Tiny House Movement

The tiny-house movement (also known as the "small-house movement") is an architectural and social movement that advocates living simply in small homes. 2018 International Residential Code, Appendix Q Tiny Houses defines a tiny house. However, a residential structure under 400 square feet (37 m2) is generally considered a tiny home. The tiny-house movement promotes financial prudence, economically safe, shared community experiences, and a shift in consumerism-driven mindsets.

In the United States, the average size of new single family homes grew from 1,780 square feet (165 m2) in 1978, to 2,479 square feet (230.3 m2) in 2007, and further still to 2,662 square feet (247.3 m2) in 2013. Increased material wealth and individuals with high incomes are common reasons why homes sizes increased. The small house movement is a return to houses of less than 1,000 square feet (93 m2). Frequently, the distinction is made between small (between 400 and 1,000 sq ft or 37 and 93 m2), and tiny houses (less than 400 sq ft or 37 m2), with some as small as 80 square feet (7.4 m2). Henry David Thoreau and the publication of his book Walden are often quoted as early inspiration. The modern movement is considered by some to have started in the 1970s, with artists such as Allan Wexler investigating the concept of choosing to live in a compact space. Early pioneers include Lloyd Kahn, author of Shelter (1973) and Lester Walker, author of Tiny Houses (1987). Sarah Susanka start...

This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it. ( November 2016 ) While the movement is most active in America, interest in tiny homes has been observed in other developed countries. In Australia some interest commenced through designers such as Fred Schultz and builders such as Designer Eco Tiny Homes and TechnoPODS. T.I.T.A.N. Hills along Victoria's scenic Great Ocean Road, is the world's first master-planned, ecological, off-grid, tiny home subdivision. In Canada, the legality of tiny homes can depend on the location and whether the home is mobile or stationary. In Toronto, a tiny house requires a building permit and connection to the grid. In December 2019, Edmonton introduced bylaws allowing tiny homes on foundations, removing the former 5.5 metre minimum width requirement. Some municipalities consider buildings which are not connected to city electricity and sewerage systems to violate their building codes. This has been described by some as an attempt to a...

The popularity of tiny houses has led to an increase in amateur builders which has raised concerns regarding safety among tiny house professionals. In 2013, the Tiny House Fair at Yestermorrow in Vermont was organized by Elaine Walker. An attendee at the event, Jay Shafer, suggested promoting ethical business practices and offering guidelines for construction of tiny houses on wheels. Walker continued this effort in 2015, creating the non-profit organization, American Tiny House Association. One of the biggest obstacles of the tiny house movement is the difficulty in finding a place to live in one. Zoning regulations typically specify minimum square footage for new construction on a foundation, and for tiny houses on wheels, parking on one's own land may be prohibited by local regulations against "camping." While tiny houses do save on some costs, they can still be expensive depending on the cost of the land they occupy. In addition, RV parks do not always allow tiny hou...

The financial crisis of 2007–08 fueled the growth of the small house movement. In several cities, an entrenched homeless population formed around "tent cities" or encampments that became semi-permanent housing. Homelessness in these communities was driven by foreclosures and expensive mortgages from the United States housing bubble. Tiny houses became an affordable option for individuals who lost their homes. With their low cost and relative ease of construction, tiny houses are being adopted as shelters for the homeless in Eugene, OR; Olympia, WA; Ithaca, NY; and other cities. Communities of tiny houses offer residents a transition towards self-sufficiency. Communities such as Othello Village in Seattle, WA, originally lacked electricity and heat. In Seattle, non-profits have stepped in to help provide amenities. Housing the homeless is said to be a cost-saving for municipalities. The long-term viability of tiny houses for homeless people is completely dependent on the struc...

In the co-authored research article The Psychology of Home Environments , it's argued that the drive behind the tiny house movement is centered around desires of modesty and conservation, in addition to environmental consciousness, self-sufficiency, and wanting a life of adventure. In building tiny houses, there is often a misalignment between the needs of the occupant(s), and the expressed design from the creating team. This reality is used as a call for architects and design teams to work with psychologists to build tiny homes that are better suited towards the needs of the occupant(s). In understanding these considerations, it is important to note that not everyone is suited for a tiny house. Smaller homes are less expensive than larger ones in terms of taxes and building, heating, maintenance, and repair costs. The lower cost of living may be advantageous to those with little savings, such as people aged 55 and older. In addition to costing less, small houses may encourage a le...

Tiny homes are threatening increased grid defection because of their inherently low energy demands due to their small size. Their customized builds and smaller energy demand often lend themselves toward dependence on rooftop photovoltaics such as roof-mounted solar panels. Especially with the continuously decreasing price of solar panels and batteries, tiny homes are examples of existing and commercially proven alternative off-grid housing. Off-grid solar electrical system edit Each space and house will have their own energy consumption profile and generation demand. Consequently, they must size their power equipment accordingly. The needed size of battery systems to store captured energy or grid-supplied energy that will be used during times without power production from the rooftop solar, such as when there is inadequate insolation, depend on the generation capacity (as to not under or oversize the battery bank), the type of batteries used, their individual capacity (A⋅h), the discha...

Size of homes edit Tiny homes range typically between 100 and 400 square feet (9.3 and 37.2 m2). Considering the small size of tiny homes in comparison to that of average-sized homes, energy costs are invariably smaller; moreover, tiny home power grids are typically sourced from solar panels, which decreases the amount of publicly produced energy necessary to sustain the home. More importantly, the price difference of using solar power on a tiny home in comparison to an average-sized home significantly decreases homeowner expenses. Thus, the variation of energy emissions and cost necessary for output between a tiny home and average-sized home varies notably. While a tiny home is sustained to operate on 914 kilowatt hours a year, producing on average 1,144 pounds (0.519 t) of carbon dioxide, an average-sized house requires 12,733 kilowatt hours, which releases close to 16,000 pounds (7.3 t). Consequently, tiny homes inevitably require the consumption of less energy to support the homeow...

, Correction to Source 17. "The House That Jonathan Built", appeared in 'Tiny Living Magazine', June 2016, Tiny Living Magazine UK