Tiny PowerHouse provides hands-on demonstration of clean energy

The Climate Solutions Accelerator took its “Tiny PowerHouse,” a model home filled with interactive exhibits that demonstrate clean energy use, on the road last month.

Brady Fergusson, CSA’s director of public engagement, says clean energy is a spectrum, but CSA defines it as energy generated from renewable sources that does not emit greenhouse gases.

Within the home, which is what the Tiny PowerHouse aims to demonstrate, CSA says it is promoting use of air-source and ground-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric induction stoves, as well as electric vehicles.

The tour of the PowerHouse begins before visitors even enter the house, with eight solar panels on the roof that generate all the energy needed to run everything in the tiny house, including an air-source heat pump that provides heating and cooling. From the outside, visitors could see the exterior heat pump and use a remote control to adjust the temperature and feel the cool air coming out. 

The home includes many other interactive stations, such as diagrams that explain heat pump water heaters and differences in annual cost of energy for running a heat pump water heater—“which, in most cases, is going to save people money, switching from a different type of water heater,” Fergusson says.

Visitors could interact with different types of lightbulbs, even physically moving bicycle pedals to see the difference in energy required for an incandescent light bulb, a compact fluorescent light bulb, and an LED light bulb. Other exhibition topics included insulation, air quality and health issues that can occur in the home. 

The tiny home also has a loft area for children, with coloring sheets and kids’ books about clean energy. While the exhibition is meant for anyone interested in clean energy, CSA especially welcomes homeowners and renters looking to make clean energy upgrades in their living spaces. Fergusson stresses that this exhibit isn’t meant for just homeowners.

“There are programs through which renters can access grants and incentives for making energy upgrades to their home,” he says. “For example, renters can enroll in a community solar program, and there are even some appliances that renters can get themselves and put in their home, and if they move to a different place, can take it with them.” 

He notes that questions or misconceptions about clean energy technology often are rooted in outdated knowledge. 

“A lot of people don’t think that heat pumps can work in our climate here in Rochester without having some type of backup system in their home … even among the people installing these devices, there’s still a lack of familiarity,” Fergusson says. “The technology keeps improving and has really grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and if it’s not somebody’s specialty, I can’t blame them for not knowing. That’s why it’s on us to be out there showing it to people, so that people can learn that, yes, these new air source heat pumps actually work fine in our cold Rochester winters, and you don’t even need to have any kind of fossil fuel-powered backup system.” 

The Tiny Powerhouse was designed and loaned out to Climate Solutions Accelerator by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. More information about the design of the home and exhibits inside can be found at tinypowerhouse.org. 

More information about renewable and clean energy can be found at CSA’s clean energy hub program, ampedproject.org.

Alefiya Presswala is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and member of the Oasis Project’s second cohort.

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