Rural Log Cabins helped Mary and David to design a purpose-built, eco-friendly home and advised on all the many technologies that are available now to help them reduce their carbon footprint to zero.

The log cabin is made of timber from sustainable wood sources and will run almost entirely on renewable energy with no connection to national grid electricity. Power is generated by photovoltaic panels on the roof of the cabin and stored in batteries with any shortcomings topped up by a diesel back-up generator.

Light Pipes and Solar Vents in each bathroom supply light and operate battery powered fans ensuring zero power drain on the main cabin batteries whilst mainting comfort and atmosphere.

A stunning cabin in picturesque surroundings

Solar thermal panels on the roof of the cabin will supply ample hot water in the summer and almost all the required amount in winter months, whilst winter heating, cooking and some hot water is being provided through a wood-burning stove.The stove and a small wood burning heater use the wood they grow on their smallholding and therefore need no additional resources to heat the cabin. All human waste goes into a biogester and is safely processed on site.

The combination of all these environmental features provide a zero carbon rating on the SAP scale, the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for the Energy Rating of Dwellings. The calculation has been made, even assuming the worst air leakage results, giving an environmental impact estimated at the lowest level for CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

“We specialize in designing with our clients the solution which is right for their location and purposes,” says Steve Missen, Managing Director of Rural Log Cabins Limited.  “Catangar Llamas wanted both buildings to be as environmentally friendly as possible and we were able to offer them a zero carbon option. The result is an attractive building that fits in with the landscape and does not affect the surroundings adversely. It is entirely in keeping with the eco message of the farm and will be very educational for the young people visiting the site.”

A webcam was in place to record the construction process as it progressed and provided a live feed updated every 25 seconds. We have compiled these into a series of time lapse films so that viewers can view the project from the very start.

Mary and David Pryse moved into their log cabin in late 2008. They loved the log cabin design so much that they have asked Rural to design and build the visitor centre they are planning for next year. The visitor centre will provide accommodation for school parties wishing to study the llamas and their country of origin as part of their national curriculum studies and the zero carbon rating will also provide ample subject matter for science curriculum activities.

Rural Log Cabins is one of the country’s leading suppliers of bespoke log cabins for a variety of uses, from residential properties and holiday homes to leisure facilities such as visitor centres, sports facilities and schoolrooms, each individually designed to suit the customer’s requirements. The Catanger Llamas visitor centre will reflect an important market for Rural in building sustainable solutions on sensitive rural sites and choosing materials, styles and technologies that will fit in with the environment.

Catangar Llamas is a llama trekking and educational facility in Northamptonshire. The centre provides a wide range of educational activities and will now be able to offer cross-curriculum learning for key stages 1 and 2 (Primary School children up to age 11) and eventually also Key Stage 3. The llamas come originally from South America and can be studied for both geography and history. Owner Mary Pryse demonstrates traditional skills in spinning, weaving and felting the llama fibre, providing education for design/technology and art with a genuine hands-on experience.

For Nature/Biology studies the llamas themselves are of course on hand to study, plus 20 acres of native woodland established since the Llama trekking began in the 1990’s. The trees, wild flowers pond life, birds and wild mammals all provide opportunities to study natural history.