Sustainability

We don’t use cheaper rigid insulations such as PIR (polyisocyanurate) or SIP's (structurally insulated panels) as they do not allow a building to breathe and can off gas VOC’s into the atmosphere indefinitely, they also use more energy to produce and are made from plastics.

 

We minimise VOC’s and toxins as much as possible throughout the whole build process which translates to a breathable, natural, organic, healthy space to be in and can be particularly beneficial to allergy sufferers. 

 

Our preferred choice of insulation is Hemp, which has excellent breathability, is entirely non toxic and is hygroscopic so can manage moisture and humidity reducing the risk of mould growth.

 

A few interesting facts about Hemp...

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• Hemp is the second fastest growing plant in the world and can grow 13 feet in 13 weeks!

• Hemp can (and should!) be grown without any pesticides.

• For every ton of Hemp grown 1.6 tons of carbon is captured.

• Hemp is 3 times stronger than cotton and is resistant to salt water, which is why it was used for sails and ropes for many many years, in fact farmers used to have to grow a certain amount of Hemp in order to supply the Royal Navy with all its rigging.

• Hemp is great for birds (the seeds) and bees (the pollen) not forgetting that’s all pesticide free!

• Once harvested the large tap root can stay in the ground to break down and is full of nitrogen which is great for the soil!

 

In fact, we love Hemp so much, we wear it!

 

Thankfully there are many more products coming to the market that are made of Hemp with insulation just being one of them, keep your eyes peeled for any new Hemp materials we will be using.

 

We also use woodfibre insulation which is another great product made from the waste created from paper production, the woodfibre manufacturers set up shop next to the paper mill, cutting out the need for transport of the raw materials.

Sustainable timber to us means sourcing as local as possible, sometimes a few miles from our workshop where timber from the sensitively managed Powder mill woodland is felled and cut by a mobile saw mill on site, other times from other nearby sawmills milling UK timber, felled sustainably from the local areas.

 

Better still, using what is already in circulation by way of reclaimed timber, but at the very least it means FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification) certified timber for the parts of the cabins that need structural grading or that can't be sourced from local sawmills.

Aluminium has one of the best recycling rates of any metal, with over 75% of all aluminium ever produced still in use today.

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The production of aluminium requires less energy compared to other metals and unlike other metals, aluminium does not rust or corrode. In fact, aluminium can last up to three times longer than other materials, such as wood or steel. So in turn products made from aluminium have a longer lifespan, reducing the need for replacements, saving money and ultimately reducing waste.

 

One of the most significant benefits of aluminium is its recyclability. Aluminium can be recycled repeatedly without losing its properties. Recycling aluminium also uses up to 95% less energy than producing new aluminium from raw materials.

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However, we are yet to find a window/door manufacturer who uses only recycled aluminium. So if you know of one, please share the details with us!

Cork is an amazingly sustainable material, its available as waste from the wine bottle industry and even when freshly harvested it’s still way up there near the top of the list…….

 

 A cork oak can be harvested around 12 times during its life with no detrimental effects at all, it simply regenerates after each extraction and furthermore, a harvested cork oak retains three to five times more CO2 than an unharvested tree. Even after processing cork also has incredibly low VOC’s.

Cork is filled with tiny pockets of air which not only has a cushioning effect under foot but also feels warm to touch which makes it ideal for flooring and is a great insulating material. 

These are just a few of the many reasons why we feel cork is a really great choice for flooring in our cabins.