Totally Self-Sustaining Cabin

“What’s the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”

 

Those words, from the mind of the amazing Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), (who, I think, bears an uncanny resemblance to Abrham Lincoln, who lived nearly the same years (1809-1865), but I digress), inspired Texas Tech Associate Professor of Architecture Upe Flueckiger and his students to design and build this amazing Sustainable Cabin. It is a totally self-sustaining dwelling that now sits on it's permanant home in Fourd County, Texas and will be used "to test and quantify sustainable architectural concepts. "

From the Project's website:

"The Sustainable Cabin was constructed from the recycled metal chassis of a double-wide mobile home, with the exterior cladding made from corrugated iron and cedar. The inside includes bamboo flooring, yellow pine claddings and thermal insulation made from recycled cotton (mostly recycled blue jeans). The Morso stove is made from reused scrap iron, and electricity comes from photovoltaic solar panels.

The performance of these systems will be tested and evaluated. The data will then help future architects make crucial and lucrative design decisions, and help them to envision how to retrofit existing homes with sustainable technology."

This little place makes my heart feel super happy!

Watch this video to listen to Professor Flueckiger discuss how they made it.

I want one. Oh...but the Binishells...I want one of those as well. What's a girl to do...

Much Love, Emily

For more information and additional pictures: http://today.ttu.edu/2010/12/maximum-green-in-minimal-space-2/ All pictures credit to same link.