Why sustainability matters to us

Glenn’s passion for environmental conservation was born during his travels. Being lucky enough to spend time on several continents has given him a deep sense of global connectedness and the need to preserve our precious planet and its communities. By contrast Josephine grew up exploring the UK countryside which ignited in her a passion for this unique and diverse country in which we live.

Now that they are lucky enough to live and work in the Peak District National Park, Glenn and Josephine are acutely aware of the need to protect its spectacular landscapes, rich flora and fauna and support its communities. This has lead them to develop a sustainability policy which sees White Peak Shepherd Huts consider the environmental and human impact of what they do at every stage of the hut building process.

What sustainability means to us

People often believe that sustainability is just about choosing materials based on how green they are, but we feel there’s more to it and assess five components of our undertaking against sustainability.

Materials

We choose our building materials based on the following factors; where they come from, the environmental and societal effect of producing them, how they reach us and how well they perform. This is a huge undertaking and one that is ongoing and collaborative; we regularly seek advice from those with greater knowledge than ourselves such as the Peak District’s Environmental Quality Mark (EQM) team and we are always open to new information. We firmly believe that there are always ways to improve.

Progress to date;

• Our timber is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved
• The vast majority of our paint is water based
• We source our materials from local companies wherever possible to support the local economy and reduce our carbon footprint
• We insulate our huts using a high-quality material made from recycled glass or other natural alternatives such as wool
• We finish our floors, steps and worktops in Osmo’s range of plant based oils for a fabulous looking and hard-wearing finish

Production

Our building process is already relatively small scale and low impact however, we continually monitor our production methods to identify areas where we can reduce harmful practice and promote positive ones.

• We aim to reduce our waste output wherever possible and the rubbish we do produce is carefully recycled
• We don’t use toxic substances
• We will be sourcing our electricity from a company who distributes green power only at the earliest available opportunity
• We even give our sawdust to a local goat breeder for her stable floors!

Ongoing environmental impact

Building our huts to the highest standards means they last therefore limiting their ongoing environmental impact.

• Waterproof and breather membranes increase the life of our huts by protecting their core structure from the insidious damage caused by water ingress
• Our wheels are cast iron and our chassis are constructed from steel then over-painted with Hammerite which means that they’ll be around long after we are not

• Our wriggly tin is plastisol coated and then over-sprayed for a belt and braces approach to longevity and with the added benefit that it looks fantastic

• We use British grown Red Cedar on our timber clad huts. It offers the same good looks as its Canadian cousin but without adding further strain to the already over forested, ancient Canadian woodlands
• Our steps are made from thick planks of oak and finished in UV resistant Osmo oil

Work environment

We want our company to be around for many years to come and to ensure that happens we work hard to provide a happy, healthy and environmentally friendly work environment.

We achieve this by implementing the following;

• We are members of the cycle to work scheme
• We operate a healthy work/life balance policy offering flexible working hours
• We have a ‘bring your dogs to work’ policy

• We operate an ‘all ideas welcome’ policy to encourage the team to offer their input. We firmly believe that this is essential if our product and skills are to continue to develop
• We have a monthly off-site breakfast to reward hard work
• We source our coffee from the ethical coffee supplier, Pact who operate a policy of direct trade
• Our soaps and cleaning solutions are all environmentally friendly and PETA approved
• We have a composting toilet on site
• Our wood offcuts are used to heat our homes

Advice and information

We promote environmentally sound build choices. We offer off grid service options and provide advice on how to use them to attract the burgeoning eco-tourist market. We regularly blog on environmental issues some of which can be found by following the links below;

Solar powered shepherd huts

How do composting toilets work & are they suitable for shepherd huts

Set up an off-grid campsite

Eco-tourism & shepherd huts; a match made in holiday heaven?