ZEM HouseZero Emissions Housing Project

August 2010 - May 2011

Group Project Completed By: jeff greger | tad osada | carrianne seger | erik swanson | hamish tennent | tony ton

electrical engineering

mechanical engineering

industrial design

business

public policy

Setup as a multidisciplinary project, the ZEM

house project aimed to study the ways in

which 5 different disciplined combined to

create a common goal.

Design a 100 square foot house

Design a sustainable home from manufacturing to end life

Create a tiny footprint structure that is commercially viable

Net zero emissions

Consider the full life span of the home

Offer it at a price that people can afford

Project Goals

Average Items 1 Desk With

1 Drawers

1 Desk Chair

1 Relaxed Seating Area

1 Bed - Full

12 Eating Utensils

1 Computer/Laptop

5 Pots and Pans

6 Plates

1.25 24” TV

1.25 TV Stands

1 Full Size Fridge

1 Small scale printer

4 Bowls

1 Desktop lighting

15 Glassware

1 Kettle

1 Toaster

1 Microwave

1 Set of computer speakers

10 DVD’s and CD’s

1 Alarm clock/radio

1 Laundry basket

5 Pairs of shoes

1 Oven

1 Stove

4 Dining room chairs

1 Dining room table to suit 4

8 Cooking Knives

6 Bowls

1 Coffee Maker

20 Books

16 Sq ft of counter space

1 Blender

1 Rice Cooker

5 Cooking Utensils

1 Bedset

2 Pillows

1 Comforter

1 Nightstand

1 Shelf Area

1 Dresser

1 TV Entertainment device

1 Toothbrush

1 Tube of toothpaste

1 Floss

1 Mouthwash

1 Set of toiletries

4 Sq ft of bathroom counter

4 Towels

1 Sofa

0.75 Coffee Table

12.5 Sq ft of shelving space

3.3 Trash cans

We started by evaluating our own living

situations, taking inventories of the objects

we have in our living spaces around us,

documenting these spaces, and distilling

them down to things we thought were

necessary.

2 Clocks

0.25 Corded Phones

2 Water Containers

1 Throw Pillow

1.66 Cameras

2 Duffel Bags

1 Laptop Bag

2 Backpacks

1 External Harddrive

18 Tools and Powertools

0.5 Bike

0.75 Cars

3 Multipoint

3 Houseplants

1 Cellphone

1.25 iPods

0.5 Musical Instruments

Living Space Study

Bedroom 1 Single bed and bedset, pillows and comforter

1 Alarm clock radio and mirror

1 Nightstand

1 Laundry basket and trash can

1 Dresser

Bathroom 1 Toothbrush and toothpaste combo

1 Sink with integrated storage

1 Towels

1 Set of toiletries

Kitchen 3 Eating utensils

2 Bowl

1 Plate

1 Glass

1 Pots

1 Skillet

1 Bench height fridge

1 Oven with single stove element

3 Square feet of bench space

2 Cooking knives

1 Trash can

2 Cooking utensils

1 Kettle

1 Toaster

We applied the SHE method to help us distil

down the items in our living spaces as fitting

a full home inside a 100sq/ft structure was

going to require a reduction in personal items.

This had a reduction by approximately 80%.

Misc. Things 1 High powered phone with music storage with camera

1 Backpack

2 Pairs of shoes

1 Bicycle

Living Room/Dining 1 Laptop with integrated speakers and electronic books

1 Printer/Scanner/Copier

1 Single table with storage underneath

1 Desk with drawers and integrated light

1 Multi purpose chair for dining and desk

Research PhaseExtensive research was then undertaken into four main

categories:

Products and Concepts For Withing The Home

Living Around The World

Construction Methods

Famous Architects Work

This research culminated in a massive 220 page PDF resource

to be sourced and referred to throughout the project.

Multi-task design quickly showed as a key area in which space

saving methods could be applied.

Transforming furniture was an interesting aspect that I particularly felt

was key to the success of the ZEM house.

Green walls and planted areas offered far too many benefits to be

ignored and also gave the desired impression we were going for with

the ZEM house of sustainability.

I next undertook a series of initial

concept exercises in a small group of

four people, this exercise was meant to

flush out used quick for anything to do

with the home, interior, exterior, or even

product for use within the home.

This group consisted of:

Tony Ton

Steve Lan

David Bogdal

Hamish Tennent

These 50 initial concepts were then sorted

in pertinent group to allow us to better

understand the groupings and themes we

were seeing with the house.

The concepts were then sketched out in

greater detail within our group.

We then went and did a series of individual concepts

for the ZEM house, concentrating on the structure more

than products for within the home.

Heavy ideation was undertaken here to

explore different ways to rethink the dynamic

of the standard home.

After these concepts, we were then again divided into groups

where we were given the tasks of creating 3 initial house

concepts. The group I was a part of consisted of; Carrianne

Seger, Danny Yu, Kenny Kim and myself.

Concept 1

Concept 2

Concept 3

From these three house concepts, we stayed

in our groups and began to combine and

develop a single concept from the three we

had already created.

The exterior structure of the house became

an area that I was increasingly interested in

and began to focus lot of my time on.

Mock ups showing development of the ZEM

house concept.

From this finalised concept point, the six

industrial design ‘ZEM Team’ members broke

off and began to develop the overall ZEM

concept. This ZEM team consisted of:

Carrianne Seger

Tony Ton

Jeff Greger

Erik Swanson

Tad Osada

Hamish Tennent

Group concepting was a key component of

pushing the concept forward at this point,

as it allowed us to make informed decisions

and easily bounce ideas off one another and

move towards a house shell that performed

everything we wanted from the ZEM house.

A hybrid ZEM concept emerged from the

group work and mockups and tests were

done to being to understand the structure.

Working with engineers and business

students allowed us to get real time feedback

from many different perspectives

Our midterm design reflected the way in which we wanted people to view the house, and began to detail the interactions that

we wanted the user to undertake with the

ZEM home. My focus became the exterior

structure of the house and all the proponents

connected to that.

Our ZEM team midterm design was the

beginning of a long process of detailing out

our concept, whilst trying to maintain the pure

integrity of the themes we set for the design,

which were: Explore, Discovery, retreat,

Enjoy, Relax, Transition.

We began to design our individual sections of

the house and I concentrated on the overall

shape and feel of the exterior structure,

the green planters and roof and the social

interaction with the structure.

Working heavily with the engineers, a bit part

of my task was allowing them the storage and

providing adequate areas for the solar panels

and all the equipment attached to them. The

rear housings also became areas to store the

heating and cooling systems

Providing access to all the planted areas allowed s to empower

the end user with spaces to grow food to sustain themselves on,

these plants also worked with out passive solar design.

More in depth mock-ups and models were

used to better understand the space we were

designing in 3D.

These latter stages of the design process

required some further research by the entire

group so we could begin to understand

construction methods better.

In order to minimise power usage and utilise

the sun, we designed the ZEM house to

have a slanted front wall, creating a natural

awning so the sun entered the house during

the winter when the suer wants warmth and

is blocked during the summer, when keeping

the house coo is a priority.

Using vegetation on the north side of the

house meant that through the transpiration

of plants, this side was kept cooler. This

cool side of the house means when the user

opens opposing windows, cool air is ‘drawn’

though the interior of the structure.

As we began to design the construction of

the ZEM house, we decided to use SIPs,

or Structurally Insulated Panels, which are

factory made and custom cut panels that

provide huge gains in insulation, structural

integrity and construction time.

Using the Okala method, our SIPs frame

design was shown to only have 30% of the

environmental impact when compared to a

traditional stick frame construction.

The final stages of our first semester design

were about bringing the sections of the house

back together and reforming our concept that

we presented at mid term.

Each group member had individually done

research and developed their section of

the house around the basic shell we had

designed earlier. This phase was eased by

the fact that we had all had 14 weeks

to learn how to communicate effectively

and efficiently.

Our final design was

truly a reflection of

the six designers

who worked on it,

with every detail

thoroughly thought

through, down to

the finer points of

construction.

The living area

allowed a flexibility of

space, transitioning

between storage, bed

and seating while

not compromising

on either of the three

tasks.

The kitchen was

at the core of our

concept, with the

moving counter from

inside to outside to

allow cooking from

either side of the

wall. This transition

allowed the flexibility

of interaction and

broadened the

spectrum for possible

socialisation with and

around the home.

Our first semester model

represented our final design

to 1/6th scale, complete with

correct wall thicknesses built

into the model. We then had to

work heavily with the engineers

around how we were going

to build, test and present the

structure over the coming 4

months.

BOM and pricing

SIPs construction total = $18,985.23

From our first semester concept, we began to

work out pricing and market viability in order

ton convince the engineers and business

students that SIPs construction was the way

to go forward with the test structure.

Advice SoughtWe sought advice from people who build a

large amount of SIPs homes per year, this

allowed us to learn about the best way to

minimise waste and design for construction

and deconstruction in order to improve

sustainability.

We also formally defined our target user as:

- A recent grad/young professional

- Environmentally conscious

- Average spent on rent a year is

$12,000

- The ZEM house is a bridge between

single living and starting a family

Target market

We started the new year with the drive of

making our ZEM concept real and presenting

a viable, cost effective, zero emissions and

sustainable home for the future.

Interaction became a key element in out design. The ZEM

team decided to design the house from the user’s point of

view from the inside out to improve the flow of the interior

space.

House as product not as sculpture

Understanding and using the factory cut

SIPs meant we could simplify construction of

the house, making it easy, quick and clean

to build. The usage of these SIPs panels

drastically cuts down construction site waste

and working with professionals from the bay

area, California, allowed us to learn valuable

lessons for our design.

Working with a 12 person engineering team

consisting of mechanical and electrical

engineers required building a test structure

to allow for the design to be tested.

Proof of concept -test structure

With the designers passive solar design,

the mechanical engineers’ heating/cooling

system and the electrical engineers’ solar

panel and electrical feedback devices the

test structure gave us a way of testing all of

these in a real setting.

Proof of concept -test structure

Built from stick frame construction for ease

and cost reasons, the test structure gave

us a feel of how our final design looks

and feels. The angled walls also gave the

advantage of making the user feel like they

are in a much bigger space than they are in

and the high ceilings reinforce this fact.

Proof of concept -test structure

With donation from local companies such

as Akeena solar, and Schnieder electrical,

we were able to get fully functioning solar

panels, batteries, inverters and all the other

components to make our test structure as

real as possible.

Proof of concept -test structure

The process of planning and building a

design that can be built not only the once,

but in mass production levels made us

realise and ground our design a lot more

that were used to as design students.

Proof of concept -test structure

The ZEM house went through one final

stage of developments to touch up the final

details around window sizes, battery sizes

and planning for the specific plants to be

used in the house.

Final Developments

With the windows and wall dimensions

finalised, scale drawings and cad

information was sent to the SIPs

manufacturers to recieve accurate quotes

and advice on how to minimise waste

during the manufacturing process.

Final Developments

Our final design was showcased in a 1/6th

scale architectural model that was built

using similar materials and with the same

panel shape as our full scale design.

Architectural Model

Shown in the sustainability exhibit alongside

projects from leading companies such as

Frog design and IDEO, our model showed

our vision on a zero emissions 100 square

foot house.

Architectural Model

developers

hippies berkeley people santa cruzers

relief funds japanoff the grid situations

unibomber

remote locations transitional homes

anyone looking to live a simpler life

bigfoot impersonatorpoor hipsters

recent college gradssingle young professionals

smurfs

wider market application

Floorplan

Breakdown of final ZEM concept

Optimise roof angle

for solar efficiency

and slanted front wall

to create a natural

overhang.

37.5° Roof angle

20° Front wall

Transpiring plants and key window

placement means that opening a window

on the south side (front) and a window on

the north side (rear) will quickly and easily

cool the interior down.

The exterior planes were designed in the

houses philosophy of being multipurpose.

The sheds offer places for the solar and

heating equipment, they also are planted for

their transpiring effect and placed at heights

to create a social interaction point.

Surrounding the north side of the house gives

high thermal insulation to the home on the

coldest side, as well as providing transpiration

and a roof garden for growing vegetables and

foods to eat.

Using a soilless medium allowed us to

cut down the weight of the vegetation and

improve the nutritional sustenance for

the plants. It also means less watering needs

to be done as the medium holds water

for longer.

Creating an interior space that was 100

square feet but provided all the benefits of

a regular home was the biggest challenge

in this project. Using an open floor plan and

multipurpose areas, we created a home that

allowed the user to relax, entertain, cook,

socialise, clean and work. Using a philosophy

that NASA pioneered in space shuttles,

we made sure every area of the home was

necessary and gave the user 3 points of

interest.

Bathroom area and storage• Shower disappears when not needed

through the use of double folding doors

• Utilizes angled wall for extra storage

• Storage area follows architectural lines to

accentuate feel of space

• Composting toilet reduces water waste

• Glass shower door eliminates the need for

a window

+

Toilet system

Using a self powering composting toilet, no

water or electricity is consumed during usage,

greatly reducing the affect the bathroom area

has on the rest of the home.

Over-bed storage allows for long term storing

of items that aren’t commonly used in the

users day to day life. Kitchen-like drop down

cup boards provide easy and ergonomic

access to these items.

Bed area• Bed area provides a place for sleep,

storage, and socialization

• Moving surfaces allow expansion and

more uses

• Easy access short term and long term

storage

• Designed around the user’s routine

Indoor/OutdoorKitchen• Enforce the idea of utilizing space - both

indoor and outdoor

• Adapt to the user’s needs

• Multi-purpose sink for both kitchen and

bathroom

• Window creates cross breezes to utilize

passive solar

1. cook top slides on rails

2. cook top passes through wall to the

outside

3. locks in place outdoor allowing outdoor

cooking

Indoor/OutdoorKitchen

Front door• Creates a natural awning

• Creates familiarity

• Distinct, it stands out to make the entry

intuitive

• Feels welcoming

Using recycled wood siding and sustainable wood stains, we created an attractive final proposal that reflects our design intentions.

Using our passive solar design, we selected a heavy coloured tile that captures heat and looks attractive.

Light colours for the walls made the user feel like the shape of the home was overbearing and transformed it into an expansive space.

The characteristics of small homes in conjunction with the easy nature of the ZEM concept means that the model for our home can be expanded into larger communities and ‘pockets’ of ZEM houses..

With shrinking plots of land becoming the standard in urban areas, a small 100 sq/ft home could easily be introduced into existing neighbourhoods and communities.

More information can be found at: http://zemhouse.sjsu.edu

Contact:ht@hamishtennent.com