Carleton’s department of civil and environmental engineering and the Azreili School of Architecture and Urbanism are working to construct a tiny house that can withstand Ottawa’s winters and achieve net-zero energy consumption.
Several students are working on the construction of the house, called Northern Nomad, under the direction of engineering professor Scott Bucking. According to the Nomad Blog run by those involved in the project, the group is comprised of engineering students and one architecture student.
“The goal of the Northern Nomad tiny house project is to achieve net-zero energy and net-zero water within the building footprint, while having a minimal impact on the environment,” said Steven Reid, a media relations officer at Carleton. “As such, the Northern Nomad has been designed to showcase renewable energy technologies, passive design strategies, and a water collection system.”
The project was inspired by the growing number of tiny houses being built in warmer locations, as mentioned in an article on the Carleton website. The group wanted to see if a similar self-sustaining house could be built further north.
According to the Carleton website, net-zero energy means the home will produce enough renewable energy to support itself. The tiny house is being built with solar panels and the project is exploring the possibility of purifying rainwater as well.
According to a CBC News article, the house is 220 square feet but can hold up to 700 litres of water and store enough energy to operate for one full year.
On Aug. 25, Bucking updated the blog to explain the process of the window installation, which he says is key in achieving net-zero energy.
“These are triple-glaze hybrid windows, thermally broken, argon filled with aluminum cladding and a vinyl/wood construction,” Bucking wrote. “Some might assume that the weight of triple-glaze windows might be a cause for concern on a tiny home trailer. We can confirm it isn’t an issue.”
Construction on the house began in late July. CBC News reported that students hope to finish the project before the end of September so they can show it at Green Energy Doors Open, a showcase of sustainable energy projects taking place Sept. 30.
Photo by Manoj Thayalan
