When Professor Karen Chappel asked some students in UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design to design her backyard cottage, they came up with the structure you see above: a 450-square-foot cottage that's net-zero energy and incorporates solar panels.
The student team was already researching small homes as a means to create affordable and sustainable housing when they were approached by Professor Chappel to help her with her project. The resulting cottage in Karen's backyard turned out to be a new model for shared affordable housing, a Clinton Global Initiative grant and a new Berkeley start-up New Avenue, which helps remodel existing homes and installs LEED certified prefab cottages that are sustainably powered.
Via The Chronicle of Higher Education.
(Images by NewAvenueHomes)
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Love. I want one.
Is that an environmentally friendly DISHWASHER I see?
Every step in the "less is more" direction is a good step.
I live in a 9 by 12 room and share a bath and a kitchen, so I've already wrapped my head around the small cottage concept.
Good job!
What a cool teacher. :) That's really getting students excited and involved!
This is fantastic- like tumbleweed houses, but a little more liveable
It's beautiful...I wonder what it cost to build?
where's the bathroom?
I wish I had more details. I want to see the floor plan, the layout, more pics! I absolutely love this.
Does anyone know whether the plans for this cute building are available anywhere?
Right here, more photos and the plan:
http://tinyhouseblog.com/announcement/berkeley-backyard-cottage-open-house/
Daniel
oooh thanks Daniel!
My husband and I were just talking about this, it was written up in the UC Berkeley e-newsletter. I don't have the newsletter details (deleted the e-mail, sorry), but my husband said that it cost about $100K to build, including labor.
@Shannan... as far as I'm concerned, if you have a tank and solar, you can run a dishwasher. They often use much less water than handwashing.
Just lovely!
fabulous. when i have an extra $100k hanging around, i'm going to build one.
More photos, please!!!
More photos thanks!
One doesn't need a lot of money to build environmentally, just a great work ethic. My brother is building everything in his house. He has a grass roof, solar panals, two small windmills, is cutting down the lumber from his own land, building windows on the south side to maximize heat intake, he is using hay insulation, his water supply is cleaned be a reed and pond system, he has even built his own refrigerator. My other brother has built all the cabinets from extra wood pieces, the stains are natural and they are putting in effecient plumbing and electrical. He won't even need to be hooked up to public power, he can produce it all himself on his own land. He doesn't have a lot of money, they aren't even tradesmen. They just researched, compared prices, and work very hard. I think more people should take this kind of interest. It's good to see others think so too.
@has, your brother sounds like a dream. Please introduce him to me. I'd love to marry him.
I've always loved the idea of a loft over a kitchen or entryway... don't ask me why! This house looks beautiful and comfortable-- amazing in less than 500 square feet.
I could live in this kind of house. I love it. Its really a great design.
Off the grid is a fantasy of mine.This is inspiring.