Top 3 Eco Van Building Tips
Don’t touch the Aluminum!
from Wanderwegvan
This is probably the most common mistake we see when building a DIY camper van. I’m not sure why reflectix became so popular with the DIY camper van community. My best guess is that its popularity sprang from it being relatively inexpensive, easy to apply over uneven surfaces, and just being so dang shiny. But the way most people use aluminum in their van builds is physically incorrect.
Reflectix is plastic bubble wrap, faced with aluminum foil. It’s sold as a radiant barrier, specifically designed for HVAC systems in homes. Aluminum is a truly amazing material. With the exception of gold, aluminum is the most reflective material in the known universe, being able to reflect 97% of radiant energy directed at it, and conversely, it only emits 3% of its own energy. This means that it does a great job of keeping temperatures separate… with one HUGE caveat.
You can’t touch it. There has to be an air gap between the surface of the aluminum and the surface you are insulating against. If you sandwich aluminum between two materials without an air gap, you are not allowing the aluminum to reflect radiant heat and you are instead creating a conductive energy bridge! Just as aluminum is great at reflecting, it also happens to be great at conducting energy from one material to another. This is why computer bodies, engine blocks, and radiators are made of aluminum — to draw heat. And so where you once expected to prevent the transfer of heat, you are now making the transfer even easier. Without an air gap, aluminum becomes anti-insulation.
If you’d like to learn more about this, leave a comment and let me know. Should we do an article on insulation?
Is a van bathroom worth the money?
COVID-19 PANDEMIC NOTE: Public bathrooms have been found to spray aerosolized virus particles into the air. EcoVan.org does NOT suggest using enclosed public bathrooms during a pandemic. * Citation *
During a pandemic, EcoVan.org recommends using non-flushing toilets such as vault and composting units, or better still consider digging a latrine or cathole, or bagging your own waste in approved bags to throw away in approved areas.
It’s amazing what people are able to build into their van-homes. We’ve seen indoor/outdoor heated showers, radiant flooring, a bathtub, tiled showers, composting toilets, and more. The DIY vanlife community is extremely talented and what we’re about to say is not at all a dismissal of this talent. But… Do you really need a full bathroom?
Here’s why we ask: You’ll rarely been in a place where you have to use the bathroom and can’t find a public one or aren’t able to dig a hole or bag it. If you’re traveling near a city, there are gas stations, fast food places, 24hr nationwide gyms, department stores, and worst case: just plain old public restrooms. If you’re living out in the wild, a good shovel is far far less expensive and smelly than a toilet in your van. And just in case, it’s smart to keep a bunch of large, dog poop bags just in case.
For a ‘sink’ you can use some cupped hands, a water jug, and sometimes a small bowl to do all your washing without the need for grey water systems, water pumps, and lost counter space. As long as you use biodegradable soaps and are conscious and considerate about where you are casting out your grey water, there’s no real need for a sink or grey water system on board. It’s neat to have and luxurious to be entirely contained and stealthy, but that doesn’t mean you need it.
For $12 you can buy a solar shower bag and hang it from the side of your vehicle or any tree or post you find on your adventures. There are also extremely affordable 12v all-in-one shower heads that let you pull water from any jug or bowl. We’ve used them extensively here at EcoVan.org and found it to be exhilarating to shower outside and easy to use. (Pro Tip: Your skin will feel amazing and clean if you make a habit of swimming those mountain streams and hot springs!)
A lot of people are worried about using a bathroom on the road, showering, and washing. But if you don’t have the money or space for a fully plumbed van, we can assure you, the public option is easy, extremely affordable, and cleaner than you might expect. A major reason to live the #EcoVanLife is to connect with Nature and save money. Before you spend hundreds or thousands on constructing a full-on RV-style bathroom in your van, consider the cheap and public options!
Having said that, we’re all different creatures and these recommendations are not perfect. Public options can certainly be less clean than a private bathroom, so if you feel you need an on-board bathroom and plumbing, go for it, but don’t forget you have affordable public options.
How toxic is your van?
Having worked in the construction trade in the past, Christopher Ives, the founder of EcoVan.org knew building materials could be very toxic, especially if they aren’t handled properly. Insulation, adhesives, and paints can be particularly bad for you, especially during the construction phase, but can also off-gas carcinogens for years.
That new car/ new carpet/ fresh paint smell? That’s off-gassing. In a passenger car, most people are only driving 30 minutes to work and back, so exposure is going to be pretty low. However, when you’re living in your vehicle and sleeping in an enclosed space for hours a day, it becomes more important to consider the materials you’re using.
When you’re looking at sustainable building options for a 2,600 sqft home, the costs can be quite large, but in a 50 sqft van, the cost increase is negligible. In the past it’s been difficult to research these options, consider what’s right for a van application, and finding a good supplier. Christopher spent months sourcing non-toxic materials before starting to build the VITRUVIAN VAN, and he built EcoVan.org to help you make your own van more eco-friendly — let him know if he can help you out!
