SIP Prefab House Kit (Structural Insulated Panels) - cheap and green

Starting around 23,000 USD dollars, this is a perfect solution for a 3 bedroom 1200 square foot home that can be customized per end user or site. The kits are bare bones: you get design and structure (SIPs exterior walls & roof, and design documents). End user will need to finish the house with a local contractor. They have created a list of windows, cladding & doors to order directly through the vendor to make it easy on purchasers and their contractor.


This then gives you great design, but allows you to choose the systems and finishes that best compliment your lifestyle and budget, thus making it your own.


A very important consideration when looking for a home lot is the structure’s passive solar design. In order to be their most efficient, these homes must have their designated wall facing true south, and with enough room to have their passive solar design work best.


The Casa Ti is one of the single family units that have been designed but they have larger units available and more traditional design as well. 

African Tent Living, Stylish, breathable, durable

Perfectly earthquake safe structures that will last a lifetime. Built in South Africa, these massive hotel like tents are stylish and provide a large live able space. It takes about 10-12 weeks to manufacture  the various style of tents they offer. Their tents are  130 Sq. Feet (12 Sq. M) to 3,670 Sq. Feet (340 Sq. M) and more. They also allow for you to customize their designs at an additional cost because they check to see if it can handle snow, wind, earthquakes. They work best on a wood or concrete structure that needs to be prebuilt locally. It takes a few days to a week to assemble the tent on location. 


This is the perfect structure in temperate climates and has an advantage over yurts because of the several layers of tent roof that allows for it to breathe. It also allows for taller people more walking space without the fear of hitting your head on top of the tent. Structurally it allows for someone to connect with nature and their environment in a unique way just by rolling up a wall or installing a clear window. 


The company also provides bathroom options and composting toilets for enviromentally fragile environments. 

A great design using 6 containers, the quik house

The Quik House is a prefabricated kit house built in NJ and designed by Adam Kalkin from 6 recycled shipping containers. From Order time to moving in it will take less than 6 months.  It has three bedrooms and two and one-half baths in its 2,000 square foot plan. The shell assembles within one day at your site, you will have a fully enclosed building. From start to finish, it should take no longer than three months to complete your house on site.


The owner is responsible for everything in the ground plus finishing the roof, making final electrical and plumbing connections, and installing wall finishes if necessary.


The pricing is broken down and estimates to be around 184,000 dollars plus shipping.
Here is the detailed list.
http://www.quik-build.com/quikHouse/QH_howMuch.htm  

Build a foundation with hand tools, perfect for green homes

A solid foundation that reaches deep into the ground without digging holes or pouring concrete! Installation is simple. The precast concrete head is installed at the ground surface, and steel bearing pins are driven through the head and into the ground using simple hand-held tools. This is the best way to install a reliable and durable foundation that will last the lifetime of your structure.


Using the Diamond Pier DP-100 to support residential structures reduces concrete use by 70 to 80%, and by eliminating excavation, dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of conventional construction, saves precious topsoil, and preserves natural drainage.


The foundation is simple and quick to install, with no site grading or special skills, and creates a wood skirted, vented crawl space or open post and beam superstructure, supported on the piers. This superstructure can stand alone, or be integrated with slab on grade garage construction, and can be constructed in most native penetrable soils.

Emergency Shelter for 200 dollars - the hexayurt

The Hexayurt is a prize-winning shelter you can build yourself for about $200, using fire safety insulation boards and a time honored yurt design. Suitable raw materials include common building materials ( fire safe insulation boards,) hexacomb cardboard and plastic. You cut six 4' x 8' panels in half diagonally to make the roof, and use six more whole panels to form the walls. It takes about two hours. 


Many of these were created for Burning Man and around the world. Not a permanent solution for housing but sturdier than a tent.. 

PreFab Kits - the metro Cabin

The Metro Cabin is a kit that can be put together in 3 Days by 2 people. It uses high quality materials and is guaranteed for 25 years with a limited warranty. At 16' deep x 20' wide it has generous room. It has an expansive, airy feel due to the ceiling height which is 9'-9" in the front. This system is constructed of treated timber perimeter wood beams, engineered joists, and 3/4" wood sub-flooring. The walls are stud-built with wood siding on the exterior. The cabin is trimmed in durable, high-grade spruce wood throughout. The curving galvanized steel beams support the 2" x 6" tongue-and-groove pine roof deck.


Prices start around 32000 and then the options kick in, a kitchen, a bathroom, etc.
They have worked with Ikea to create some interior options which I am sure you could do as well.
They use the instant heat water system which might not be good for a solar rig.
You will have to build the deck your self which would expand the living space of the cabin greatly.
There is also a need to find a way to insulate, heat, cool the structure as well. I do not see any of these in a snow setting. 

The company also offers the metro shed as a temporary office. 
I am sure a few of these could be tied together to create a more livable space for a family. 

Order your own yurt!!

The Colorado Yurt is 5'10"you can increase the wall height to 6'9". The standard roof is constructed of Pro-Structure fabric, an industrial duty material with thermally welded seams for consistent watertight integrity. The material is constructed of a vinyl laminate over a polyester substrate. A polyurethane topcoat provides excellent UV protection and cleans easily. You may choose gray, tan or white for your yurt roof color.

once you have your platform finished, the actual yurt installation takes from less than a day to up to three days. The yurt's wooden framework will last indefinitely. The fabric cover of the yurt will generally last eight to fifteen years depending on the severity of UV rays. One can add insulation, stove attachment, and french doors.

 

DIY Panels to construct your own home with green materials

Kokoon Homes is an environmentally conscious home building component manufacturer located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Toccoa, GA.  Basically you buy green panels that can be fitted together to create a home. 
They are affordable, energy efficient, lightweight, easy to assemble steel  wall panels, flooring systems and finished roof trusses. They assemble quickly and with little effort, so a person with average skills and minimal tools can build their own home or shelter.


Engineered, patented design for fast, easy assembly. 
High grade, 18 ga. galvanized, recycled steel built to 24" o.c.
Interchangeable panels in 2', 4', 6' and 8' lengths


All wall components are universally interchangeable and are 8' tall with a maximum width of 8' and have a soy based closed cell foam insulation to R23 (nominal). All panels are termite and fire proof and mold/mildew resistant. The galvanized 18 ga. steel frame is designed for roof trusses at 24" o.c. which can be shipped locally. The exterior OSB wall is ready to finish with any siding or brick/stone. No house wrap is needed. The 8x8 panel weighs just at 255 lbs. All panels can be set on a slab, basement or crawlspace foundation.  

No crane needed for placement. Standard cordless drill, sawzall, and circular saw are all that are needed for assembly. Wall panels are easily carried by 2 people (100-255 lbs. each). A 1500 sq. ft . house can be loaded on a standard 2 axle trailer and pulled by any 1/2 ton truck.


This option looks like a normal house, yet is easy to put together

Reasons to consider a container home

Reasons to consider container homes. 


1. Very low energy usage due to special insulation inside and outside


2. External paint coating designed to withstand extreme weather, large temperature fluctuations, hail storms, and reduces noise by 68%


3. known to withstand winds up to 100 mph freestanding or up to 175 mph when properly anchored


4. Cabin frontage takes little clearing of land and trees


5. Sealed nature of unit resists bug and insects entering, vented for proper air movement


6. low maintenance costs, Low energy usage for heat/air conditioning


7. Easily movable to new location by truck, rail


8. Easy utility hookups


9. Exceptionally affordable with a low initial cost


10. Optional appliance and furniture package for complete turn-key living space


11. Environmentally friendly - recycled high quality steel container


12. Can be designed to combine several or many units together 

A Custom Fabricator of Containers for a cheap home

The new ranch homes of this century are Containers. 

With the glut of containers in Long Beach, and Houston buying a used container and modifying it is an option.

One can buy a 40 foot container around 1000- 1500 dollars. 

Reasons to buy one. 

1. Waterproof. 

2. Windproof 

3. Security, lockable 

4. Can be hauled on a tractor trailer to a location 

5. Earthquake Proof

6. Can be insulated, stacked, combined to create a custom home. 

Perfect thing for an office space or to be used while you are building your home. 

Here is one modifier which has pre-built solutions. 

http://www.coronadomobilestorage.com/custom-applications/index.shtml