A Tiny Home for Tucson
Casa Apilada del Desierto takes advantage of the wealth of solar exposure in the Tucson area to cover all its energy needs and qualify as a Net-Zero building. Our beautiful tiny home with Southwestern charm meets all our specifications aside from cost, but we believe that with a closer analysis of prices for some of the indoor installations, our home could well cost less than $80,000. With Casa Apilada we hope to promote vital sustainable design practices within the Catalina Foothills housing market. In a region that has been in a long-term drought for the past two decades, sustainable living is more important than ever.
Specifications & Constraints
Footprint < 400 ft2
Build cost < $80,000
Year round occupant comfort
Running AC most of the year
Appropriate landscaping
Conducive to lifestyle of couple in 20s-30s -> Convenient floor plan
Energy Efficiency -> high thermal mass, appropriately sized solar PV area based on energy use
Water Collection & Use Efficiency -> Appropriately-sized rooftop rainwater collection system and
low-water usage appliances
Aesthetic Appeal -> Fits into vernacular architecture of Southwest
Sustainability of building materials -> Uses recycled and locally sourced components
Effective Passive Cooling
