Project ZeNETH: A Zero-Net Energy Tiny House

Now, two years from its inception, Project ZeNETH is officially in the building phase. At 250 square feet, it is the first tiny home ever to be constructed at WWU. The project has four goals.

One is to research how tiny houses can impact housing security. Another is to design a zero-net-energy tiny house that regards the life-cycle of building materials. The house will represent the environmental values of the Pacific Northwest, and educate the local community by putting theory into practice. Finally, the students want to make sure the project is scalable and provides others with the ability to repeat the design and build process.

Currently, Project ZeNETH is a few weeks into the build process. The students have framed the floor and installed electrical and plumbing. The team is now waiting on a handful of state permits before proceeding with the rest of the build. They anticipate finishing the build by the end of January 2020. 

One feature that sets this home apart from many others is the capability to be both on- and off-grid. The home has a 5-kilowatt solar array with Enphase smart micro-inverters, which allow for energy generation even when the grid is down. The team will install a Tesla Powerwall that will run the house, as long as the electrical stays on 120 V.

In addition, the team decided to use Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for the walls. SIPs are a cost-effective and energy-efficient building material that has become increasingly popular in new construction. The German-engineered Innotech windows are high-performance and energy-efficient.

Kellen and the rest of the project team worked with the university to find the perfect on-campus location for the tiny home: a parcel of lawn slightly larger than the home located at the campus entrance. The house will include a kitchen and bathroom. However, because it’s currently on campus, the tiny home will only have electrical hookups. An on-site storage tank will supply water.

Meanwhile, the team is excited to track the ZeNETH’s energy data using Egauge. The energy modeling tool will be installed in the home’s electrical panel to monitor energy consumption. Data will be displayed in the house and online: The team hopes computer science and electrical engineering students will get involved with this phase, thus furthering the interdisciplinary goals of the home.

Although no one will be living in the home, which may slightly skew the data, the energy data is a powerful learning tool in helping students and others understand energy consumption in a home of this size.

As with any project, Project ZeNETH has already challenged and rewarded the students. Kellen said, for example, that getting fellow students to commit the time required was difficult, but that those who committed flourished. A few of the students have even pursued career paths related to the project. 

Finding a site for the tiny home was a challenge for the students.  For the first time in the university’s history, students asked to collaborate on a project of this magnitude. With persistence, the students found the perfect spot. Kellen hopes their project will encourage the university to work with students on similar projects in the future.

Tiny Home, Big Impact 

Kellen has considered the project’s ripple effect. He recognizes ZeNETH may not be the perfect house, but it will feature inspiring components. He hopes homeowners who visit ZeNETH will be moved to incorporate SIPs, efficient windows, a composting toilet, a solar array, micro-inverters, and low-toxic building materials into their own homes.

A significant focus of Project ZeNETH has been open-source resource sharing. Kellen recognizes that students and other people around the globe are working on similar projects. Just as Kellen and his team learned about housing and energy during the work, he hopes others who follow the project will learn from the team’s experiences, as well.

Another of the project’s goals is for the students to use the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired as part of their education. In doing so, Kellen hopes they’ll be inspired to work on issues like housing and energy after graduation.