Ottawa's Northern Nomad Tiny Home
Last Updated: Feb 26, 2025I spoke with Seungyeon Hong, a current Civil Engineering master’s student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. He shared many insights into the Northern Nomad project, and, as evidenced by its name, this tiny home is made for the northern climate.
Table of Contents
- Why a tiny home?
- A tiny home for the North
- A Digital Twin
- Advice for Homeowners
- What’s next for the Northern Nomad?
For a mobile home, in particular, there is a greater surface area to insulate since it is elevated off of the ground. For tiny houses on wheels (THOWs), there is more surface area where air can infiltrate into the interior space, which can have a significant impact in terms of energy. This challenge makes tiny homes arguably more difficult to well-insulate than larger homes.
Advice for Homeowners
From the integration of solar panels to the creation of digital twins of designs, there is much for a homeowner to learn from the Northern Nomad tiny home project.
In particular, Seungyeon shared some advice that was specific to those living in Canada. To achieve a genuinely environmentally-friendly design, he emphasized the importance of considering the fuel source for one’s location when designing a home.
The Northern Nomad is fully electrified, meaning that everything, including cooking and heating, is electrical. In some locations, this may be the most environmentally-friendly route, such as Quebec, where electricity comes from hydropower and nuclear. But, in Alberta, much of the energy comes from burning fossil fuels, therefore increasing the environmental impact of electricity use.
Maria Saxton
Located in Roanoke, Virginia, Maria Saxton holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Tech. She works as an Environmental Planner and Housing Researcher for a local firm specializing in Community Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation. Her dissertation explored the environmental impacts of small-scale homes. She serves as a volunteer board member for the Tiny Home Industry Association.
