South San Francisco, California, USA

Led by California entrepreneur and architect Sasha Jokic, the San Francisco startup Cosmic has designed the first end-to-end virtual utility that enables homes to operate sustainably, completely off-grid.

Cosmic’s mission is to build affordable, urban, off-the-grid and sustainable housing at scale. 

Sasha Jokic’s ultimate aim is to transform the building industry.

With Cosmic, homeowners increase their living space and property value while achieving energy security through all-electric, smart technology.

The California builder’s backyard accessory dwelling units (ADUs) with their solar arrays and robust energy-storage systems can power homes that can generate enough energy to sustain themselves while supplying power to the main home, cutting the homeowner’s electricity bill.

Each ADU packs a powerful, off-grid punch.

These self-sufficient tiny homes are the architectural equivalent of electric vehicles.

“It’s hard to distinguish our system between a power plant or a house, and we like that,” states Jokic. 

“We see our home as a backyard unit that gives people additional living space, but also, it’s a giant power bank for the entire house.”

The ADU design, with its steel-framed floor-to-ceiling windows and timber cladding, is also able to store heat and provide on-demand heating and cooling.

The frame, or chassis, is a modular system made of standardized components.

The module’s components are built in a factory, put into flat-pack containers, and then transported to the site via a flatbed truck. 

A module’s maximum weight is 600 pounds (272 kilograms), making it relatively easy to offload and assemble with a small telehandler. No cranes are required.

Most attractive is the tiny home’s astounding energy performance promise. 

A rooftop solar array and the built-in energy-storage system produce more than a unit can consume; so much more in fact that the leftovers can fully power a primary residence.

Roughly 55 percent of the wood Cosmic uses in its ADUs is responsibly-sourced. 

Wall panels are made of cross-laminated timber and different types of plywood, while flooring is made of engineered hardwood. Cladding options include stained cedar – in black, grey, or natural—or composite panels in a copper hue.

Large floor-to-ceiling glass windows flood the interiors with natural light.

A natural palette reflects a selection of sustainable materials, including responsibly-sourced hardwood for the floors and ceilings.

The interiors have a natural feel with flooring, walls, and ceilings all finished with wood. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows give the units a clean, contemporary look while capturing an abundance of light.

“Usually when people talk about energy efficiency, they think the windows have to be smaller,” explains Jokic. 

“We see the opposite. If you create a robust energy system, you have more freedom in terms of window openings. As well, we’re investing into two-pane or three-pane windows that are highly efficient.”

By using only natural and safe materials, Cosmic sets a new standard for sustainable living with an emphasis on homeowners’ health and well-being.

Zero emissions. Zero toxic materials. Zero pollutants.

“I think many people right now see the energy side of our products as a great value-add,” continues Jokic. 

“We live in this very interesting time when people are ready to pay extra to have a greener and more sustainable living, and our job is to really try to optimize this cost.”

The company has built its first prototype called Cosmic Studio and is gearing up to start selling these all-electric tiny homes as soon as this year.

Currently, Cosmic has two models both of which have customizable layouts: a studio starting at $190,000 and a one-bedroom starting at $370,000.

“To really fulfill our mission is to scale to multifamily,” he continues. 

“You have more solar power capabilities, larger energy storage, and you can experiment with different types of renewable energy produced at home. So I think it’s going to be really interesting, the future of Cosmic.”

Project: Cosmic Studio and Cosmic One Designers: Cosmic Buildings Inc. Lead Architect: Sasha Jokic Manufacturer: Cosmic Buildings Inc. Photographers: Milos Martinovic

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