This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
Kenya's Tiny Homes: A Sustainable Solution ¶
On July 19, 2019, the United Nations Habitat showcased a prototype of a tiny house in Nairobi, Kenya, designed to address the triple challenges of affordability, unavailability of space, and high cost of electricity.
The tiny house, measuring 56 square meters, is a stylish and affordable solution to the housing crisis in Kenya. Its unique features include a rainwater harvesting system, a renewable energy system through a solar system, and a biogas system that receives all wastes from the kitchen and the toilet in the house.
According to Vincent Kitio, chief of Urban Energy Unit at United Nations Habitat, the tiny house is environmentally-conscious and comes with a renewable energy system through a solar system placed on the roof of the building, generating 2 kilowatt of clean energy.
The biogas system works by turning organic waste generated from the house into gas for cooking as well as liquid organic fertiliser. The waste is put through the system's inlet and goes directly to the digester where it mixes with water, producing gas and fertiliser.
The tiny house is designed to allow for flexibility, meaning that one can decide to either go vertical or horizontal depending on space availability. The structure is made of steel, which can last for 100 years if properly maintained, and is within the affordability bracket of the government's affordable housing agenda.
