Summer program highlight: Tiny Homes

The Tiny Home Movement has taken off across the nation. TV shows featuring tiny homes have millions of followers. Communities are using tiny home villages to address homelessness. More and more people are embracing the idea of living with a smaller footprint.  

This summer at Evergreen, students will have a chance to understand the design, impact, and esthetic of building tiny homes through the program Tiny Homes, Earthships, and Living Buildings.

Evergreen is a leader in sustainability and innovation and is one of the few colleges in the nation to offer programming around building tiny. The 8-credit program was introduced last year by Evergreen’s Director of Sustainability, Scott Morgan, and is offered during the summer to allow students to get the most hands-on experience.

“Tiny houses and other low-impact home designs offer people opportunities to invest both their values and their personality into their home,” says Morgan. “More than just a fad, these houses are an accessible path to a meaningful, responsible, and inspirational lifestyle.”

Students gain an understanding of structural design, energy, resources, and waste systems. Students also define what it means to maintain the homes to minimize both environmental impacts and operating costs, and to build in ways that maximize smaller living quarters.

The program is open to all class standings, and offers, field trips, hands-on design, and a close-knit learning community. The program runs for five weeks and begins June 25.