Temple Tiny House: Philadelphia’s first Petal Certified Net Zero Home

Abstract

The Temple Tiny House project is a student-designed and student-constructed sustainable building located at the university’s urban garden site on Temple University’s Main Campus in North Philadelphia. The 175 square foot net-zero structure serves as a food access programming and demonstration space for the student-run Temple Community Garden. Temple Tiny House proved to be one of the most collaborative projects on campus, and involved the participation of a diverse group of faculty members, students, and administrative staff from around the university. The project is Petal Certified under the Living Building Challenge making it the first certified project in the City of Philadelphia. Since its completion in spring 2017, the Temple Tiny House continues to offer educational opportunities to students and the larger Philadelphia community and serves as a food access programming and demonstration space for the student-run Temple Community Garden.