Could sustainable, mobile ‘Tiny Houses’ be the future?

In an effort to tackle the climate crisis, new environmentally-friendly ‘Tiny Houses’ for extra flexibility and modern greener living have been created with cladding by Norwegian wood producer Kebony.

A global leader in the production of sustainable modified wood, the firm has played its part in masterminding a new, innovative housing model – known as ‘Tiny Houses’ – to offer sustainable, mobile and affordable living as the trend for minimalist design and flexible living continues to grow globally.

The Tiny Houses, which range from 18-23 sq/m, provide the key essentials - including a bathroom, heating system and electrical power supply - but have been expertly designed to encourage people to comfortably live more simply, sustainably and efficiently.

The unique homes have been built almost entirely from wood, and each is clad with Kebony technology to provide a stylish finish. The Kebony cladding offers resistance to harsh weather conditions and requires little to no maintenance.

Making sure the homes were built with a key focus on sustainability was a priority for the architects, KOOP Architekten & Ingenieure, who realised the vision for a new housing model. The houses produce only a small environmental footprint and encourage people to understand how to live with less.

Lars Christoph, the Managing Director of KOOP Architekten & Ingenieure, commented:“In a life where materials aspects are reduced to just the essentials, more space is actually created for what’s truly important…for flexibility and personal freedom. The owners will enjoy the homes for a long time. Kebony gives a 30-year guarantee on its woods – and that’s something I trust, too.”

Kebony says the Tiny Houses also respond directly to those in need of affordable accommodation, especially in those places where housing is becoming even scarcer and more expensive. This is particularly the case in German cities, where the first Tiny Houses by KOOP Architekten have been built.

Buyers looking for holiday homes which can be transported simply by a car trailer have also been attracted by the easy mobility of the Tiny Homes, which provide further flexibility to owners looking to travel both domestically and internationally.

“Kebony is delighted to have contributed to these forward-thinking homes which offer a solution to many of the challenges new homeowners face today,” Mette Valen, sales manager Norway at Kebony, said.

“Kebony wood is perfect for the design of the Tiny Houses, and will stand the test of time in the same way this new model for housing will too.”

Kebony’s revolutionary technology, developed in Norway, is an environmentally-friendly process which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with furfuryl alcohol - an agricultural by-product.

By polymerising the wood’s cell wall, the softwoods permanently take on the attributes of tropical hardwood including high durability, hardness and dimensional stability. Kebony says its environmental credentials and ability to withstand all weather conditions make it the ideal material for the exterior cladding of the Tiny Houses.