Curious about the sustainability of our cabins? We’ve got you covered.

Our Cabins

Many of us are aware of the impact that we have on the planet, and here at Summerhouses Unlimited, we understand that some of our customers are worried about the carbon footprint that comes with purchasing one of our cabins. This blog aims to fill you in on our green and sustainability efforts.

Starting from the basics, our buildings themselves, what are they made from, and where do the materials come from? Well, the timber used to construct our cabins is sustainably sourced and comes from Nordic spruce trees. The Nordic spruce grows slowly within forests across the chillier regions of Europe. This slow growth creates a strong but flexible wood, making it a fantastic choice for use as construction timber.

Timber management covering these European forests is continuously improving. The forests are maintained, and in numerous areas, they are increasing in size and density due to the careful and respectful efforts of those who manage them. All of our standard cabins are FSC Mix or PEFC certified. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Mix certification means that the product is made with a mix of materials from FSC certified forests, recycled sources and/or FSC controlled wood. A PEFC certification acknowledges that our cabins are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.

This high-quality timber offers natural insulation properties, making it easier to regulate the temperature in your cabin, thereby reducing energy consumption.

Our Materials

We use a variety of different materials to ensure our cabins are protected from all types of weather and temperature changes throughout the year. Whilst choosing the highest quality materials, we also want to ensure they come from green and sustainable sources.

To give our cabins a strong foundation, we use our premium airflow base system, which is manufactured within the UK, reducing any excessive and unnecessary transport. Further to this, the grid system is manufactured using recycled high-grade plastic from a reputable supplier within the UK.

When it comes to our insulation, there are three main parts: the OSB, insulation boards and a thermal membrane. The OSB we choose to use is very eco-friendly; it is manufactured with sustainability as a main focus, and it is also fully recyclable. These OSB boards have an E1 Class rating, which refers to the product's low level of formaldehyde emissions, meaning it is safe for indoor use.

Moving to insulation boards, they are manufactured from a tough polyisocyanurate and have zero ozone depletion potential, meaning that the insulation does not harm the Earth’s precious ozone layer.

Finally, we come to our thermal membrane, which offers exceptional thermal performance, causing it to have a huge green effect on the entire cabin. This membrane massively helps to keep our cabins warm during colder months and cooler during the summer, meaning you’re spending less energy on temperature control.

Our final topic is the roof. We most commonly use EPDM rubber for our roofing material. The rubber we have chosen has a limited environmental impact during the manufacturing and installation processes, and no substances are released from the membrane. Additionally, this choice of roofing material allows for easy collection and runoff of rainwater, providing those of us with a green thumb a valuable free resource. Lastly, the life expectancy of our rubber is a remarkable 50 years! This means no additional materials or maintenance are required during its extensive lifespan.

So, as you can see, our cabin manufacturing and installation processes are completed with the environment in mind. So you can rest easy knowing that purchasing a cabin with us is not going to massively increase your carbon footprint.