Samuel Oluwagbami

THE AURORA TINY HOUSE It is no small feat for tiny house builders to make tiny homes as it should not be too large or too small. If too large, it could be quite tricky or even illegal without a special permit; if too small it could become cramped. Builders of the Aurora tiny house, A Canadian based company called ZeroSquared aimed to solve this by creating something that could grow in size after it is has been set up thus creating more living space. This was the idea behind the aurora which as an outstanding feature of being able to expand to from 8.6 feet to 15.1 feet. The aurora tiny home is a creatively and beautifully detailed and movable home. It has quite a number of amazing features. Transportation The Aurora weights about 14, 000 lbs (6,350kg) and it is made using a custom-design rolling chassis system that measures about 26 feet. The company recommends using a truck or vehicle of 16,000 lbs or more to tow the tiny house. Size and Shape The aurora is 26 feet long. With its ability to expand, the width of the house measures about 15 feet 10 inches wide. The wall is also creatively partitioned into compactments so the rectangle shaped house does not feel so rectangular. The 337 square-foot house has a kitchen, dining room with four seats, a lounge, storage loft and bathroom. Accessibility Unlike many other tiny houses, the aurora tiny house gives the accessibility of having a queen size bed that easily fit on the main floor. The bed can morph into a smaller size depending on preference. However, you don’t need a ladder to climb sleeping lofts like you would have to in other tiny houses. Another nice feature is that the hideaway bed is connected to a desk. Such that when one hinges the bed down, the desk is moves away automatically; so it can be used as both a bedroom and an office. Expandable The aurora has a very unique feature of being able to create more living space by expanding its width. With a push of a button, the house is expanded on both sides which turns the 8.6 feet initial space to 15.1 feet. So there is more space for the lounge that can fit a full-sized couch. There is also more space for the bedroom which has a murphy bed that can fold up to free more space anytime. In addition, the dining area with a fold-up extra counter that can serve well when there are guests. Fittings and Appliances The aurora tiny house contains every necessary appliance and detail needed in a full house, for everyday use and with standard quality. The kitchen has full sized appliances and furniture like the kitchen cabinets, full sized refrigerator, oven, three-burner stove, a big microwave and quiet exhaust hood. The bathroom also has a full size standing shower and just at the corridor there is space for a standard washing machine. You will have to add your own items though as they do not come with the order. These are items such as your couch, side tables, dishware, TV, computer, and decorations. The bathroom has a nice 32" by 48" fiberglass shower, a standard RV toilet and a space for a compact washer-dryer combination under the sink. Weather The walls and roof features Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) with an R-rating of R-26 and R-42 respectively. This will effectively insulate and strengthen the house structure. This means that you could live in the aurora at any season of the year including winter. The heating and cooling of the house comes from a Mini-Split air conditioning system and hot water provided by a tankless water heater. The aurora comes loaded with freshwater, grey water and black water storage tanks. It also has hurricane bolts, tie-downs and straps for various whether situations making it possible use it anywhere with any weather condition. There is also plenty access of plenty of natural light that uncovers its beauty in bright sunlight. Storage There are several places various accessories and equipment can be stored neatly in the aurora. There is storage space in the bedroom (including a loft overhead), bathroom, kitchen cabinets, beside the couch, the TV bench and also above the TV. Cost The aurora starts at $88,900, however you can upgrade some features like your toilet, energy management and generation system. Apart from the upgrades, the cost is relatively fixed. The aurora comes in one piece too, since the upgrades doesn’t include adding to physical space; what you see is what you will get. Carbon Footprint The aurora uses low voltage LED lighting all through the house just as many modern homes now do. The aurora is also eco-friendly as it makes use of structural insulated panels as noted earlier. The panels are made of prefabricated polyurethane foam insulation that is encapsulated in a vapour barrier. It also ship with a class 1 fire rating while the studs are wrapped in waterproof foam. ZeroSquared offer a solar package that includes deep cycle batteries, inverter, panels and installation. The toilet can be upgraded to a Nature’s Head Composting toilet as an eco-friendly option, it will however cost almost $2000 CAD for this upgrade. Certification A big advantage for the Aurora is that it is RVIA/CSA certified. Usually, tiny vehicles that are not RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) certified are denied entry at RV parks. This is one of the factors that makes the Aurora tiny house quite expensive than other tiny houses but it’s totally worth it. Conclusion The Aurora has a total space of about 418 square free with the main floor about 358 square feet. The tiny house is perfect built for a family of six. It could be a great replacement for RV vehicles and can be used during vacations, relaxation or special outings. You could also utilise it to entertain guests; it could be used as your office space; studio workshop or tech workspace amongst other things.