Running head: SMALL HOME BIG VAN 1

Small Home Big Van

PART 1

Topic

The topic that was chosen for this project are small homes built inside of cargo vans. Van

homes are unique in the sense that a user is modifying a confined area, to meet their living needs

in the most compact manner possible. Generally this results in a trade off of amenities and

comforts that most modern homes are equipped with, for the benefit of affordability, the ability

to travel, and not being confined to a single location. Areas of improvement involve designing

ergonomic compact kitchens, security, storage, and resource management/replacement systems.

The van of choice for this project will be a Mercedes Sprinter high top van, this is one of the

largest cargo vans available with a cargo bay measuring 74” vertically, 70” wide, and 170” long.

Front-end Analysis

User analysis

Users, who have been identified for van style homes, cover a wide variety of niche users.

The majority of users who have built their homes inside vans, live in them year round and live

more nomadic lifestyles. The average van home user is not restricted to a specific location; their

jobs and responsibilities allow them the freedom to work remotely, on their own schedule, and

under their own supervision. Some examples of user occupations are traveling photographers,

journalists, video loggers, and online entertainers. Van home users however are not only

restricted to the above group of people, instead van home users may also cover individuals who

prefer a smaller more affordable living space free of mortgages and conventional rent. Some van

home users may have a permanent residence and utilize their van home for traveling on
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weekends and holidays, some van home users may even be temporarily living in their van, until a

more permanent home is built or purchased.

Furthermore users are not restricted to a specific gender or education level. However

users in almost all situations will require a valid drivers license, meaning the age of users is

typically 16+ depending on where you live. The van home lifestyle has become increasingly

popular in recent years among millennial’s, because of this the majority of users will fall on the

younger side of the population (20’s-mid 30’s) although there are plenty of elderly individuals

enjoying the van home lifestyle.

Limitations to the user population will include the following. The tallest clearance found

among typical van style homes was 74” inside the cargo area, meaning a user above six feet may

need to duck or crouch inside their homes. Typically no more than two users are able to live in a

single van, indicating that individuals with a family may not be accommodated by most van style

homes. In addition special populations who may be mobility challenged or require assistance

from a caretaker, will not be ideal or even potential users in some cases. Lastly a user should be

able to live comfortably within in a confined area for extended periods of time, not require

regular amenities or necessities that are found in most homes, and are willing to live without full

size kitchens, showers, and facilities for extended periods of time.

Function Analysis

The function analysis will fall under a human equipment/environment interaction. The

main functions that the van home will provide are the following. The Van life home will provide

users with a place to sleep, prepare meals, drive the home, work, and monitor security and

system states. Tasks analysis can be found later in the paper (see Figure 1).

Environment analysis
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The environments that a van home may be exposed to can cover a variety of weather,

road and temperature conditions. A user may venture north to areas of extreme cold, or to warm

beaches along the coasts. As a result the interior environment will be required to adapt to cold

and warm temperatures, the user may require clothing for various weather and activity conditions

and a system for heating and cooling will be a necessity. In regards to the interior environment of

the home, there will be two entrances to the cargo area, one at the rear of the vehicle and one on

the passenger side of the vehicle. For access to the driver and passenger seats users can access

their respective doors. Based on the model of van that our design uses, there will be no windows

in the cargo area for security, privacy, and temperature regulation.

User preferences and requirements

The user requirements and preferences are as follows. First the user will require a

spacious enough and comfortable sleeping area to accommodate themselves and their partner if

applicable. Based on the dimensions of the Sprinter van, a full size bed that can fold into a couch

and or up against the wall will be utilized. The users will require storage large enough to store,

clothing, personal items, cooking supplies, cleaning supplies, electronics, and essential resources

like water and natural gas. The storage areas must be secure for travel. The users will require an

area to cook, eat, and clean up afterwards. Users will require an electrical system to power

various systems, and solar panels to provide power to the batteries. Users will require receptacles

or drains for water and food waste. Users will require a desk space, which accommodates work

needs without taking up essential space. Users will require temperature control systems and

system security and state monitoring, and lastly users will require an area to pilot the vehicle,

which is unhindered by other accommodations.

System specifications
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In order to maximize space certain aspects of this design will need to adjust or serve

multiple functions. The sleeping quarters of the van will have a foldable bed that will serve as a

couch in one state, and in another state the bed can be lifted up against the wall, using pneumatic

lifts to reveal a storage area and increase accessible space. A sink burner combo for cooking and

washing needs will meet ergonomic requirements while maintaining a compact structure.

Overhead storage will utilize cabinets that open vertically towards the ceiling assisted by

pneumatic lifts instead of opening horizontally to the sides. This will reduce space consumption

of cabinets while open and reduce the risk of users hitting their heads on cabinets or running into

the cabinets when open. The van home unit will have a monitoring system, which provides users

with energy consumption information, temperature controls, and live feed security information.

Iterative Design and Testing

A task analysis of a common van home user task can be seen in figure 1.

Interface Design

Interface design is most appropriately discussed but not limited to the information and

system state display. The first step that was taken in order to properly design this display was to

identify what information should be shown under which state, and how many states would be

available. For example the security display is present under a separate mode than the battery

display (see Figure 2). The next step was to match display information to existing mental models

of the user. For example the battery state can be accessed by clicking on a battery icon (see

Figure 3), and clicking on the thermometer icon will allow access to temperature controls. In

order to account for expert users, and users who want more information on a single display, users

are able to customize their displays to show multiple system states at once. In regards to non-

display interfaces, the cabinets will be fitted with locking mechanisms that provide users with
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tactile and visual feedback when the cabinet is locked and secured (see Figure 4). As an

additional safety measure cabinets will be fitted with sensors paired to the information display,

which can alert the users if a cabinet is ajar while driving. Users will then have the option to pair

the alert signal with either visual or audible alerts. The importance of this system is preventing

storage units from opening up while driving, and the ability to customize alerts should prevent

users from perceiving the alert as a severe emergency when driving. For example we want to

avoid an alert response that may be mistaken for another emergency, if the alarm was a siren

users may get the impression that a police car is behind them and alter their driving style.

System production

Generally van homes are designed and setup by the user. The user goes out and purchases

a van, determines their needs and preferences and begins the building process. For this project

we are providing users with a basic design and setup guidelines for system development and

production. In terms of the skillset required to design one of these homes, basic carpentry,

electrical experience, and specialized tools are valuable and generally required. However

information on all building basics and DYI information can be found online. Although if you are

a user who does not have the time or desire to build your own van home, a contractor can be

hired to assist in the building and planning process.

Implementation and evaluation

The first step in implementing the design and building the van life home is to build

required structures and then install/secure them inside the van. In order to make this process

efficient, users or contractors should design structures according to the blueprints, verify

measurements before installation, and verify a second time once installed. Due to space

constraints if a structure is too large, you may need to accommodate for this by rebuilding the
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structure, or reducing the size of the structure on an adjacent wall. Another approach to

implementation of this design, is too create a mock up space in a garage or weather proof unit,

which allow the user and contractor to navigate the living space before integrating the structures

into the van. Evaluation of the design should determine if all structures have been implemented

without affecting other systems in the area. Once system states have been tested and verified,

addressing safety concerns should be the next step. Identifying sharp corners, fire hazards, and

electrical concerns should be addressed by both the user and contractor if needed.

System Operation and Maintenance

System operation will primarily occur by the user, who will interact with storage units,

kitchen equipment, and adjustable structures. Many of the systems with the exception of the

electrical system will be easy to maintain, diagnose and work on by the average user. However

since the home is attached to a vehicle, vehicle maintenance will need to be performed either by

the user or a certified mechanic. As a result making sure that vehicle modifications do not

interfere with the vehicle repair process is important. Lastly the electrical system should be

integrated into a specialized compartment specifically for wires, batteries, and other relevant

structure, this will allow an electrician to access the compartment from the rear of the vehicles.

Allotting the electrician an appropriate sized workspace, that does not infringe on your privacy

or living space.

System disposal

System disposal for a van home is particularly unique. Generally a van life home is not

built using a brand-new vehicle, instead most users purchases a van second hand before

designing and building their home. In addition to disposal of home waste and systems, users will

need to account for regular vehicle disposal and maintenance. For example oil, batteries, and tire
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recycling and disposal. In addition to vehicle disposal, users will have garbage and water waste

to dispose of in an appropriate manner. Whether this be a sewage hookup for water waste, and or

dumping of trash and recyclables at appropriate garbage facilities. Towards the end of your van

homes life, users will have the option to sell the vehicle, recycle or reuse interior systems and

structures, and or scrap the vehicle and interior at a junkyard, or vehicle disposal location.

Part 2

Anthropometry

The aim of this design is to accommodate for 85% of men and 99% of females, assuming

that users will belong to non-special populations in regards to both mobility and size. For

example this design will not accommodate individuals who are wheelchair bound, morbidly

obese, or height challenged in some way. Anthropometric data was collected from North

Carolina State University for the design process, this data came from a U.S personnel survey

collected in the late 80’s. Anthropometric characteristics that were relevant to the design were,

individuals stature, reach envelope, standing resting elbow height, sitting resting elbow height,

hip breadth, standing eyesight, and wingspan. Regarding human variability that will influence

the workspace, stature held the highest impact. Generally no cargo van has a vertical clearance of

more than 74”, and the majority of vans do not have clearance above 60”. For this design we

chose to accommodate individuals below six feet tall, because any individuals taller than this

would have a difficult time maneuvering in their home. Due to the decision to accommodate

individuals shorter than six feet, a larger majority of men and women were accounted for

ergonomically in terms of kitchen height.

Principles of Work Place design

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Principles of work place design will be discussed for three aspects of the van home, the

kitchen, storage areas, and the information display. Beginning with adjusting the workplace, the

information display will be a detachable tablet attached to a pivoting wall mount. The wall

mount will allow a user to move the tablet vertically and horizontally to establish a less than 15-

degree deviation from a users horizontal sight plane. In addition the wall mount will allow the

user to move the tablet away from the wall and adjust the mount in a roughly 360 degree manner.

This will allow users to adjust the information display so that users may view the display from

various positions within the van home. In regards to the importance principle, when a user is

utilizing the tablet interface to adjust temperature, the current temperature will be located in the

center of the screen and temperature controls will be located directly to the right of the current

temperature (see Figure 5).

Moving on to the sequence of use principle. The refrigerator will be located in a storage

compartment to the lower right of the kitchen; in an overhead storage area above the sink/burner

combo you will find a spice rack and various cooking supplies. In addition cookware, plates, and

utensils will be found to the left of the sink in another storage compartment, this allows a user to

locate all of their cooking needs within the direct vicinity of the kitchen (see Figure 6). In regards

to the consistency principle components of the sink burner combo with be grouped with each

other. When searching for the water reservoir a user will locate it directly under the sink,

whereas to the right of the sink where the burner is located the natural gas container will be

found directly below. When addressing the control-display compatibility principles of

colocation, led lights will be located throughout the living space, and the different light zones

will utilize dimmer switches located in close proximity to each other, with controls that are
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mapped in a left to right fashion matching the position of the light zones themselves (see Figures

6,7).

The functional grouping principle can be demonstrated by how the electrical system is

integrated into the van life home. The electrical wiring, battery housing, and fuse box will be

located towards the rear of the vehicle and only accessible through one of the rear doors.

Whereas, the water pump and water reservoir will be located together in a separate area under

the kitchen sink. Lastly the clutter avoidance principle can also be illustrated by the electrical

system, because while the electrical system is grouped together in a single area, the various

components will be distinguishable via distance, labeling, and color (see Figure 8).

Seated vs. standing work place

The kitchen will be classified as a standing work environment, and will utilize a sink and

burner combo for cooking and cleaning needs (see Figure 9). The dimensions of the sink/burner

area will 33” wide and 13” deep horizontally. By maintaining a horizontal depth of 13” adult

users of all heights and wingspans will be able to utilize the kitchen area, without the need to

lean or bend in a forward direction. In addition due to the limited width of the Sprinter van cargo

area (70”), a kitchen with a horizontal depth of 13” will allow for the adjacent wall structure to

have a horizontal depth of 35” before impeding the movement of a male individual with a 99th

percentile hip breadth (15.48”). In terms of the 35” wide sink/burner area, 99% of the population

will be able to interact with objects and tools across this plane without the need to move

positions.

The height of the kitchen will be set at 40” high, which will put the height at

approximately two to four inches below the standing resting elbow height of males who fall

between the 45th-95th percentile for resting elbow height. In terms of women if a two-inch rubber
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mat were placed in front of the sink/burner combo, it would maintain an ergonomic elbow height

for women between the 70th-97th percentiles. This mat could also reduce slippage and injury if it

were a rubber non-slip mat.

Energy Costs

Two main tasks were identified for energy costs in this design, replacement of the five-

gallon water reservoir, and replacement of the 20lbs natural gas tank. Beginning with the water

reservoir two different work energy costs can be discussed. The first energy cost occurs when

replacing an empty water reservoir, since the reservoir is either empty or at a low water level.

The energy costs should fall between 2.3 and 2.8 kcal/min, the removal process involves

disconnecting the water reservoir, removal from storage area, and carrying the reservoir to a

refill location. After the process of filling the reservoir, the 5-gallon container should weigh

approximately 42lbs. The state change of the reservoir results in a reclassification of energy costs

and workload. Reinstalling a filled reservoir results in a medium workload classification, and an

expected energy expenditure of 3.9 to 4.2 kcal/min.

Unlike the water reservoir, the weight of our 20lbs natural gas container does not change

as drastically between a full and empty state. Regardless of which state the container is in the

energy cost is expected to fall between 2.3-3.9 kcal/min. The process of removing and replacing

the natural gas tank is the same as replacing the water reservoir, first the seal is disconnected

from the tank, the tank is removed from the storage area, and then taken to a refill station. The

classification of this workload falls under light work, due to the reduced weight of the container

when compared to a filled water reservoir.

The design of the reservoir and tank storage area does result in an increased energy cost

versus other system designs. The use of a standard 5-gallon water jug (see figure 10), results in a
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higher difficulty to lift and manage the reservoir, this is due to the lack of handles or grips, and

the cylindrical body style of the jug. On the other hand the natural gas container does feature

handles for lifting and carrying the container (see Figure 11). In regards to measurement of

workload, oxygen consumption would be ideal, due to the task at hand involving a lifting task as

well as carrying light to medium weight levels over a short to medium distance. If the task at

hand were more static in nature oxygen consumption would not be a good workload indicator.

Energy expenditure and worker capability

Solutions that could be implemented to reduce exceeding users energy expenditure are as

follows. First reducing the size of the water reservoir would directly reduce user energy

consumption and reduce the risk of injury when lifting. Another possible solution to the entire

reservoir refill task would be to implement a system that can fill the reservoir without the need to

remove it from storage, for example using a hose attachment to refill the reservoir directly from a

water source. Another alternative could be the use of a dolly for both the water reservoir and

natural gas container, although this would require a ramp from the vehicle to the ground, or

lifting would still be required in moderation. However if a user were to attach handles or straps

to the water reservoir, they could reduce the strain from lifting the reservoir as well as use it in

combination with the dolly to account for the lack of a ramp. One feature that will be

incorporated in the design to assist with lifting is a sliding bottom for both the reservoir and tank.

Users will be able to detach either container then pull the bottom panel out towards them like a

drawer, and achieve a more desirable lifting position (see figure 12).
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References

Gordon, Claire C. et. al 1988 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Personnel: Summary Statistics

Interim Report. March 1989

Eamon & Bec. (2017, Oct 4). Van Life Tour | Ultimate Off-Grid Sprinter Van Conversion | Scott

Adamson X Eamon & Bec [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nArRiIjj6c

Parkinson, M. and Reed, M., Standing Reach Envelopes Incorporating Anthropometric Variance

and Postural Cost, SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-2482,

2007, https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-2482.

Sprinterrentals. (2012, Jan 26). Sprinter dimensions of a Mercedes Benz Cargo van 170 inch wb

2010 2011 and 2012 [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia11T1aFxi0

Wickens, C. D., Gordon, S. E., & Liu, Y. (1998). An introduction to human factors engineering.

Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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Figure 1. Above is a rudimentary task analysis of the process of refilling a water reservoir.
Refilling the water reservoir is one of the most common tasks preferred by van home users.
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Figure 2. Here is an example of one of the states that a user can use to monitor their surveillance
cameras. The reason for this setup is that users are generally slightly disoriented when coming
out of sleep. In order to speed up the process of identifying and locating a possible threat,
cameras are positioned in regards to their location on the vehicle. Once a user has identified the
position of a possible threat, they are able to tap on the video stream to either enlarge or change
the state to a 2x2 video orientation. A user will also have the option to set various forms of
feedback, in case the cameras sense movement, this includes audio and visual feedback with
varying intensity levels based on perceived threat levels.
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Figure 3. Battery life information is vital to a van home user, in order to make the process more
intuitive the tablet display will utilize a battery icon for electrical needs. However this display
will be dynamic in nature and the battery icon will change states based on current battery levels
and power consumption.
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Figure 4. The cabinet locks will utilize a design based on a hybrid of the above two photos.
Users will interact with a lock similar to the right picture, by utilizing a handle that does not stick
out we can reduce the space of the handles and prevent users clothing and tools from catching on
the handle. When the handle locks users will receive tactile feedback as well as visual feedback
from the engaged, disengaged state change.
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Figure 5. The temperature interface will use a similar design to the image above. The above
image follows the principle of the moving part and pictorial realism for the temperature controls.
In addition the controls will allow a user to slide their finger up the slider for faster and less
precise temperature changes, or the user can utilize the +- arrows for a slower but more precise
interaction. In addition as temperature increases the background of the display will change from
blue to red based and vice versa.
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Figure 6. The above image is a mock up of the layout of the home, this mock up includes the bed
dimensions, kitchen dimensions and specifications, as well as an example of light zones which
will be explained in more detail under figure 7. Due to limitations in project page length we felt
it was better to focus on the kitchen design to meet anthropometric, energy costs, and work place
design prompts.
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Figure 7. Dimmer switches will be utilized throughout the home in order to address light
preference needs and reduce energy consumption. Led lights will be set up in zones from the
front of the vehicle to the rear. Dimmer switches will be grouped together and labeled in
accordance with their zones. For example the front zone switch will be located beside the other
dimmers but will be closest in orientation to the front of the vehicle as well as being labeled
front. The middle zone dimmer will be located in the middle of the three dimmer switches and
labeled middle, whereas the rear dimmer switch will be located closet to the rear in orientation
and labeled as such.
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Figure 8. The above is an example of how the electrical system will be set up in a compartment
at the rear end of the vehicle. The above design may be modified based on space, however the
diagram should match the layout of the electrical system. While the above photo is not color
coded, the final design will match wire colors and structure colors to the diagram, this will allow
unfamiliar system workers to easily determine the location of specific instruments as well as
reduce clutter.
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Figure 9 The above is the sink burner combo that the kitchen will utilize. Some modifications
will include a visual light, which indicates the state of the burner. Burner controls will feature
tactile feedback and an audible click when the burner is turned off, which should help address
safety concerns when utilizing a gas burner in a confined space. Another recommendation for the
van home would be a natural gas detector located above the kitchen and paired with the
information display, in order to convey safety concerns to the user.
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Figure 10. A standard 5-gallon water jug which will be attached to a water pump and serve as a
water reservoir for cooking and cleaning needs, this will be stored below the sink.
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Figure 11. 20lb propane tank, which can be utilized for both cooking and heating needs inside
the home, this be stored below the gas burner.
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Figure 12. The above photo represents a pullout cupboard to house both the 5-gallon water jug
and 20lb propane tank, this feature was added to assist in the removal and replacement process
for both containers. Allowing the containers to slide out from their housing units will assist the
user in achieving a more ergonomic and desirable lifting position.