Small is the New Big

Written by Cindy Grant | November 13, 2017

Small really is the new big. There is no better example than the tiny house movement sweeping the nation. The United States Green Build Council of Florida (USGBC) recently partnered with Eco Relics, which is a company that salvages building materials, and a tiny home builder in Jacksonville, Florida. The goal is to build the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified tiny house. Primarily, the project aims to educate about the benefits of green living and environmentally sustainable building practices. This tiny house of 195.5 square feet is being built using an estimated 75% salvaged and reclaimed materials. It will also boast a solar energy unit, has tempered windows, a tankless water heater, and soy-based spray insulation for energy efficiency.

The LEEDing Tiny House will be used as a tool for advocacy. After an appearance at the 2017 Florida Tiny House Festival in November, the LEEDing Tiny House will be on a year-long educational tour in an effort to work with primarily Florida government officials on zoning and ordinance laws for tiny homes and communities. Green Build Chicago, in November 2018, will be the last stop for this tiny home before it is given away. The hope is to start a tiny house community for veterans in transition.

For more information about this initiative, please visit the USGBC Florida Chapter's website. To learn how people are embracing this new philosophy and to find out how design professionals can effectively design for this new lifestyle, consider enrolling in our AIA- and IDCEC-approved "Small is the New Big" CEU :-)

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