Schmeckpeper, E. R., & Patterson, J. E. (2016, June), Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House   Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/p.27122

\bibitem{asee_peer_27122}
  Schmeckpeper, E. R., \& Patterson, J. E. (2016, June), \emph{Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House }
  Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  10.18260/p.27122

Edwin R. Schmeckpeper P.E. and John Edward Patterson.  "Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House ".  2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2016.  https://peer.asee.org/27122 Internet.  11 Mar, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_27122}
  Edwin R. Schmeckpeper P.E. and John Edward Patterson.
  "Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House ".
  \emph{2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2016.
  https://peer.asee.org/27122 Internet.  11 Mar, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_27122
author = "Edwin R. Schmeckpeper P.E. and John Edward Patterson"
title = "Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House "
booktitle = "2016 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2016"
month = "June"
address = "New Orleans, Louisiana"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/27122}
number = {10.18260/p.27122}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper shows how teams of students from the University’s Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management programs are using lessons from the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon Competition to develop a regionally derived, solar powered, affordable housing model. Student teams are working to design a series of micro-houses (approximately 300-400 SF each) that can stand alone or be combined with other modules to create a larger, integrated structure. This process is similar to how families in New England would first construct what is known as a half-Cape, and as the family grew, the house would be enlarged into a Full Cape, and then enlarged further with dormers and shed additions. One of the basic principles used in the project was that the entire house does not need to be constructed at once: additional room modules could be added to the house over time.

The core of micro-house was designed to contain basic amenities, such as kitchen and bathrooms, and to be large enough to meet the needs of two people. The outside walls of the core micro-house are designed so that additional rooms can be readily attached. These subsequent additions can be designed to be more flexible and less expensive to manufacture than the core, and can vary depending on the needs of the occupants. 

This project will serve to demonstrate how houses could be constructed in stages from micro-houses, with the micro-houses being combined, over time, to create a larger house. The design teams will explore non-conventional structural framing for the micro-houses and optimize the mechanical and electrical integration process by designing standardized, modular systems. In order to reduce costs, the project teams will also integrate the photovoltaic systems into the building structure, and consider innovations such as the use of DC current to eliminate the dc to ac conversion losses. 

The student teams are constructing the first core micro-house module during 2015-2016 school year.  Lessons from the construction of the first micro-house will be incorporated into the construction of subsequent versions. 

AU  - Edwin R. Schmeckpeper P.E.
AU  - John Edward Patterson
CY  - New Orleans, Louisiana
DA  - 2016/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Using a Micro-House as a Starting Point to Create an Affordable House 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/27122
DO  - 10.18260/p.27122
ER  -