What

We make healthier homes...

For you, and the planet...

Inhabited is a small company focussed on building homes by researching, designing, developing and building in healthier ways - using natural materials and intelligent, sustainable services, all put together with a blend of traditional, craft based skills and modern manufacturing processes. We design, build and remodel homes, and are currently working on a number of projects including an extension to a family home, the renovation of a bothy and a new holiday home.

Using natural materials, and sustainable services...

Natural Materials...

^{We are developing methods using natural materials, without many of the toxic ingredients commonly found in today's building products. Using natural materials means that there is no discharge of harmfull toxins - so that buildings built with our methods are healthier for you to live in. We use wood fibre insulation, locally sourced untreated timber and clay.}

Sustainable Methods and Intelligent Services...

^{We use minimal concrete in our specially designed foundations, we minimise building waste and we reuse materials where possible. We incorporate off-grid and intelligent services such as passive and active solar gain, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, and responsive LED lighting. The services can be upgraded (ie the lighting) in line with new technologies, without damaging the building.}

Make Healthy Homes

^{We make healthy environments by taking an holistic approach to designing buildings and landscape. We design and build spaces, whether internal or external, by responding sensitively to what already exists, including the surrounding views, the lie of the land, and where the sun rises and sets. By 'touching the ground lightly' in what we design and how we build - you can truly inhabit your site.}

Time honoured and intelligent, passive methods such as solar gain and natural ventilation are often ignored at the expense of 'dumber' technological solutions that are both more expensive and less healthy.

Take insulation, for example...

Wood and plant fibre insulation
We are currently building with wood fibre insulation. It is not only toxic free, it is breathable and thermally massive - but what does this mean? Firstly, living in a breathable building is akin to wearing a woolly jumper - it allows your body to breathe, or sweat. Modern homes are ususally like a nylon shirt, wrapped in a 'moisture barrier' - preventing the moisture created by our bodies and our activities (showering etc) from passing through the external fabric. Mechanical ventialtion is therefore required, which will not get rid of all the moisture in the air. In many cases it will escape into the fabric, causing damp and even mould patches. Living in a breathable building is simply healthier.

The future of straw
We are developing a system that incorporates straw bales. Why straw? Here are just some of the reasons.
As with wood fibre insulation, it is thermally massive and breathable. It is abundantly available - from your local farmer, and has the potential to benefit the rural economy. It is ideally suited to off-site manufacturing, in panels, to achieve a quality of construction not possible with conventional methods. The panels can be easliy assembled on-site with little specialist input, maing it ideal for self-building. Oh yes, and it desn't burn easily - its actually very resistant to fire!

Would you like to know more?

What is Inhabited, and what can it offer?

Inhabited is a small company based in Scotland. We can design and build you a healthier home, or improve, alter and extend your current one.
Put simply, if you want a healthier environment in which to live, feel free to get in touch - there is no charge until you're confident to proceed.

Why Healthy Buildings?

They are built with natural, non-toxic materials, and they incorporate intelligent, sustainable services -
to make homes that are healthy for you, and the environment.

What are toxic ingredients and why are they harmful?

The majority of modern buildings, including the homes we live in, are built using industrial products and processes that emit a mix, or 'cocktail', of chemical toxins.
These toxins are discharged into the environment in two ways.
When the products are being made, poisonous chemicals are released into the environment as part of the manufacturing process.
Toxins are then emitted from these products after they have been constructed as part of the buildings in which we live and work.
These toxins are now recognised as being harmful to our health, but little is known about them, and even less is being done to remove them.
Further information can be found here.
Inhabited homes are designed and built to be as 'toxic free' as possible, using natural materials and intelligent services that are in tune with you and the environment. We are constantly striving to reach our ultimate goal - to remove the toxic content altogether - through continous research and development, and we are selectively harnessing new technologies to create the heathiest homes for you, and our environment.

_{Our website is updated regularly with more information. In the meantime please feel free to contact us if you wish to build, or simply want to know more about, healthier buildings.}