Gabriel Parent-Leblanc from Habitations MicroÉvolution built his gorgeous tiny house on wheels to show it was possible to live in a tiny house, year round, in a northern climate. He’s now spending his third winter in his tiny house near Montreal, Quebec and not only is he surviving and staying warm, he’s also saving a ton of money by heating the house with a solar air heater (EcoSolaris is working on a new model of the panel, coming soon!).
During the day, his heat comes almost exclusively from the panel he installed on the side of his house that cycles indoor air through the solar heated panel and back into the house. On cloudy days and at night he uses an electric heater. By tracking the energy consumption of his electric heater with an energy meter, he was able to calculate that his heating bill for one whole winter was only $100!
He’s also got 750 Watts of solar power on his roof that power a full-sized fridge, as well as his computer, lights, water pump and other small electronics.
Please enjoy, learn more, and re-share below. Thanks!
Living in a Tiny House Heated with Solar Power – Tour & Interview
Image © Jean-Sébastien Poirier from Daedalos Media
Image © Exploring Alternatives
Image © Exploring Alternatives
Image © Exploring Alternatives
VIDEO: Living in a Tiny House Heated with Solar Power – Tour & Interview
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A tiny house in our climate, has to be very well insulated to accept confortable heat from a solar system like today at minus 35 with a wind factor.
I’m sure! — Tiny House Talk Team
It is very hard to find towns agreeable to our tiny life! — Tiny House Talk Team
And why, exactly, is that? How come after all these years, we still can’t seem to get to the bottom of why we are being locked out of living like other people are allowed to do? Who is responsible for these policies and what are their reasons?
In some cases, the laws actually exist as a way to protect consumers. I read the other day that in Rhode Island, apartments have to be a certain size. Why? To keep bad landlords from crowding people in to make a profit. Now those zoning rules are ingrained in the code, even though things are changing! I think we as citizens need to let the governing bodies know that we desire smaller — not larger — spaces, and laws that allow that 🙂
Hi Carole, you are correct, Gatineau does not have any ruling yet on the tiny house situation, kind a new thing in our area.
I liked his indoor garden…!
Me too! Amazing. — Tiny House Talk Team
Maybe they will allow you to build a minimum sf required, but only finish a small portion of the interior. And if you ever needed the extra room…
With that house as a wind break, I’m sure it’ll stay toasty warm.
Good point! — Tiny House Talk Team
The place is awesome! The man is even more awesome! How can you reach him?
Here 🙂 http://www.habitationsmicro.com/en/contact/
I admit to being impressed. I knew it was possible. I’ve been in our small shop trying to design a small ac unit that can run off battery banks. The fans seem to work. I’m glad someone else is exploring this. I’m happy it’s working out for him. I can’t tell if some of the shelfing was in the wall. It looks like it didn’t protrude very much. I love that.
It really is impressive!
Natalie: The Rhode Island law doesn’t make any sense. I should think that the real estate people don’t want a lot of smaller, single spaces because they are harder to rent than a larger, shared-space rental. And why should they settle for smaller rents when they can target the bigger rent market? It has to do with profit-taking. The city and town planners aren’t doing their jobs in providing for both types of dwellers. I also think they are intentionally blocking the THM. I also foresee the THM dying in its tracks unless we can get some progress in this area. Even I am putting off my build until I can first locate a place to put it and so far that hasn’t happened because of such restrictive code and zoning laws; Washington State is a good example of this .
I’m not defending the laws, just explaining them. Some of the regulations we have today were actually to protect people in the past. Unions are an example of that, child labor laws, the 40-hour workweek, the FDA. All of those came out of the industrial revolution, etc. And I always recommend finding a place to put your THOW before building!
WOW! This TH sure looks warm and cozy in this wintry weather. Love the sitting room, looks like it can be made into a bed at night. Well done!
If building stationery a extra room to side of tiny can have a battery room old bell western use to use glass tanks that look like fish tanks for the acid have wind fans to charge batteries or the tanks you have 220 amp for washer dryers freezers hot water all set up in a small she’d so if you wish to travel with tiny you can but come and plug in with full power add a glass house for vegetable garden and you completely off grid 2 small fans for charge solar plan to heat water if you go that way
Super idea for the ladder storage and a well designed ladder as well.
Most definitely!
Well done. I’m looking for land so my son can build a, “Tiny House”. He lives in his room which is much smaller than this. So, many great ideas.
Thanks!
Glad you are getting ideas!
Very sharp, I like the plants. Are they for food and just air quality or both? Are there 2 separate solar systems?