Menu

Next World TV

Common Sense Solutions - Starting Now

Low Income Homes From Recycled Goods PBS Special, Part 2 of 3

Subscribe to Next World TV

Your e-mail address is kept absolutely private
We make it easy to unsubscribe at any time

A Whole New Way To Build

What an unbelievably unique take on housing and architecture! Dan Philips creates houses that are made from 70-80% recycled material. The creativity he puts to use is as impressive as the tons of materials he saves from the landfill.

His philosophy is that our collective mindset of perfection is what creates all the waste. From the builders to the home buyers to the marketers- everyone demands adherence to sterile, conventional norms. If a 2x 4 isn’t perfect, it goes in the dump. Dan Philips instead incorporates these blemishes and organic processes.

This program, shown in 3 parts here on Nextworldtv, also puts a spotlight on his homesteading initiative, a program to help the working poor attain the dream of home ownership. Hear about his ingenious plan to get people building their own homes with reclaimed materials!

In 1998, he and his wife, Marsha, started The Phoenix Commotion, in Huntsville, Texas -- a construction company that builds affordable houses from reclaimed and recycled materials. Their mission is to divert landfill waste while creating sustainable housing for single mothers, artists, and families with low incomes. The houses are energy-efficient, cheap and satisfying to build -- and wildly, effervescently creative.

"Every town has a crushing need for affordable housing all across the country. The local establishment says that affordable is $140,000. That's not affordable at all. We need affordable between $20-50,000 for the working poor -- that's affordable."

What a perfect mission: to divert landfill waste while creating sustainable housing for single mothers, artists, and families with low incomes. The houses are energy-efficient, cheap and satisfying to build -- and all wildly creative and FUN.

You will think differently about your space and all the fixtures in it after this unique presentation with this most eccentric builder.


--Bibi Farber

This video was produced by www.houstonpbs.org/livingsmart

Dan Phillips website: www.phoenixcommotion.com

For more Shelter videos, click here

See the complete catalog of
next world tv videos