Any successful New York State Code Divisions Approvals

[Shelter Designs]

You are correct! When built by a reputable reputable builder yurts are very safe and energy efficient. We have yurts from Alaska to Maine and all points in between that people have effectively lived in during brutal winter conditions. Engineered yurts for snow and wind loading is something we have always offered, but insulation is always the sticking point when code officials get down to it. We have already upped the bar by introducing our Arctic Insulation package which combines the radiant barrier with flexible foam to add R-value to the yurt. This type of insulation works great for a quick setup, easily portable yurt that is in an area or situation where energy codes don't need to be met. If you are in a situation - residential, commercial, whatever- where this works, then stick with it!

We have tried for years to prove the effectiveness of radiant barriers to code officials, and are still working with others towards recognition of the effectiveness of the system. Many inspectors do say that a radiant barrier is a decent insulation, but they are confined by a rulebook that doesn't recognize it. At this point the long and short of it is that R values are the main factor considered in the currently adopted energy codes for residential dwellings. We are tired of seeing yurts shut down as recognized, viable dwellings because of only looking at one angle of insulation, so we decided to try to design something that met the codes. It took some innovative design work and lots of long hours at the drafting board, but we feel we have settled on a design that will work well and still keep our fabric yurts affordable, especially compared to conventional housing. This will be a game changer for the industry, make no mistake. It is very exciting!

I hope there will always be places in the world where people can make their own choices about how they live and what they live in. However, this is an increasingly regulated world, and we have had clients have to take down their yurt after trying to fly under the code radar, and it is horrible to see. We want people to be able to go into their local code office and say "yes, our yurt will meet your standards, and here is the documentation". We will update the forum as our project here in Montana goes along. Feel free to contact us with any and all questions too!