Are you interested in simplifying your life, reducing costs, and a more sustainable lifestyle? Small houses can help achieve all of these goals. But how does house size stack up against a myriad of other green building technologies? A 2010 report by the Oregon Department of Environmental Equality examines the impacts of constructing, maintaining and operating a home over a 70 year occupancy. Key findings of the report include:
- Of 30 different material reduction and reuse practices evaluated, reducing home size and multi-family living achieved the largest greenhouse gas reductions along with significant reductions in other impact categories.
- Reducing home size by 50% results in a projected 36% reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
- Reducing home size is a significant leverage point for environmental impact reduction and may be a more effective measure than achieving minimum levels of "green" certification.
- New and existing homes can incorporate accessory dwelling units (ADU's) as an option to increase density and reduce the square foot/person ratio, provide flexible living spaces, and achieve the environmental benefits of both small and multi-family living.
To see some examples of our backyard cottages, small houses and multi-family projects check out our projects page and visit one of our upcoming open houses. To read more about the environmental benefits of small houses and the full report follow the link. DEQ smaller homes, smaller footprint, report
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