off grid mini home for urban infill

Submitted by Susan Miller on Wed, 10/04/2006 - 21:21.

Norm,
If you're in Toronto October 6-9 check out the mini home at the International Home and Garden Show. MiniHomage   Here’s the history: http://sustain.ca/  This is an affordable way for young professionals to stick it to the city. Buy the cheap lot and live there with the elements and no utility bills. When you’ve had enough of the BS polotics, just roll, dude. They’re lovely in the pics. I can imagine a few of them sitting lightly along the bluffs looking so moderne.

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Very cool and in line with one solution for Cleveland

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 10/04/2006 - 22:32.

I should be in Toronto then but I don't know if I could handle a home and garden show.... we were thinking of going to Fashion Week the following week and they'll be there then, too. What we should do is visit them in Exeter, Ontario (direct North of Cleveland) about doing some manufacturing and beta installations in Cleveland! These mini-homes are awesome, and the website is very cool - a primer on sustainable, eco-friendly living practices, like ...

  • system allows for the simple addition of batteries and renewable systems ( such as solar and wind) at any time...
  • Extra Solar Option adds an additional 230W of solar panels to the system for a combined total 4 panels (460W)...
  • a 400W Wind Turbine, which includes wiring, brake-switch and exterior wall-mounted-bracket with a 16' mast. This option will serve to amp-up flat Winter and Fall conditions where one often sees less sunny - and more windy weather...
  • 400AH of premium Surrette FLA batteries. The 400AH bank has proven itself for full-time, seasonal and weekend usage, and is well matched to our solar and wind systems...
  • Sunmar composting toilet is suited to 2 persons, full-time, year-round usage...
  • roofgarden kit is highly recommended for its passive cooling benefits...
  • LIVOS Plant Oil and Beeswax finish

But a fully tricked out unit is over $180,000... I bet Jeff Buster could come up with a design for half that, which we could start placing on the 1,000s of vacant lots around the inner city - the urban RV park land could probably be had for free.

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still it's an option

Submitted by Susan Miller on Wed, 10/04/2006 - 22:59.

Still, it's an option for the DINKS (double income no kids) who are thiniking of moving into the city and want a single family home ready-made for retirement. Not for everyone, but an option for some. A good way to downsize from your half million dollar commuter home in Hunting Valley and still have a single family home. I'd love to see one of these in an upcoming citirama. And it's a nice package for the gentleman's or gentlewoman's pied a terre for really late nights at the office.

Also for camps in the country

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 10/04/2006 - 23:17.

Well, at $120,000K US with everything, including an Ikea kitchen, some solar, systems, etc., amortized over 15 years, operating off the grid, they would be very cost effective for anyone who could live in a small space. These would also be great for people who live in the city but want that camp in the country, instead of building a McRanch. The coolest visual is a group of these in an urban RV park in the Flats... like Scranton Peninsula... and if there is a major toxic explosion they can be decontaminated and moved somewhere else... much safer then building permanent condo towers in the industrial zone down there.

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