Sustain, out of Canada, is really onto something with their innovative approach to tiny homes. In fact, the overall end result of their work can safely be called breakthrough.
The miniHOME by Sustain is a series of different home concepts that really pack a lot of punch into a small space. The concept behind their homes is that each model can stand up to extreme climates. This is part of the reason that the miniHOMEs all have high r-values, meaning that the homes will make the most out of their heating and cooling dollars. With those heating and cooling dollars in mind, Sustain has designed their miniHOMEs with an eye toward being off the grid. They have incorporated high-efficiency light fixtures and appliances. Their goal is to make their miniHOMEs energy efficient enough that they can easily be run off wind and solar.
Following this environmentally aware theme, Sustain has taken some substantial effort into making sure that they use healthy materials for all their construction materials. These materials have an eye toward virtually eliminating indoor air pollution, as well as being highly durable and easy to maintain. The materials employed have been used in a very stylish and hip fashion that, like all great tiny house designs, makes the space feel much larger.
The SOLO SE model incorporates all aspects of Sustains mission to build environmentally friendly, healthy homes that can be transported easily across North America. This 350 square foot home uses one-tenth the water, and a truly remarkable one percent of the energy of a traditional home. This makes the SOLO SE something of a superstar. A home that uses one percent of the energy of a traditional home is nothing less than extraordinary. Sustain has lived up to their company name.
With the SOLO SE and the rest of its homes, Sustain has accomplished something that is rather impressive. Reducing the energy cost of the SOLO SE down to one percent of a traditional home is a breakthrough, and hopefully hearkens to what is in store for the entire building industry.