Sustainable Design and Social Integration of Tiny Houses: Exploring Environmental, Technical, and Societal Dimension

This review paper explores the multifaceted dimensions of tiny houses, emphasizing their role as sustainable and innovative solutions to contemporary housing challenges. It examines environmental sustainability through the use of repurposed and composite materials, life cycle assessments demonstrating reduced impacts, and advanced thermal and renewable energy strategies. Technical innovations in structural safety, space optimization, and modular mobility are analyzed alongside participatory design practices. Social integration aspects cover housing affordability, homelessness reduction, psychological well-being, and cultural preferences, highlighting tiny houses as catalysts for social inclusion. The review also addresses regulatory and urban development challenges, identifying legal barriers and planning complexities that influence adoption. User perception studies reveal motivations, behavioral factors, and community acceptance dynamics. Overall, the review underscores the potential of tiny houses to contribute to sustainable urban living while calling for integrated policy frameworks and further research to overcome structural and societal hurdles.

Tiny houses, Sustainable design, Social integration

1. Wilson, A., & Wadham, H. (2023). (Tiny) spaces of hope: Reclaiming, maintaining, and reframing housing in the tiny house movement. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 41, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1177/02637758231165295 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Vasseur, V., Sing, J., & Short, S. W. (2022). Determinants of the adoption of tiny houses and their role in alleviating housing shortages in Germany. Clean Technologies and Recycling, 2, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.3934/ctr.2022011 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Chang, A. (2023). Evaluating Tiny Houses as a Solution to the Housing Affordability and Environmental Crises. Aletheia, 3, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.15173/a.v3i1.3197 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Johst, P., Chatzipanagiotou, K.-R., Kucher, M., Zschiebsch, W., Voigt, P., Breinl, D., Koumoulos, E. P., & Böhm, R. (2024). Concept and Life Cycle Assessment of a Tiny House Made from Root Section Structures of a Decommissioned Large-Scale Wind Turbine Blade as a Repurposed Application. Materials Circular Economy, 6, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-023-00093-7 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Fischer, A. (2022). Tiny houses as instruments for reducing poverty and promoting social integration in Germany. No Journal, 16, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJISD.2022.123904 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Kirana, F. C., & Okada, S. (2023). Tiny House as Highly Potential Landed House Design for Millennials in Urban Areas of Indonesia. In LNCE (Vol. 334, pp. 0-0). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1403-6_4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Murillo, C., & Bianchi, C. (2024). The experience and well-being outcomes of tiny house owners in Latin America. Housing Studies, 39, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2022.2091116 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Stratton, M. J., & Corneal, L. M. (2023). Development of a tiny house design tool to increase safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Innovation and Green Development, 2, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.igd.2023.100052 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Félix, M. J., Santos, G., Sá, J. C., Dias, S., & Saraiva, M. (2023). Multifunctional Furniture for Tiny Houses–Design, Quality, Innovation and Sustainability in Advanced Materials. No Journal, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12914-8_24 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. BAŞ, S., KOZANOĞLU, G., & BAŞ, S. (2023). HUKUKİ BOYUTLARIYLA TINY HOUSE. Adalet Dergisi, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.57083/adaletdergisi.1391726 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. James, M., & Shahab, S. (2024). Big costs for tiny houses: exploring the transaction costs of developing tiny houses in England. International Journal of Housing Policy, 24, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2024.2308725 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Komazec, K., Vaara, E., Brun, G., Larsson, S., & Tobiasson, H. (2023). Building Tiny house from waste. FormAkademisk, 16, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.7577/formakademisk.5379 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Ruiz-Pastor, L., Altavilla, S., Nezzi, C., Borgianni, Y., & Orzes, G. (2023). Life Cycle Assessment of a Mobile Tiny House Made with Sustainable Materials and Design Implications. No Journal, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15928-2_3 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. He, Y. (2023). TINY HOUSE IN THE DESERT: A study in indoor comfort using moveable insulation and thermal storage. Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology, 75, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.54097/q226hq60 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Marin, F.-B., & Marin, M. (2022). CFD Modeling and Simulation of a Tiny House in Extreme Weather Conditions. The Annals of “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati. Fascicle IX, Metallurgy and Materials Science, 45, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.35219/mms.2022.4.16 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Benaissa, A., Zuidervliet, D., & Van Duijsen, P. (2023). Stand-alone DC Nano-Grid for a Tiny House with Droop Control. No Journal, 0-0. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICECCME57830.2023.10252427 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Pratiwi, M. A. b. (2023). PERANCANGAN TINY HOUSE DENGAN METODE PARTICIPATORY DESIGN. Gorga: Journal Seni Rupa, 12. https://doi.org/10.24114/gr.v12i1.42884 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Kirana, F. C., & Okada, S. (2023). Tiny house characteristics in Indonesia based on millennial’s user preference. Urban, Planning and Transport Research, 11. https://doi.org/10.1080/21650020.2023.2166095 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Yavru, T. E., Topaloğlu, G., Baş, G. Y., & Yılmaz, S. (2023). A new construction approach for tiny house on wheels: POD THOWs. Vitruvio, 8. https://doi.org/10.4995/vitruvio-ijats.2023.19350 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Musall, E., Hering, J., Brockerhoff, M., Bauer, J., & Rödder, M. (2022). MIMO – MINIMAL IMPACT, MAXIMUM OUTPUT – Gestapelte Tiny Houses als urbane WG. Bauphysik, 44. https://doi.org/10.1002/bapi.202200014 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. [21] Evans, K. (2023). An examination of perceptions and preferences for tiny house villages for the homeless in Missouri. International Journal of Housing Policy, 23. https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2022.2072661 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Lessard, G. (2022). The scaling up of the tiny house niche in Quebec – transformations and continuities in the housing regime. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2021.2022464 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Berni, A., Nezzi, C., Ruiz-Pastor, L., Altavilla, S., Kofler, I., & Borgianni, Y. (2023). Exploring People’s Visual Perception and Its Impact on Evaluation of a Tiny House Prototype Using Eye Tracking Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15928-2_128 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Berni, A., Altavilla, S., Ruiz-Pastor, L., Nezzi, C., & Borgianni, Y. (2022). An Eye-Tracking Study to Identify the Most Observed Features in a Physical Prototype of a Tiny House. https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2022.86 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Shearer, H., & Burton, P. (2023). Tiny houses: movement or moment? Housing Studies, 38. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2021.1884203 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Nezzi, C., Ruiz-Pastor, L., Altavilla, S., Berni, A., Borgianni, Y., & Orzes, G. (2022). How Sustainability-Related Information Affects the Evaluation of Designs: A Case Study of a Locally Manufactured Mobile Tiny House. Designs, 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/designs6030057. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. (2020). Tiny House Zoning Reform Act. Salem, OR. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Yamazaki, T., & Arai, K. (2021). Micro-housing strategies for aging urban populations in Japan. Urban Housing Studies, 15(2), 112–128. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Government of British Columbia. (2023). Modular Zoning and Affordable Micro-Communities: Pilot Policy Report. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. International Journal of Sustainable Building. (2022). Comparative Analysis of Tiny House Economics and Energy Efficiency, 9(4), 55–62. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Dynamic of Religious Pluralism and Cultural Identity in Rongmei Naga (Kabui) Society
• Effects of Social-Economic Empowerment of Teenage Mothers and Nurture Care. A Case of Kimbilio Hope Centre, Machakos, Kenya
• Gendering Caste and Casteing Gender: A Study of Social Sickness in Uma Chakravarti’s Gendering Caste: Through a Feminist Lens
• Counselling as Social Work for Women Empowerment in Akwa Ibom State: A Case Study of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area. Implications for Counsellors
• Motherhood: Inclusion and Containment, A Case Study