Off-grid living

Many families or singles long for a more sustainable, simple and minimalistic style of living. Such qualities are offered by off-grid living in the Tiny Houses and this blog is dedicated to a little overview of the possibilities of sustainable housing. To be honest, I'm a big fan of tiny houses and one day I really would like to try to live in one of those. 🤗

Tiny house footprints span no more than a few hundred square feet. In contrast, in 2020 the average size of a single-family home built for sale in the United States amounted to 2,491 square feet.🧐

Tiny house living can mean turning to renewable technologies, higher efficiency, energy storage and independence. Obviously, with less space you have to think twice before buying things, so minimalism is also an option. If you live off grid, there is also a chance to live closer to nature in more remote areas. Inhabitants of a more sustainable dwelling also try to be more self-sufficient and they grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs on their properties.

And what technologies are actually used in sustainable houses? I have done a little research and this is what I found. 👉

Solar panels are the most usual choice for generating clean electricity. Opting for solar power for tiny houses to generate electricity is currently the most economical practical method of generating clean energy. Tiny homes use less energy, so they need fewer expensive solar panels than traditional homes. With a battery storage bank, solar panels can supply all the energy your tiny home needs - and more to keep you comfortable in any climate at any location. The range of clean energy generators on the market is expanding, so you can build your home according to eco-friendly standards and use a portable power generator, even if solar panels aren't an option.

Obviously, you can use solar power also for heating the house, for heating water. However, another option can be biomass, which is a relatively new concept providing you with free gas from your food and human waste. You can learn more about home biogas here.

And what about water supply? Wells are by far the most common source of off-grid water. People have been using wells as a reliable source of freshwater for centuries. Another potential source for finding water off grid is rainfall. Especially for cleaning, watering and showering purposes. It’s free and easy to collect rainwater. A simple rain catchment system can divert water from your roof to a storage system.

Very common items used in tiny off-grid houses are composting toilets. A composting toilet is a device that turns solid waste into compost. Composting toilets use aerobic decomposition to break down human waste instead of flushing it away in watery sewage. If you want to know more about this technology, I recommend checking this link.

So as you can see, utilizing modern off-grid technologies such as solar or biomass, can provide modern great living. Moreover, old wood or containers or other eco-friendly materials are usually used for constructing these houses . Obviously people who decide to build tiny houses have to adjust the choice of technologies to the area and climate where they live. If you are now hooked up as I’m, I highly recommend watching a very entertaining and informative show called Living Big In A Tiny House. 👍 Check out their YouTube channel.