POULTNEY, Vt. (AP) — A college student in Vermont is living in a 96-square-foot house he built to reduce his carbon footprint — and save money.

The Rutland Herald reports that Green Mountain College senior Rob Dunn has been living in the two-story Poultney home since August 2014.

The home is powered by two 100-watt solar panels. A rocket mass heater built from a cast-iron stove insulated with a mixture of clay, sand and straw allows for cooking and heating.

The home cost Dunn about $3,000 to build, and the landowner is letting him live rent-free. He says that will help with the high cost of college.

The Henniker, New Hampshire, native says living in the home is the "most raw experience that I've ever had."