Page 4 - Green Builder November-December 2018 Issue
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EDITOR’S NOTE By Matt Power
The Inside Scoop Editor-in-Chief
Caption. Text
Wanted: A Code for Tiny,
Resilient Structures
Tiny homes are cool, but right now, they’re caught in code limbo.
I codes for permanent dwellings—often weigh up
RECENTLY ATTENDED the Tiny House
The alternative—tiny homes that meet IRC
Jamboree in Austin, Texas, where I spoke
to 24,000 pounds (12 tons). That’s where many
on the topic of conforming tiny homes to
tiny home builders are operating. But many
site-built IRC codes while retaining the
light weight that guarantees their mobility.
My construction eort proved to be a daunting buyers think they’re buying a “mobile” structure.
Another key element in the tiny house explosion
challenge. I managed to knock about half the is the entry of RV manufacturers into the market.
weight o a typical 12,000-plus-pound tiny home. At the shows, so-called “Park Models” often out-
But it’s hard to get much lower. It’s also not the number “tiny” homes. These 10-foot-wide units,
direction the new Tiny Home Industry Association under 400 square feet, feel spacious and appeal to
(THIA) is moving toward. a wider audience. But they too are ANSI-compliant
Instead, THIA would like to see a tiny-house-specif- and not built for year-round occupation, nor with
ic code—special rules for a special class of buildings. extreme storm resilience.
Right now, in the Wild West of tiny home certication, most so-called The reality is that there is no code specic to tiny housing, just
tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) are certied to ANSI standards, the an appendix in the 2018 IRC that spells out certain details. Creating
same as RVs. That means they don’t meet HUD standards for manufac- a new code is a daunting task, but perhaps not impossible. Most
tured homes, so you can’t put them in a mobile home park. And, many THOWs are super energy ecient, operating at or near net zero.
cities have strict rules limiting how long you can live in an RV. Also, With just a little planning, a small solar array can push them into
RVs are not supposed to be lived in year round (although many RV net-zero-plus territory.
parks operate in the gray area of whether tiny homes are truly “RVs”). The right combination of innovative materials, in my view, could
make them far stronger, lighter and more weather resistant than
current RV codes require. I would especially like to see a “hybrid”
code classication: A tiny home that can roll out when a monster
storm surge threatens, but is anchored to a permanent foundation
if the owner wants to stay put. I’m agnostic about whether the code
should be part of the current IRC or a standalone specication.
The deeper you dig in to the tiny house “movement,” the more
you realize that it’s not a fad. It’s the natural, safe harbor from
the shifting cultural and nancial landscape of the United States.
It’s no coincidence that The Align Project, our exhibition home
at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas next
February, will feature a tiny Kasita home that’s a fraction of the
size of the annual “American Home” monstrosity presented by
CREDIT: MATT POWER our competitors.
The reality of the marketplace is shifting. That’s why we’ve written
the Tiny House Tactical Guide, included in this issue. We hope you’ll
No detail too small. One of the most-popular homes at the Tiny House join us in embracing the tiny trend. High-performance compact
Jamboree was this exquisitely crafted project by Rocky Mountain Tiny homes are what people want, and they’re willing to pay for quality.
Houses. It includes 1,800 watts of solar panels. Let’s make that goal easier. GB
2 GREEN BUILDER November/December 2018 www.greenbuildermedia.com
2 GB 1118 Editor's Note.indd 2 10/25/18 2:16 PM
