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.
Since it can be integrated very harmoniously into the natural garden design and does not take up space in your own home, the demand for an outdoor sauna house is growing steadily. Who can combine it with their own, sustainable lifestyle would like to bring in line, should be careful when buying, building and also during the sauna sessions themselves, however.
Now, in this article, I want to give you eco-friendly tips for sauna houses and barrel saunas that you should take to heart. From materials, to size, to stove, to green roof, to energy efficient use. Let's go.
Here you can find a short overview in advance:
- Prefer material from sustainable forestry
- Decide on a size to fit the use
- Protect your garden sauna from the weather in the long term
- Provide energy efficient insulation & isolation
- Give your garden sauna a biodiverse green roof
- Choose a stove that fits the size of the garden sauna
- Place your garden sauna on a solid foundation
- Switch to green power for greener use
- Avoid targeted 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, ecological forestry originate. It doesn't matter whether you want to build your own individual outdoor sauna or buy it from a specialist retailer and screw it together 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 a building permit or completely permit-free!
2. decide on a size suitable for use
The size of your personal relaxation area is one of the factors that determines its environmental compatibility. In the garden there is usually much more space than in the house. This tempts many sauna lovers to build or buy a much larger outdoor sauna than is actually necessary. But basically, the smaller the sauna, the more environmentally friendly it is - especially when it comes to use.
Anyone who thinks sustainably should therefore before purchasing answer some questions:
- What is the size of the largest regular user?
- How many users:inside are regularly in 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 is enough 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 life of your sustainable garden sauna. To prevent, among other things, rot and mold in an environmentally friendly way, you should preferably use Water-based or natural resins and oils glazes and varnishes put
Also, follow the recommended material consumption on the packaging and apply the second coat only when the first coat is absolutely dry.
Important: From the inside, the wood should not be glazed, impregnated, painted or otherwise treated with wood preservatives, because during the sauna sessions can produce vapors that are harmful to health. To enjoy your garden sauna as long as possible, you should always use a towel instead and regularly maintain its material.
4. provide energy efficient insulation & insulation.
In addition to weather resistance, of course, also plays the Energy efficiency important role in the sustainability of your garden sauna. Whether classic sauna house, log cabin sauna, Infrared cabin or Cubus sauna with anteroom: they are usually designed so 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 are essential for this, for example. Also make sure that all walls, ceilings and floors of your private sauna with sustainable insulation materials (e.g. fiberboard) are insulated.
5. give your garden sauna a biodiverse green roof
A species- and flower-rich green roof can also help to reduce the Reduce 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 sloping roof shapes.
At the same time, the green roof promotes Species protection, as it Provides a valuable habitat for animals and plants. But be sure to note the additional Surface load, the Weir safety, the Drainage and a full Root protection.
Low maintenance, heat and frost resistant perennials such as. Sedum (e.g. stonecrop or wall peppercorn) and Sempervivum (e.g. roof leek, roofwort and thunderweed), but also spices such as thyme, for example, are wonderful for roof planting.
Tip: Try to integrate your sustainable garden sauna as harmoniously as possible into your natural garden. Also, provide privacy and additional habitat for garden animals as quickly as possible with hedge plants and shrubs.
6. choose a stove that fits the size of the garden sauna
A garden sauna with wood stove always needs new wood and contributes to the Deforestation with. Much more environmentally friendly, therefore, is heating with a Electric oven. (best in combination with green electricity, see tip no. 8)
In this process, electric heating rods are heated, which give off heat to the stones. It is clearly easier to install, since it does not require a chimney pipe. A wood stove is also a special fireplace, which is required by the Chimney sweep must be tested and approved. This work is not necessary with an electric furnace.
However, you should make sure as soon as possible that a Power connection located near the foundation to save you additional costs and labor later.
7. place your garden sauna on a solid foundation
A stable, heat- and frost-proof foundation is the basis of a long-term, sustainable outdoor sauna. It also protects against moisture. Plan the foundation so that it can withstand the Base area of your sauna finally overhangs by at least ten centimeters.
In the end, the size and the nature of the base are crucial. For sauna houses will be a Strip foundation recommended - at a Barrel sauna can under certain circumstances also already two adjusting straps be sufficient. In principle, in addition to concreted concrete slabs (unfortunately produced in an energy-intensive way), smaller, individual concrete slabs or paving stones are also suitable as a stable foundation.
8. switch to green electricity for greener use
Even though you won't notice a difference when using your sustainable garden sauna, running it on electricity from conventional sources is extremely harmful to the environment. A Switch to green electricity from renewable sources (e.g. solar, wind and water power) takes only 5 minutes and makes sauna extremely environmentally friendly.
9. specifically avoid heat loss during use
When using a sauna in your garden, you can not only act indirectly in an environmentally and climate-friendly way by using green electricity and good insulation, but also directly when using the sauna. Use, for example, electronic climate managers for the Air supply control and ventilate your garden sauna only when necessary. And when you get out, you should of course close the door tightly again.
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 also 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. Use it both for sauna, as well as 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 a garden sauna as sustainable as possible
A sauna house and a barrel sauna are not a must! Who nevertheless like to sweat, the Reduce stress level and want to stimulate their own blood circulation can fortunately also do so in the most environmentally friendly, conscious way possible.
Now you have the most important tips at hand - from certified wood, the right size, a species-rich green roof, the electric stove with green electricity, to sustainable use.
"The world changes by your example, not by your opinion."
Paulo Coelho (more at Environmental protection quotes)
Finally I would like to give you here additional blog posts for you which you can also use to protect the environment in your own garden:
- Garden sustainable 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 interplay of temperatures in the outdoor sauna trains the heart and circulation. How you also still Prevent heart disease you can learn now in the next blog article.
