The TINYHOME-E35 is a 35 square metre 7.2m x 4.8m (including the covered veranda) single-room cabin which includes a kitchenette/dining bench, lounge area, and separate bathroom, creating a very affordable self-contained tinyhome or holiday cabin for a couple or single occupant. The 'E' stands for economical and energy efficient.
It can be built onsite in a few weeks by a couple of skilled local tradesmen and is structurally designed in compliance with the SAA (Australia) Light Timber Framing Code. If required, it can be easily modified to comply with Australian bushfire regulations and cyclonic conditions.
This is a timber-framed building with a corrugated steel roof and an elevated timber-framed floor supported by galvanised steel or treated timber posts – making it suitable for level, sloping, undulating, or poorly drained sites without requiring extensive earthworks. However, it can also be built on a concrete slab-on-ground if preferred or more suitable for the site.
If the veranda is orientated to face due north, the 2-metre roof overhang and side walls will prevent direct solar access to the interior of the cabin when the summer sun is predominantly from the east, west, and directly overhead. With no glazing on the west and east walls, and the passive ventilation system, the cabin will remain relatively cool on hot days. Convection-driven exhaust vents (whirlybirds) directly above the cooktop and shower provide continuous passive air movement at all times as warmer air is constantly drawn upwards and out. The south wall highlight windows can also be opened for cross ventilation when required.
In winter, the compact design, if combined with airtight construction, minimises heat loss so that the entire cabin can be kept warm with a small heater with the assistance of solar gains during the day from winter sun access when the midday sun is lower in the northern sky. With all doors and windows tightly shut, fresh air will be drawn in and preheated through an adjustable air vent in the floor under the heater. This continuous air movement will also help prevent internal condensation.
The standard E35 design drawings sold here do not include insulation, which may or may not be needed to suit the local climate and the energy efficiency required by local building regulations, which will depend on the R-value of the windows and insulation material plus the overall airtightness of the structure achieved by the builder's attention to detail.