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Yale grad student brings her own “off grid” dorm room

Posted on 15 August 2008 by


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Yale graduate student Elizabeth Turnbull will be reporting for school with her own dormitory. The incoming Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies student decided that she could both save money and practice her craft with an environmentally friendly “off grid” home. The house is 8 by 18 feet and built on top of a flatbed. It has a sleeping loft, storage loft, study nook, kitchen area, living area and bathroom (complete with composting toilet). When it’s completely built she will tow it to New Haven for the start of the new academic year. One of the benefits of her portable home is she’ll be able to turn it to get maximum sunlight depending upon the season. Unfortunately she has not yet found a place to park it. I wonder if Walmart’s notorious motor home friendly parking lot would welcome her? Check out the next page for a nicely done video tour of the Elizabeth’s Tiny House.

Take a look at this video below that shows a lot about the Tiny House which Elizabeth will call home.

Here are some more photos courtesy of a story that appeared in the Hartford Courant
According to the story she is building this home on the grounds of the Governor’s Academy in Byfield Mass which is a prepatory school she attended. When she is ready for Yale, she’ll hitch it up and tow it down.

click here for a video tour of the house.

Inspiration for this home came from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company in Sebastopol California which sells small, transportable houses.

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Hartford Courant

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Wayne is a diehard Blackberry user and consultant specializing in Sage MAS90 Accounting Software. He lives in Glastonbury CT with his two children. When not helping them with their homework or pushing the latest school fundraiser off on his co-workers, he is active hiking, Scuba Diving and investigating all manner of technology.

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  • http://www.geardiary.com Judie Lipsett

    This is really cool!

    On a side note: I guess Yale does not require Freshman students to live in the dorm if they don’t live at home, as some universities do? That’s cool, too. ;-)

  • http://www.papergraffiti.com jessica

    That IS cool. I hope she gets some extra credit! hehe Looks like she’s a grad student though…I think that on-campus housing rule only applies to undergrads.

  • http://www.geardiary.com Judie Lipsett

    Total brain-fart! I missed that she was a grad-student, which is what I get for skimming. And here I was thinking she was so mature for a freshman!! ;-)

  • http://www.mobilitysite.com breley

    There are a fair amount of folks out there residing in their own mini/microhomes. I remember seeing a number when I was out running around in northern Washington. The Small House Society (http://www.resourcesforlife.com/small-house-society) has a number of resources for those curious about mini-homes, manufacturers, plans, etc.