The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society commissioned a “Tiny House” with help from donors and volunteers over the 2012 summer. The Tiny House was built for the 2012 Eco-Experience at the Minnesota State Fair. The goal of this house is for educational purposes as well as to show the versatility of a house this size. The Tiny House is 18′ long, 8.8′ wide and 13.9′ high. Some of the interesting and innovative characteristics of this house are solar thermal panels for hot water, solar PV for electricity,  solar air heat panels, a solar tube for interior day lighting, and energy efficient windows on all sides of the house. The house is made out of cedar siding, a metal roof, knotty pine for the interior walls, and the floor is finished in wood Pergo. Lastly, inside the house features an enclosed bathroom area, a kitchen, storage benches, a reading nook, a sleeping loft for a queen sized bed, and numerous DC lights powered by the PV panels. The house is estimated to cost around $40,000 and can be mounted on a foundation once it is lifted off the trailer that is pictured.

Learn more about the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society here.