MiniHouse: An Eco Mobile Home

Lately, mobile homes are being considered by those seeking affordable eco-effective housing. Lightweight use of building materials, more relaxed building codes, and flexibility of siting are cited as some of the reasons. But often the most compelling reason is the price: mobile homes are cheap to purchase and retrofit. However, many mobile homes are poorly constructed in the first place and have a lot of toxic materials inside.

In contrast to this, Andy Thompson of Sustain Studio in Toronto has designed the MiniHouse — a self-sufficient mobile dwelling that uses solar and wind energy, non-toxic materials and green roofs. To build, he uses SIPs (structural insulated panels, aluminum windows and wheat-straw-board cabinets). He says mobile home codes allow for more creativity in how you heat, cool, handle water, and filter graywater. :: MiniHouse on Sustain.Ca

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