Custom design
Zero-net Energy implies that the dwelling produces the same amount
of electrical power that it uses.This is usually done with a solar pho- In opposition to traditional low-cost housing like trailer homes, camp-
tovoltaic powe system. By 2020, California Energy Code plans to re- ers and RV’s , the Tiny House tends to be unique custom designs,
quire all new homes to be Zero-net Energy. built by hand and uses reclaimed materials. In many cases the owners
of tiny houses have conceived of the design preferences based on
• Why Live in a ‘Zero-net’ Tiny House? their lifestyle and needs. Being involved in the design process offers
An Zero-Net Tiny House is designed for self-sufficiency in electrical enhanced pride of ownership.Additionally, there is the pride of having
power, water and other resources. It allows for a portable off-grid built the house from scratch understanding every detail.
lifestyle as well as comfortable live/work options for the high-tech en-
thusiast. Compared to conventional homes, these homes can achieve • Benefits of ‘Sweat Equity’
a much smaller carbon footprint over the life-span of the dwelling.
Tiny Houses can generally be built using basic construction skills with
• Portable living basic carpentry tools.This allows people to build them by themselves
Built on wheels, your house is not tied to a fixed location. It can be at- or with the help of friends or family. One rule of thumb states that the
tached to a car or truck and transported to a new location.There are labor costs of a traditional house are generally two-thirds of the cost
strong similarities to the popular RV - or recreational vehicle - market. of building a home. Consequently, this means a potential to reduce
Also similar to camper trailers. These transient forms of housing are the cost of construction by two-thirds.
ingrained in American culture.The west was pioneered by the horse
drawn carriage and that same spirit of transience is still a major driver
of American culture.

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

• Zero-NET Energy Efficiency This design manual is intended to be a good starting point for anyone

Living on a small footprint mean less area to heat, cool, illuminate. With wanting an introduction to the Tiny House design, construction, and

the zero-net energy code revisions coming online soon we can greatly engineering process with an emphasis on achieving a zero-net energy

reduce our power demand by living in smaller spaces.Tiny Houses that balance. It can be useful for individuals and also relevant in a classroom

do not depend on the electrical grid have no choice but to be zero-net environment for instructors wishing textbook.

energy since the power used must be created by the on-board power

systems. These same principles will apply to other residential zero-net Acknowledgements
systems. This fact makes off-grid tiny house power systems great case Special thanks to Catherine Ayers, Bruce Greenstein and Jamie Orr
studies for optimization and and teaching purposes.
for their support to make this happen with funds from the Energy,

• Less Bureaucracy Construction & Utilities DSN grant at Foothill College. Special thanks to

University of California, Santa Cruz, Prof. Ronnie Lipschutz, Kevin Bell, and
The regulatory costs of building a traditional home are very high and the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation, who share a passion for
have been increasing quickly in recent years. Tiny Houses are currently the creative and economic benefits of the Tiny House Movement. Special
not considered single family dwellings by zoning administrations since
they don’t have a permanent foundation. While the trailer needs to be thanks to Kieron Connolly, Dr Ingrid Thompson and Daniel Ramirez Jr.
registered with the local agencies like the Department of MotorVehicles, who supported the San Jose City College MIKRA House in its infancy but
what goes on the trailer is a matter of personal preference or needs.This passed away before its completion. Special thanks to Caterina Di Giorgio
does not mean that designing and building a tiny house is easy.This type for help with layout and cover page art work. Last but not least, thanks
of structure has very specific challenges and does need to follow the to my colleagues at the Ecologic Design Lab. Above all, Constantine
Recreational Vehicle Industry Standards using American National Stan- Papachristopolous deserves immense gratitude for the years of inspired
dards Institute ANSI A119.5. painterly collaboration.

Development of this manual was supported by

Bay Area Deputy Sector Navigator for
Energy, Construction & Utilities
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
‘Doing What Matters for Jobs & the Economy’ 2016-2017

5

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

1 Introduction :The Tiny House Movement

With all the recent interest in and media about Building a community around affordable hous- In the Face of Climate Change
tiny houses, small dwellings on wheels, we are ing allows residence to share resources and
seeing the start of a movement.This movement support each other in many ways. It ‘takes a Especially in the face of climate change, these
is a response to several pressing factors.We, village’ to solve the housing crisis. steps toward efficiency and self-reliance are
in Central California, find ourselves in another important in our search for more sustainable
housing crisis due to a shortage of affordable Space-Saving Design housing solutions.The current US housing stock
housing.We are also faced with the need to uses about 50% of our total energy.This power,
become more climate resilient and find less Along with the smaller size and portability of when produced in centralized power plants and
wasteful ways to live.We are also seeing cultur- the tiny house comes the need to use all the transmitted to the end user many miles away,
al shift accompanying a new millennium where space available.We use the technique of ‘stack- can lose 90% due to losses and inefficiencies
fundamental concepts of ‘living’ and ‘home’ are ing functions’ to try to maximise the usefulness in the production and transmission systems. By
evolving. Given these trends, the Tiny House of all surfaces. By using ‘space-saving design’ we designing our homes to be more efficient and
Movement has just begun. can use the same space in multiple ways by self-reliant, we can eliminate this huge draw on
building folding or moving furniture, loft spaces, power infrastructure and the associated waste.
Affordable Housing spaces underneath and above the house.
The Hand-Made Home
When trying to find solutions to the current Zero-Net Independence
housing crisis many turn to the tiny house.The Another reason the Tiny House Movement has
smaller size, lower reliance on site infrastruc- Beyond being efficient, these dwellings have gained in popularity is because of its diversity
ture, and ability to ‘do-it-yourself ’ are factors to be designed to be self-sufficient in order and accessibility.This is due to the notion that
that can contribute to cost savings. Building and to reduce dependence on costly site utilities we all can build them ourselves. Anyone with
zoning codes are being adapted to incorporate and infrastructure. Concepts of self-sufficiency basic construction skills, tools and access to
this trend and need for smaller more affordable and zero-net energy are being incorporated Youtube can become a tiny house developer.
dwellings.The State of California has launched into upcoming building codes such as the 2019 The ‘hand-made’ nature of the Tiny House
a pilot program in San Jose. Transitional ‘Bridge California Building Code.We know that in the Movement gives rise to a colorful spectrum of
Housing’, as the name suggests, are meant for future we will be required to design and build custom-built dwellings based on the designer/
people in transition who will eventually find a our homes to be so efficient and self - sufficient builder’s vision and ingenuity.
more permanent home. Given a smaller foot- that they can power themselves. Consequently
print these units can be easily arranged into the tiny house format offers an excellent case
villages to house a larger number of people. study for the future of zero-net architecture.

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Flexibility Sociology ways to circumvent traditional forms of own-
ership.With technology and economies offer-
There is also a trend of using a diversity of Although the technology to live sustainable, ing new forms of living and sharing, the whole
materials in Tiny House projects. Along with the low - impact life styles is readily available, the concept of the ‘home’ is also evolving.We are
ability to build your own, you can also adapt the boundaries to carbon-neutral living are primar- less dependant - less tied - to the land than
design to incorporate alternative materials.We ily behavioral. Our habits and customs remain ever before.These trends can lead to greater
have the ability to incorporate found and/or the biggest hurdles to sustainable living. It is the sense of community as we become less reliant
recycled materials.The building methods used adoption of sustainable design techniques, the on large-scale patterns of ownership.
are usually failry conventional, so these struc- sociology, that is the most difficult to enact.
tures become easy to alter and adapt. In many “Life, Supersurface” by Super Studio, 1972
tiny house projects the materials used have a The Evolving Concept of Home
history.This adds to the novelty, the character, New Opportunities
of the final result. Never before have has technology offered
more options for independence from site, The practical, climatological, as well as sociologi-
21st Century Nomad climate and environment.We see the visionary cal benefits of the Tiny House Movement are
and ephemeral architecture of Super Studio leading us in new directions and offering new
TheTiny House Movement also addresses lifestyle and Reyner Banham more relevant than ever. opportunities. These sociological and scientific
changes we are seeing at the start of this new mil- The advent of the shared economy may offer challenges we are facing will only become more
lenium.A main-frame computer used to take up acute as this century unfolds. For this reason we
a whole warehouse. Now, that computer power From “A Home is not a House”, by Reyner are just seeing the beginning of a movement.
fits in your back pocket. Renewable power has Banham and François Dallegret, 1965
become so accessible, making the dependence on
large scale corporate power grid unnecessary.
We are also moving towards more shared eco-
nomic models.Your house can double as a vaca-
tion rental or offer rooms for rent.Your car can
become a taxi or shared with others. Office space
is also being shared more frequently.With these
trends in consuption we have more opportunities
to share our spaces and environments.

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Architects

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

1 Introduction :The Tiny House Movement

Often it seems like our society is ‘at sleep at crisis. As the Tiny House Movement blossoms
the wheel’, blindly speeding to its own eco- we will be able to push this innovation further
nomic and climatological self-destruction.The to explore the benefits of low-impact portable
birth of Tiny House Movement reminds us housing and the communities they enable.
that technology, as well as, contemporary liv-
ing trends are available to us. Adopting these In an attempt to locate these trends in history,
trends will only become more relevant and we look at iconic examples of portable living
frequent as the driving factors become more of the past. Every relevant design analysis has
acute. Along with this trend we have the op- to honor and learn from precedent examples.
portunity to revisit or rediscover the benefits By searching this work of the past we find
of living in community, being self-sufficient and influential visions for the future. By learning
sharing resources. from these visionaries we make sure our work
is aligned and relevant to sociological trends.
This Zero-Net Tiny House Manual, is an at- We also gain insights how our present day
tempt to illustrate some of these opportunities. developments still fall short of these ‘ecotopian’
The prototypes featured here are designed ideals. Ultimately we find evidence that the Tiny
and built examples of compact portable dwell- House Movement is in its infancy and here to
ings.They offer innovative architectural solu- stay.
tions like walls unfolding to double living area, a
house that rotates to capture the sun’s energy, Toyo Ito
dwellings that are a mobile lab that sees sleep- Dwelling for a Tokyo Nomad Woman
ing as an occasional past time not the deter- 1985 and 1989
mining factor for an interior. Suspended Dwelling,,Tea Stand, Make-up
Stand and Axonometric Drawings
Taking these housing units one step further we
explore how these small units can assemble
into villages and form wholistic intentional
communities.These constellations begin to ad-
dress critical trends like the housing shortage

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual Tiny House Case Studies

2

2.1 MIKRA - San Jose City College

2.2 JADE HOUSE - Foothill College

2.3 MICROPOD - University of California, Santa Cruz

2.4 POCKET HOUSE - Hartnell College

2.5 THIMBY - University of California, Berkeley

2.6 REVOLVE - Santa Clara University

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Architects

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

2.1 MIKRA House - San Jose City College

SJCC Mikra House The MIKRA House was designed at the EcoLogic De- Buildable volume
was generously supported by sign Lab by Thomas Rettenwender and Constantine
• San Jose City College, Papachristopolous. It was constructed at San Jose City The Tiny House format is, by definition, limited in size
College with a colaborative team from the Facilities due to its foundation being a trailer and its requirement
Business and Workforce Maintenance, HVAC and Construction Departments. It to be road-worthy. DOT guidelines specify that the max-
Development & Career was designed with an urban and ‘techy’ setting in mind imum trailer size for transportation without a permit is
and Technical Education and is an urban tiny house prototype as well as an edu- 8’-5” wide and 13’ 6” high. Consequently, the MIKRA
Program (CTE) cational display. It is an exploration of the limits of the House fits to these maximum dimensions but then ex-
• Perkins Funding buildable envelope and a study of prefabrication with ceeds the relative floor area by adding a loft and three
• Proposition 39: California the use of SIPs panels manufactured at the Premier wall panels that fold out mechanically. Given the trailer
Clean Energy Jobs Act SIPs factory.The exterior texture and roof membrane is length of 16 ft. this means a max. building footprint of
• Sacramento Municipal spray-on cork stucco, a wholly natural product. MIKRA 136 s.f. Adding a loft allows for another 116sf (with 20sf
Utility District is also a good example of an automated smart home for the ladder access). With the three automated wall
• Mathew Welsh at Earth where the building facade, structure, and appliances are panels we add another 155 sf. This turns a 136sf build-
Electric operable by voice control, cell phone, touch screen, as ing footprint into a total of 407sf of usable floor space,
• OBC Cork wells manual buttons. which means an increase by a factor of three.
• Premier SIPs
• SJCC Robotics and
Automation Club
• EcoLogic Design Lab

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Prefabrication Mounting the SIPs panels on the 16’ long trailer at SJCC.

The structure for the MIKRA House was
prefabricated by Premier SIPs based on our
provided design. SIPs is short for ‘structural
insulated panels’ which use two sheets of
plywood and foam insulation to generate a
structural panel thereby avoiding the need for
internal framing.

Automated Building Facade Students and Faculty burning the midnight oil at SJCC.

Three wall panels totaling 155 sf of floor area
unfold, with the touch of a button, to create
additional floor space and facade openings.
These wall panels can be operated using the
on-board control system, with manual but-
tons or with a mobile app programed for the
MIKRA House. Consequently the house can
adapt to weather conditions and depending
on use. The additional wall panels can serve
as additional bedrooms, additional living room
space or be opened for added ventilation and
views. This flexibility emphasizes the adapt-
ability of the tiny house concept, breaks the
boundary of size limitations and is a good ex-
ample of ‘smart’ home automation.

The completed MIKRA House at the SMUD Design Competition
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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

MIKRA shop drawings provided by Premier SIPs for fabrication and easy assembly.

MIKRA House is a comfortable dwelling that dou- Key Design Features
bles as a teaching tool and smart home automation • Structure built out of pre-fabricated ‘structural in-
display. Zero-net energy system, automated wall sulated panels’ (SIPs) to reduce construction waste,
panels, surface mounted wiring, grey and rain water assembly time and provide superior insulation.
systems show a real life example of sustainable low • 250 sf interior floor space with additional 155 sf
impact living.. remote controlled folding wall panels with canvas
enclo- sures
Walk the Talk • 945W solar panel array
• Hybrid 120 Vac & 12 Vdc electrical circuits
With material costs around $25,000 this model can • 4.8kW power output at 50% Depth of Discharge
eliminate the need for a large mortgage. A small- (DOD)
er house reduces energy consumption and utility • 800Ah battery bank
costs. Power comes from the sun with solar pho- • 3000W inverter
tovoltaics so there is no electricity bill. Off-grid live/ • All-electric appliances - induction cook-top, refrig-
work dwelling sleeps up to 5. It is also a full-scale erator, electric hot-water heater, LED lighting
teaching tool for research and display. MIKRA will • Custom built Raspberry Pi 3 home automation
continue to serve as a full-size mobile teaching lab system with voice activation
at San Jose City College - Emerging Tech & Facilities • Cork exterior spray-on texture/waterproofing
Maintenance Tech and Construction Tech Depart- • Converts to 4 bedrooms, sleeps up to 6
ments. It will allow future students to learn from and • Optional greywater & rain water recycling system
adapt the installed systems. Instructors and students
in related programs will continue to development,
research and design improvements.W will travel to
local high schools, colleges and conferences.

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

EAEAcr ccor choL iohLt geioitccget iscct s 14

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

EcoLogic EcoLogic 15
Architects
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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Faculty & Staff Project participants
Thomas Rettenwender Jeff Balot
Jonathan Cronan Chris Blackmore
Art Elsea Iraji Fouladi Chami
Dan Parent David Coffman
Matthew Welch Markus Cruz
Joyce Fukuman Michael Dao
Kim Hoopingarner Joseph Heady
Jerry Kauffman Adrian Keeley
Warren Krause Hugo Legend
Chris March Son Nguyen
Aaron Mayes Tam N g u ye n
Constantine Papachristopolous Armando Patanao
Ray Tu r n e r
Administration Daniel Um
Duncan Graham Jorge Vazquez
Dr. Ingr id Thompson Carlos Villanueva
Dr. Moni Dicker son

Special Tr ibute to:
Kieron Connelly, John Br andlund III, Dan Ramirez Jr.

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual Science and Learning Institute

2.2 Jade House,Veteran Housing

Partnerships with local educational institutions
(Rancho Cielo, San Jose City College, UC Santa
Cruz) allow students to learn critical job skills
and reduce production costs.

Utilities

The integrated solar PV system allows for off-
grid ‘islanding’ system or grid tied use. The pow-
er system is designed for net-zero energy opera-
tion. A solar thermal panel offers hot water for
showering. Rain water storage is provided by a
storage tank. Grey-water filtration is provided by
a exterior ‘constructed wetland’ planter.
The combined toilet/shower saves space, mini-
mizes plumbing and waterproofing materials.The
toilet can be operated without a sewer system
as a composting toilet (inquire about our user-
management agreement) or if available, tied to a
sewer system for longer term convenience.

The Jade House is designed for quick off-grid Construction Cost
installation for temporary or accessory uses. It
does not need a permanent foundation and can The Jade House can be delivered in approxi- The Jade House ‘turn key’ cost starts at $5,600
be installed on a ground plane that is sloping or mately 4 -6 weeks depending on the level of (without the trailer frame).There are several
not level.The Jade house comes in different sizes custom design options. The structure is fabri- customized options that can be provided for a
- small, medium, large.The ‘small’ version, pictured cated with SIPs (structural insulated panels) for wide range of budgets, depending on your needs
here, is 160 sf and suitable for single-occupancy superior insulation, lighter weight and reduced and desired options - size, power needs, mate-
with a ground floor and a loft sleeping option. It is assembly time. An optional ‘Smart Solar’ glass rial choices. Please contact us for a detailed cost
built on a trailer frame for easy portability. wall offers automated natural lighting and power estimate.
generation with integrated photo-voltaic blinds.
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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Jade House Construction

The Jade House Micro Dwellings are prefabri-
cated at the construction and fabrication shop
at educational construction facilities such as San
Jose City College, UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo Col-
lege, Hartnell College, Rancho Cielo Construc-
tion Academy as well as local high schools.

Pre-fabrication allows for reduced construction
time, reduced construction costs, less waste and
increased accuracy as well as enhanced safety
and comfort for the production team.

Involving a diverse local student production
team gives at-risk youth as well as college/uni-
versity students the opportunity to learn critical
STEAM-related job skills and encourages path-
ways into local colleges and universities.

The Jade House with greywater filtration planter, rain water tank, roof mounted solar panels

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Toilet/Shower Room Rainwater Kitchen Living Room
Composting Toilet Storage Tank Energystar Appliances Wall Mounted Flat Screen TV
Folding Coffee/Dinning Table

Revolving Storage Loft
Sofa Above (Dottted)

Planter & Office Open Shelving 3-Panel Conver tible
Constructed Desk Accordion Couch
Wetland for Office chair Window
Greywater Storage above EcoLogic
Filtration
A r c h i t e c t s 21

FZParecrouojlteNyc&ett SEptnaaefrfrtgiycTiinpay nHtosu se Manual
Thomas Rettenwender
Ronnie Lipschutz
Kevin Bell
Justin Farris
Catarina Di Giorgio

Students

Nick Kush

Michael Choi

Kyle Tong

Jason Padilla

Dan Li

Johnsen Le

Talin Hallajian

Bella Hedtke

Jesus Contreras

Kyle Tong

Elliott Perry

Samantha Sobol,

Mike Schmidt

Zachary Morse

Jesus Contrera

Samantha Sobol,

Elliott Perry

Claire Watts,

Bella Hedtke

Kaylia Bravo

Miguel Felix

Johnathan Flores

Ivy Chen

Madeline Kringel

Makena Savidge

Bailey Weiner

Emet Levy

Katie Stermer

2R2achel RAEucrizco L ogic s
h itect

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

2.3 UCSC µ = MicroPod @ Tiny House Design Lab

Tiny House Design Lab thanks FRSSYUOESSSUETTNAEADMRINCASAHTBIOLNE
UC Santa Cruz Rachel Carson College
Ronnie Lipschutz & Kevin Bell The UCSC µ = Multi-use Micro Pod Tiny House
UCSC Arboretum lays emphasis on flexibility and portability as a key
Sustainable Systems Research Foudation (SSRF) feature for sustainable design. It is portable in order
Ecologic Design Lab to be easily installed in a variety of locations. It’s light
weight structure allow it to be transported by a
common passenger car. It is designed in panels for
(dis)assembly. Its design for multiple uses allows it to
adapt to current needs.
The project development from concept to comple-
tion allows students to experience a variety of inte-
grated project-based hands on training in architec-
ture, engineering, applied sciences, construction and
electronics as well as soft skills in team collaboration
and project management.

• Mobile Research Lab
• Job Site Utility & Office Trailer
• Renewable Power Source
• Transitional Housing
• Secure Storage
• Sound & Media Booth
• Educational Micro-Electronics Display
• Mobile Greenhouse

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Key Design Features

• Portable
• Built on an 4’ x 8’ utility trailer ($370.00)
• Light weight transported with standard passenger car
• Interior transforms into work space, lounge space & sleeping

area
• Net-zero renewable energy system
• Floor framing extends a max width of 8’
• Comfortable interior head room of 7 feet
• Max allowable trailer capacity (Max GVR) 1980 lbs.
• Use recycled / reclaimed / donated materials
• Water storage
• Bamboo siding grown, harvested, and processed at UCSC
• Modular design for (dis)assembly

Power system

• Three Solarworld, 315W, Sunmodule Pro-Series XL Panels
• WSS Battery Bank UPG 200ah @ 24VDC 4,800 watt hours
• Midnite Solar Classic MPPT Charge Controller 150
• Magnum Energy MMS1012G Inverter

Smart Systems Integration

• Central Controller (such as Arduino and RaspberryPi) remote
control and access

• Renewable energy system monitoring
• Home security monitoring
• Air quality monitoring (for IAQ and field research)
• Automated shading
• Automated lighting
• Ultra-sonic distance monitoring
• Water level and solar thermal monitoring

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Project Based Learning • Physical scale modeling
3-dimensional design using scale model-
The MicroPod project serves as an ap- ing to simulate form, structure, material
plied science hands on, project based choices and functions.
teaching tool. Giving students the op-
portunity to practice and apply the the- • 3-dimensional modeling
oretical concepts they have acquired. In Virtual modeling, solar analysis, site anal-
the process of practice a diverse set of ysis, dimensioning
practical skills are learned to reach proj-
ect completion. • Structural Engineering
Foundations, wall framing, shear walls,
Diverse Project Tasks environmental forces

• Project Management • Construction Management
Training in web-based project man- Budgeting, green building materials
agement and collaboration tool (such sourcing and application.
as Basecamp) to manage to-dos, files,
messages, schedules, and milestones. • Renewable Energy Integration
Establish team roles based on student System sizing, design and installation.
interests and encourage team-work and
integral design methods. • Integrated Micro Systems
Smart home automation using micro
• Architectural Design controllers to regulate temperature,
Iterative design process to get from lighting, indoor air quality, power con-
concept to completion in team environ- sumption, remote monitoring, irrigation,
ment using research and design skills. sound, ventilation, security system, etc.

• Sketching and Drafting
Communicate visual ideas and spacial
relationships in 2-dimensional sketches
and drafting.

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2.4 Pocket House, Hartnell College

The Pocket House is a new inno- oped at the Hartnell College East
vative model for sustainable living. Alisal Campus and the Hartnell
CONS 150 students will design build College Center for Sustainable
and test a compact housing unit that Design and Construction
is fully functional with regard to the
necessities of everyday life. • Pioneer a cross-disciplinary
cross-institutional project based
Some of the Project goals include teaching module for replication
• Design a portable low-cost at other learning institutions. Cur-
living unit with a minimal footprint rently the Pocket House project
of 10’ x 10’ is involving interns from local high
• Maximize the energy effi- schools, interns and instructors
ciency of the integrated building from Hartnell College, Interior
systems and reduce its operating Design students from Monterey
costs Peninsula College, graduate stu-
• Design and install self suffi- dents from University of California
cient and clean, renewable energy Santa Cruz, Baskin School of Engi-
systems so the unit can be de- neering.
ployed in any location and function
without depending on a central- • Provide a platform to inter-
ized utility grid. act with industry partners on a ‘re-
• Provide an instructional case al-world’ design and construction
study of sustainable design and challenge (industry partners in-
construction to be displayed at clude Hayward Lumber, Hayward
learning institutions in the Central Foundation, Don Chapin, Applied
California Region. Solar, EcoLogic Design Lab).
• Allow for maximum flexibility
by making the unit portable and • Display the use of Green
transformable relative to the sea- Building Materials and Methods
sons and types of uses.
• Provide a tangible life-size The results of the Pocket House de-
display of the type of skills being sign and construction process will be
taught and products being devel- on display at the final symposium in
August 24, 2013

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual
Hartnell College Pocket House From Concept to Design & Construction

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Hartnell College Pocket House - designed for portability with 4 x 12 outriggers and steel brackets.

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

2.5 THIMBY - TINY HOUSE in my BACKYARD, UC Berkeley

We are Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY), an interdisciplinary team of strate the compatibility of affordability and sustainability.
UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students that worked togeth- This project represented an opportunity for students from diverse de-
er to design and build an affordable, off-grid, 100% solar-powered “tiny” partments to learn about sustainable design principles through hands-on
house at the Richmond Field Station in Richmond, CA. In October 2016, experience in all phases of development, from design to construction to
we transported the house to Sacramento to compete in the Sacramento performance evaluation. The house is compact, but provides a comfort-
Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) 2016 Tiny House Competition, where able and inviting home environment, with a focus on energy and water
we took 2nd place overall and won specific awards for home life, water efficiency. Now that the SMUD competition has passed, our team is con-
conservation, sustainability, and craftsmanship. tinuing to test the home’s systems at the Richmond Field Station.THIMBY’s
The house generates its own electricity, and is small enough to fit in the permanent resting place is still unknown, but there are many exciting possi-
unused portions of urban lots. Cities around the world face the challenge bilities.THIMBY could be the first home in a community of carbon neutral
of housing a growing population while the size, cost and carbon footprint housing, or serve as a residence for a park caretaker and partner along the
of homes continue to rise.THIMBY is a 170 sq. ft. one bedroom, one bath- Richmond Greenway.
30 room home that is designed to serve two residents and aims to demon-

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

THIMBY House - panelized construction methods, healthy building materials and lots of smiles !

31

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

THIMBY, a 170-ft², one-bedroom, that utilizes CO2 as a low-Green-
one-bathroom house, was designed house Warming Potential (GWP)
to meet the needs of a couple includ- refrigerant. Rainwater collection and
ing a grad student, living in the Bay human waste composting also allow
Area. The specific end location will THIMBY to cost-effectively minimize
depend on accessing land available for its life cycle emissions, demonstrating
off-grid tiny houses, and could include the compatibility of sustainability and
an urban park, urban farm caretaker affordability objectives.
housing, or integration within a pilot
community of off-grid eco-homes. While serving as a functional home
Featuring carbon-negative cork in- for a graduate student and part-
sulation and reclaimed cedar siding, ner, THIMBY will also be used as an
THIMBY was built to reflect the en- educational model for other green
vironmental sustainability values of its building projects taken on by student
end users. groups and researchers at UC Berke-
ley.THIMBY will integrate a Home En-
The house is powered by a 2.3 kW ergy Management and online water
PV array, generating electricity that quality monitoring system to ensure
can be stored in the unit’s 6.4 kWh reliability and performance of all en-
Li-Ion battery.THIMBY recycles grey- ergy and water system components.
water through a vertical flow “living
wall” filtration system combined with 33
an activated carbon filter and UV dis-
infection light for later non-potable
use in the shower or for irrigation.
Water and space heating are pow-
ered by an air-to-water heat pump

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual
THIMBY House - Floorplan built on a 24 foot long trailer

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

TEAM MEMBERS
Ian Bolliger, Alana Siegner, Caroline Karmann, Brett Webster, Gawain Kessner,
Kenneth Gotlieb, Tom Webster, Brooke Maushund, Kit Elsworth, Imran Sheikh,
Sara Tepfer Oriya Cohen, Emily Woods

34 Project: THIMBY - Tiny House in My Backyard Sheet Title: Drawing Number:
100% Construction Document Set
Floor Plan
Date: August 30, 2016

Scale: 21" = 1'

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

2.6 The rEvolve House, Santa Clara University

36

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Santa Clara University undergraduate students seating area and fold out table.The home will also Faculty:
have come together over the past two years to contain a 35 sq. ft wet bathroom with a dry-flush Tim Hight, Ph.D, James Reites, S.J.
build a tiny house filled with big amenities and toilet that will eliminate the use of a black water TEAM MEMBERS
comfort.The 238 sq. ft tiny house is a fraction of system. The walls will be constructed with Struc- Don Bollard, Jonathan Bors,
the size of a traditional house, yet it is constructed tural Insulated Panels, which will make our house Jun Chang, Gabriel Christ,Thomas Chun, Kai-
to meet our audience’s needs in a sustainable way. stronger and more energy efficient than a tradi- leen Cruden,
tional stick framed home.The rEvolve House also Jack Dinkelspiel, Brianna Eremita
We have designed the rEvolve House as a short features an accessible roof deck that provides an Elena Fromer, Joyce Fung, JJ Galvin, George
term, low cost housing solution for Operation expanded seating area for six. Giannos, Marcus Grassi, Anna Harris, Mike
Freedom Paws, a non-profit organization that pre- Heffernan, AJ Hood, Kara Horwald, Olivia
pares veterans to train their own service dogs.The In order to support an off-grid lifestyle, the house Hsieh, James LeClercq , Matt LoGrasso, Tay-
tiny house provides the first step in the journey is powered entirely by eight 330 Watt Sunmod- lor Mau, Nico Metais, Nathan Metzger, Sa-
of empowering veterans to evolve their indepen- ule solar panels. The house stores its energy us- mantha Morehead, Martin Prado, Sam Suri ,
dence and is a safe haven for them to acclimate ing saltwater batteries, the only batteries in the Emma West , Alexander Polatnick.
and begin training their dogs prior to returning to world to be Cradle to Cradle certified. In order
their respective homes. to improve the home’s solar efficiency by 30%, the 37
house’s trailer will be connected to a Colossun
The architecture of the home is designed around solar tracking ring allowing the entire house to re-
a coastal contemporary theme that will provide a volve as the sun moves across the sky.
calming and accommodating environment for any
disability that the veterans may face. All aspects http://revolvehouse.com/about
of the home are dog friendly in order to enhance
the quality of life to both the veteran and his or
her service dog.

The house features a bedroom with a Murphy
bed and a full sized kitchen that incorporates a

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

3.0 Zero-Net Energy Systems

3.1 Zero-Net Energy System Design Basics
3.2 UC Santa Cruz, MicroPod Systems Design
3.3 San Jose CC, MIKRA Systems Design
3.4 Hartnell College, Salinas, Pocket House
3.5 UC Berkeley,THIMBY Systems Design

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

3.1 Zero-Net Energy Systems Design Basics

The Zero-net Tiny House format offers a useful case study for ‘zero net Step-by-Step Guide to designing your zero-net power system.
energy systems design. Tiny houses, by definition are portable and must
achieve a level of self-sufficiency. Producing their own power is a first step
in achieving this autonomy. A well designed solar PV system can be used to 1. Estimate power demand by making a list of all estimated power
produce as much or more power than is needed for comfortable living.This
is the basic concept behind ‘zero net energy’. users (equipment, tools, audio, visual, lighting, pumps, outlets, etc.)
2. Use a ‘flow’ , ‘network’ or system diagram to understand all the
With recent movements to pro-actively achieve greater energy efficiency
through implementing energy efficiency through state-wide energy efficien- components needed and how they are related.
cy standards the consumer is forced to achieve a level of energy efficiency 3. Evaluate the space requirements of your system. Estimate how the
with any new construction or remodel. This reduces dependence on the
electrical grid saving costs in energy production and helps avoid capacity equipment will fit in a limited space. Consider all surfaces - total roof
issues such as the so called ‘duck curve’. surface & exterior wall surfaces. Consider multi-use ‘stacking of functions’
like awnings, drawers, slanting surfaces, glass surfaces, blinds, etc.
Achieving greater energy efficiency can be costly and a burden on the build- 4. Contact a solar supplier to help you quantify the make and model
ing industry. Government rebates have helped alleviate this burden. Energy of the system components - panels, batteries, inverter, charge controller,
efficiency measures pay for themselves after a few years but require a larger mounting hardware, etc.
initial investment. 5. Design and install the Electrical system. Decide where switches,
outlets, lighting, pumps, circuits from power source, etc.Will be placed in
In a well equipped tiny home half the budget can go towards the systems relation to the floorplan and volume available. Consult with a Licensed
cost. An important first step in system design is an energy use analysis. It can Electrician to make sure you have the electrical wiring set-up correctly.
be a challenge to predict how the home will be used and how it will adapt 6. Install the solar energy system with its components and mounting hard-
over the years. Here are a few initial steps to figure out an energy budget ware. Solar panel mounting systems attach to the roof or wall surface,
that will help the designer determine capacity needs. By economizing our a frame or a free standing structure like blinds or louvers. Power sup-
use we can reduce systems cost and ensure that our renewable energy sys- plied by the panels is regulated by a charge controller. The energy is
tem is properly sized. If properly sized we can ensure the same comforts of then stored in batteries. The batteries will supply consistent power to
a grid tied system. And every watt not used (negawatt) is a watt that does the dwelling.You can add an inverter to supply AC power for standard
not need to be produced, processed or stored. domestic appliances. Batteries, charge controllers, inverter, and all circuit
breakers need to be in a dry and weatherproof area.This equipment is
usually stored in a ventilated utility closet.
7. For additional ‘smart’ home functions design and install a CPU system
like Arduino or RaspberryPi .This CPU panel needs to be easily remov-
able for transport and servicing. A modular assembly system can allow
for future additions and alterations. A power supply needs to be pro-
vided. If it is easy to disconnect the panel you can remove it for servicing.

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Load Analysis Spreadsheet

Z N E T H MSeereopagee3t8 onf eHrogmye Poinwyer issouue s5e8 foradneuscarliption of columns and instructions for using this form.

Use “1” for “YES” or “2” for “NO” in columns D & E to take advantage of automatic totaling.

check : http://www.wholesalesolar.com/solar-information/how-to-save-energy/power-table

Sample energy efhfttip:c//iwewwn.cuvym.esdtu/u~gdfloymeanh/nCDdAE1p70o/pwvloeadrs.htbmul dget estimation.
http://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/CDAE170/2003/load%20analysis/loadcalc.pdf

Run Hours Days W-hours
/Day
Appliance Qty. Volts Watts /Day /Week 7 540 Incandescent CFL LED
refrigerator 7 2400 $2
stove top 1 117 1350 0.4 7 1150 Approximate cost per bulb $1 8,000 $8 or less
toaster oven 77 14W 25,000
Bathroom Light 1 120 1200 2 7 384 Average lifespan in hrs. 1,200 10W
range hood 7 600 3
monitor (TV) 1 120 1150 1 7 600 Watts used 60W $6 1
laptop 7 48 $42 $8
cell phone 2 3.56 1 4 571 No. of bulbs needed for 25,000 hours of 21 $48 $30
eletric winch 7 100 use $21 $38
fans (bathroom) 1 120 192 2 7 400 Total purchase price of bulbs over 23 $180
water pump 7 60 years $201
sound 1 120 150 4 7 480 Total cost of electricity used (25,000
Room Light 7 240 hours at $0.12 per kWh)
Kitchen Light 1 150 150 4 7 30
blender Total operational cost over 23 years
vacuum 2 58 3 0
0
4 120 500 0.5

1 120 100 1

2 120 200 1 Savings (%) vs Incandescent 76.1% 81.1%

1 120 60 1

2 120 120 2

1 120 120 2

1 220 300 0.1

Total Daily 7611
Average
Watt-hrs

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

3.2 UCSC MicroPod Systems Design

Basic system diagram for a hybrid AC/DC power system with integrated
RaspberryPi central proccessing unit (CPU).

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual 3. DC Circuit

Description of system components Efinciency Boost
-Panels produce DC power, and many appliance use DC (LED lights,
1. Power Supply speakers, phones/laptops)
-A DC circuit avoids conversion back and forth from AC, saving energy
945 Watt photovoltaic system (3panels)
- up to 6.6 kWh per day 4. AC Circuit + Grid Tie
- as low as 3.5 kWh per day
200 amp-hour battery bank Inverter
- 4.8 kWh storage -Converts DC power to AC power
- Charge controller to prevent damage to batteries from overcharg- -Allows support for AC appliances
ing -Allow for connection to the AC grid

2. Smart System

Raspberry Pi 3
- Programmable microprocessor
- Monitor the effectiveness of the structure and track resources
- Automate other components : lighting, shading, sound system, etc.
Environmental Sensors
- Modules compatible with the Pi thet collect data
- Sensors for temperature and humidity
- Air quality (Dust Sensor, Gas Sensor, hCHO sensor)
- Can be used to monitor and regulate the comfort of the structure
or for environmental testing and field research
Resource Monitoring
- Pi moules can be hookrd up to the power system to track energy
use and battery levels
- Ultrasonic distance-measuring sensors can monitor the watr tank
level
Touchscreen Display
- Prents the data in an elegant user-friendly interface
- Teaches occupants how to effectively use the structure, makes sus-
tainable living simpler

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Sample solar panel specification sheet

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

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Architects

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

UCSC MicroPod Electrical & microsystems Plan

GFI GFIEF P S
GFI GFI A
A TD
EF
P
S
S SSS

D

P S
A S

TD D

GFI
WP

P EF EcoLogic
Architects
47

Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

3.3 MIKRA House Systems Design, San Jose City College

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Zero Net Energy Tiny House Manual

Key Design Features

• Structure built out of pre-fabricated ‘structural insulated panels’ (SIPs) to reduce weight,

waste, assembly time and provide superior insulation.

• 250 Ft2 floor space with additional 150 ft2 remote controlled folding wall panels with canvas

enclosures

• 945W solar panel array

• Hybrid 120 -VAC & 12 -VDC electrical circuits

• 4.8kW power output at 50% DOD

• 800Ah battery bank`

Motorized winch to lower the folding panels (above) with remote • 3000W inverter
control from Raspberry Pi control system built into the wall near • All electric appliances - induction cook-top, refrigerator, electric hot water heater, led lighting
the entry (below). • Raspberry Pi 3 home automation system with voice activation

• Cork exterior spray-on texture/waterproofing

• Comfortably sleeps up to 5 people

• Greywater & rain water recycling system.

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4 9996646 UPG UB-GC2 200 aH 6V AGM Battery $0.00 $0.00
2 9850022 $0.00 $0.00
1 9850012 4 Star Solar 2/0 - 12" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (white) $0.00 $0.00
4 Star Solar 2/0 - 18" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (white) $0.00 $0.00
Zero Net 1Energy Tin9y8H51o0u1se2 Manua4l Star Solar 2/0 - 18" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (red) $358.34 $358.34
1 9000013 Service - Shipping & Handling -$358.34 -$358.34
1 9000178 Discount - Massive Moving Sale - Ends June 30th

Sample DC only Solar System Quote provided by Wholesale Solar, June 2015

Wholesale Solar, Inc Quote Number: 122317 Toll Free: 800-472-1142
POB 124 Date: 6/22/2015 Local Phone: 530-926-2900
Mount Shasta CA 96067
Salesperson: Wil Fax: 530-926-1162
www.wholesalesolar.com

B Gerald W. Bernstein, City College of S San Jose City College
I H
L City College of San Francisco I 123 Placeholder Pl.
L P
I 1400 Evans Avenue P
I
N San Francisco CA 94124 N San Jose CA 95101
G
G [email protected]
Split Residential with Liftgate

Quantity Part Description Price Extension
3 1922279 Solarworld, 315W, Sunmodule Pro-Series XL, Silver Mono, SW315, 46mm $335.00 $1,005.00
3 9994165 4 Star Solar MC4 10 AWG-PV Wire - 50' cable extension
3 8500322 Midnite Breaker DC DIN MNEPV-15 15 amp 150VDC DIN, 13mm $45.00 $135.00
1 9930041 Midnite Surge Suppressor MNSPD-300-DC $12.50 $37.50
1 8910239 MidNite MNPV-3, 3 Position Combiner Box $85.00 $85.00
1 3900141 Midnite Solar Classic MPPT Charge Controller 150 $72.00 $72.00
1 9991000 Midnite Breaker Box MNEDC Quad for panel mount DC breakers $607.00
2 8941125 Midnite Breaker DC Panel Mount MNEDC-100 amp 150VDC 3/4" $50.00 $607.00
1 1898565 WSS Battery Bank UPG 400aH @ 12VDC 4,800 watt hours (4) $25.00 $50.00
4 9996646 $870.00 $50.00
2 9850022 UPG UB-GC2 200 aH 6V AGM Battery
1 9850012 4 Star Solar 2/0 - 12" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (white) $0.00 $870.00
1 9851012 4 Star Solar 2/0 - 18" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (white) $0.00 $0.00
1 9000013 4 Star Solar 2/0 - 18" UL Cable, Battery Interconnect (red) $0.00 $0.00
1 9000178 Service - Shipping & Handling $0.00 $0.00
$358.34 $0.00
Discount - Massive Moving Sale - Ends June 30th -$358.34
$358.34
-$358.34

This quote is a DC only system, requires payment by check or bank transfer. Sub Total: $2,911.50
Tax: $218.36
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Quote Total: $3,129.86
50 A r c h i t e c t s Savings: $358.34