You want to get a sustainable garden sauna? Then you've come to the right place! An outdoor sauna in your own garden is a great opportunity to get away from it all and give your body time to relax.
As it can be integrated very harmoniously into the natural garden design and does not take up any space within your own four walls, the demand for an outdoor sauna house is growing steadily. Anyone who wants to combine it with their own, sustainable lifestyle However, if you want to harmonize your sauna with your home, you should be careful when buying, building and also during the sauna sessions themselves.
In this article, I would like to give you some environmentally friendly tips for sauna houses and barrel saunas that you should take to heart. From the material, size, stove and green roof to energy-efficient use. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
- Prefer material from sustainable forestry
- Decide on a size to suit your use
- Protect your garden sauna from the weather in the long term
- Ensure energy-efficient insulation & insulation
- Give your garden sauna a species-rich green roof
- Choose a heater that matches the size of the garden sauna
- Place your garden sauna on a solid foundation
- Switch to green electricity for more environmentally friendly use
- Avoid heat loss during use
- Place solar panels on the roof of your garden sauna
1. prefer material from sustainable forestry
If you want to set up a private sauna in your own green space and act sustainably, the material should of course be durable and from strictly controlled, organic forestry come from. It doesn't matter whether you want to build your own individual outdoor sauna or buy it from a specialist dealer and assemble it using a kit and instructions.
By working for your Garden sauna FSC certified wood (e.g. Nordic spruce), you are on the safe side.
Building permit: Either way, you should definitely check in advance whether the installation of sauna houses and barrel saunas in your region is only possible with planning permission or is completely permit-free!
2. decide on a size to suit the use
The size of your personal relaxation area is a decisive factor in its environmental compatibility. There is usually much more space in the garden than in the house. This tempts many sauna enthusiasts to build or buy a much larger outdoor sauna than is actually necessary. However, the smaller the sauna, the more environmentally friendly it is - especially in terms of use.
Anyone who thinks sustainably should therefore before purchasing answer some questions:
- How big is the largest regular user?
- How many users regularly use this garden sauna?
- Do I sauna sitting or lying down?
- How much space do I have in the garden?
- How often will I use my sauna?
The answers provide information about the ideal size. In most cases an area of 1.5 square meters per regular user in absolute terms.
3. protect your garden sauna from the weather in the long term
The right glaze and impregnation will significantly extend the lifespan of your sustainable garden sauna. To prevent rotting and mold growth in an environmentally friendly way, you should use Water-based glazes and varnishes or natural resins and oils put
Also, follow the recommended material consumption on the packaging and apply the second coat only when the first coat is absolutely dry.
Important: The inside of the wood should not be varnished, impregnated, painted or otherwise treated with wood preservatives, as harmful vapors can be produced during sauna sessions. To ensure that you enjoy your garden sauna for as long as possible, you should always use a towel instead and maintain the material regularly.
4. ensure energy-efficient insulation & insulation
In addition to weather resistance, the Energy efficiency plays an important role in the sustainability of your garden sauna. Whether a classic sauna house, log cabin sauna, Infrared cabin or Cubus sauna with anteroom: as a rule, they are designed in such a way that as little energy as possible is lost.
Tightly closing doors, Windows with thermal insulation glazing and Exterior walls with a thickness of at least 40 millimeters for example, are essential for this. Also make sure that all the walls, ceilings and floors of your private sauna are covered with sustainable insulation materials (e.g. fiberboard) are insulated.
5. give your garden sauna a species-rich green roof
A species- and flower-rich green roof can also help to protect the Reduce the energy costs of your outdoor sauna and protect the roofing material from the weather. Among other things, it stores water, filters dust and noise - and is even possible with slightly pitched roof shapes.
At the same time, the green roof promotes Species protection, as it Provides a valuable habitat for animals and plants. However, it is essential to note the additional Area load, the Weir safety, the Drainage and a full-surface Root protection.
Easy-care, heat- and frost-resistant perennials such as Sedum (e.g. stonecrop or wall peppercorn) and Sempervivum (e.g. perennial garlic, perennial roofwort and thunderwort), but also herbs such as thyme, for example, make wonderful roof plantings.
Tip: Try to integrate your sustainable garden sauna as harmoniously as possible into your natural garden. Use hedge plants and shrubs to create privacy and additional habitats for garden animals as quickly as possible.
6. choose a heater that matches the size of the garden sauna
A garden sauna with a wood-burning stove always requires new wood and contributes to the Deforestation of the forests with. Heating with a gas boiler is therefore much more environmentally friendly. Electric oven. (preferably in combination with green electricity, see tip no. 8)
Electric heating rods are heated, which transfer heat to the stones. It is clearly easier to installas it does not require a chimney pipe. A wood-burning stove is also a special fireplace that must be Chimney sweep must be checked and approved. This work is not necessary with an electric oven.
However, you should ensure as soon as possible that a Power connection close to the foundation to save you additional costs and work later on.
7. place your garden sauna on a solid foundation
A stable, heat- and frost-proof foundation is the basis for a sustainable outdoor sauna that functions in the long term. It also protects against moisture. Plan the foundation so that it The base area of your sauna ultimately protrudes by at least ten centimeters.
The size and nature of the surface are decisive in the end. For sauna houses, a Strip foundation recommended - for a Barrel sauna can under certain circumstances already two adjusting straps are sufficient. In addition to concreted concrete slabs (unfortunately energy-intensive to produce), smaller, individual concrete slabs or paving stones are also suitable as stable foundations.
8. switch to green electricity for more environmentally friendly use
Even if you don't notice any difference when using your sustainable garden sauna, it is extremely harmful to the environment if you run it on electricity from conventional sources. A Switch to green electricity from renewable sources (e.g. solar, wind and water power) takes just 5 minutes and makes saunas extremely environmentally friendly.
9. specifically avoid heat loss during use
When using a sauna in the garden, you can be environmentally and climate-friendly not only indirectly through green electricity and good insulation, but also directly during use. For example, use electronic climate managers for the Air supply control and only ventilate your garden sauna when necessary. And when you get out, you should of course close the door firmly again straight away.
Also the energy intensive preheating you don't have to drag it out. Instead, start with your first sauna session when the Set temperature reached is. Then you can strengthen your immune system in the most sustainable way possible.
10. place solar panels on the roof of your garden sauna
Green electricity is great - but if you Conserve natural resources in your everyday life you can even go one step further. With the help of solar panels on the roof of your garden sauna you generate the electricity yourself. I use it both for saunas and also for other everyday areas - or feed it into the public grid and receive remuneration. This way you can Save money sustainably and protect you from high electricity costs.
Use the tips for the most sustainable garden sauna possible
A sauna house and a barrel sauna are not a must! Who nevertheless like to sweat, the Reduce stress level and stimulate your own circulation can fortunately do so in the most environmentally friendly, conscious way possible.
Now you have the most important tips at hand - from certified wood to the right size, a species-rich green roof, an electric stove with green electricity and sustainable use.
"The world changes by your example, not by your opinion."
Paulo Coelho (more at Environmental protection quotes)
Finally, I would like to further blog posts which you can also use to protect the environment in your own garden:
- Sustainable garden design - tips and tricks
- How to create a bird-friendly garden
- Creation of an insect friendly garden
Do you have any questions, suggestions or further tips for a sustainable garden sauna? Then I look forward to your comment!
Stay sustainable,
PS: The changing temperatures in the outdoor sauna train your heart and circulation. How you can also Prevent heart disease you can find out in the next blog article.
