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Small Eco Houses: Solar Home on the Oregon Coast

By Staff
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The frame of this small studio is stable and can withstand the strong winds blowing in the area. The materials used are adapted to the climate conditions and require little maintenance. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from
The frame of this small studio is stable and can withstand the strong winds blowing in the area. The materials used are adapted to the climate conditions and require little maintenance. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from "Small Eco Houses" about this off-grid cabin on the Oregon coast.
Photo By Obie Bowman
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The thermal mass of the dark concrete floor slab stores heat, which warms the small space. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from
The thermal mass of the dark concrete floor slab stores heat, which warms the small space. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from "Small Eco Houses" about this off-grid cabin on the Oregon coast.
Photo By Obie Bowman
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The local vegetation has been respected, with the exception of some lavender planted next to the rear facade.
The local vegetation has been respected, with the exception of some lavender planted next to the rear facade.
Photo By Obie Bowman
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Timber beams funnel the rainwater into tanks. A membrane filters solid particles and prevents them from entering the tank. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from
Timber beams funnel the rainwater into tanks. A membrane filters solid particles and prevents them from entering the tank. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from "Small Eco Houses" about this off-grid cabin on the Oregon coast.
Photo By Obie Bowman
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Solar panels on the house and others some distance away provide for all the home's electricity needs. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from
Solar panels on the house and others some distance away provide for all the home's electricity needs. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from "Small Eco Houses" about this off-grid cabin on the Oregon coast.
Photo By Obie Bowman
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"Small Eco Houses" surveys the latest trends in environmentally sensitive, small-scale residential designs, featuring more than 40 profiles of homes around the world. Click on the link above the photo to read an excerpt from "Small Eco Houses" about an off-grid cabin on the Oregon coast.
Photo Courtesy Universe Publishing

The following is an excerpt from “Small Eco Houses: Living Green in Style” by Cristina Paredes Benítez and Àlex Sánchez Vidiella (Universe Publishing, 2010).“Small Eco Houses” features more than 50 small, green homes, such as this off-grid, energy self-sufficient home on the Oregon coast.

This small, environmentally friendly, and off-grid cabin with views over the Pacific Ocean was designed as a guesthouse and studio. It is energy self-sufficient and its frame responds to geological instability, harsh climate conditions, and exposure to the sun. The house is built on a foundation designed to withstand earth movements and is steadied by four pairs of beams that can withstand winds up to 90 miles per hour (145 km/h).

Solar panels on the house and others some distance away provide the electricity the house requires. Water for domestic use comes from a shallow well and from collected rainwater and is stored in tanks located up the slope.

The cladding materials were chosen for their strength and ease of maintenance. The featured material is locally grown Port Orford cedar, the planks arranged in horizontal rows to allow for seasonal shrinkage and expansion. The composite roof is essentially inert.

This home features:

  • Published on Jan 28, 2011
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