LANSING, MI- The MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) is hosting a Passing of the Keys event, where Provost June Youatt will present the keys to Sparty’s Cabin to its new owner, MSU alumna Debra Levantrosser. Supporters, sponsors, students, and family and friends will gather to send-off MSU’s first Tiny Home.
The last round of tours of Sparty’s Cabin took place at 11:20 a.m.
Sparty’s Cabin, MSU’s first Tiny Home, was recently auctioned off by the Surplus Store, and Debra Levantrosser, an MSU alumna, was selected as the highest bidder. The structure encompasses 177 square feet of space that sleeps three, and features both an upstairs (sleeping loft and storage) and a downstairs (great room/kitchen, bathroom and bedroom).
Provost June Youatt will present Levantrosser with the keys to Spary’s Cabin at a ceremony on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center in East Lansing, MI.
In early 2016, students from the U.S. Green Building Coalition (USGBC) Students MSU, SPDC (including Construction Management, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Urban & Regional Planning Programs) and the Department of Forestry gained valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and volunteer industry experts on the planning, design and construction processes for this project.
Sparty’s Cabin was built over six weeks during the Spring 2016 semester, with the help of 100+ people from across campus and the community. This sustainable project includes materials from the MSU Sustainable Wood Recovery Program and MSU Shadows Collection, featuring MSU-made custom countertops, shelving and a ladder. In addition to MSU lumber, other materials were selected for their sustainable qualities, including double-pane windows, a composting toilet, recycled newspaper insulation, and a structural roof and wall system for reduced air leakage.
The structure was built on a trailer, allowing it to be easily transported from place to place. Sparty’s Cabin includes traditional hook ups for sewer, water and electricity; however, it can be retrofitted in the future to go off the grid. This would be accomplished by capturing rainwater and using 100% solar power energy.
Sparty’s Cabin was used as an educational tool to spread awareness to the local community about this type of alternative sustainable lifestyle known as the Tiny House Movement. These types of houses offer the practicality of living in a space less than 1,000 square feet, allowing for a pared down minimalist lifestyle with the added advantage of being on wheels and, thus, mobile. The spirit of the Tiny House Movement is about filling life with experience, not collecting things. It is about the stories that can be told and experiences that can be shared with friends and family.