Off the Grid Sustainable Housing Options

 

Low Cost Eco-Housing Prototypes Building towards Eco-Villages and Intentional Communities

Introduction:

 

My name is Michael Grefe an artist and educator and the goal of this website  is to explore options in low cost housing utilizing traditional, manufactured home components, experimental building techniques as well as off the grid technologies such as solar and wind technology, cistern, rain water harvesting for drinking water systems, gray water and solar septic tank systems and composting toilets for sewer systems. The goal will be to keep the costs for the home low as well as to make the home less intrusive with the environment and totally self sustainable and energy efficient. The outcome for the project is the development of four different low cost housing alternatives under 1000 square feet. These alternatives or concept designs can be built in each of the four different regions in the United States, northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Sizes of homes will vary based on number of occupants from 500-700 s.f. for 1-2 people to 700-100 s.f. for a family of four.

 

What is an Eco-House?

An eco-house is designed to reduce energy consumption and waste and is built as a carbon neutral design having no negative impact on existing resources. An eco-house reduces the buildings negative impact on human health by being built of organic materials friendly to the environment. An eco-house is a combination of sustainable design, sustainable development and sustainable living. Eco-houses are designed and built as part of the larger ecology of the planet; the design and construction of the building are done in harmony with the natural environment. Studies have shown that buildings are the most damaging polluters on the planet, consuming over half of all the energy used in developed countries and producing over half of all the climate-changing greenhouse gases. A successful eco-house should give the owner the ‘best of both worlds’ by providing less of an impact on the environment along with a healthier place to live and lower energy costs.

 

Types of Eco-Houses: