Insulation for cold places.

[Andy_in_Germany]

So we're considering building a Yurt. Well, we've looked at all the other options for a summer house/overnight shelter/place to learn more about living off grid and the local planning laws got there first: We're allowed one building of 12 cubic metres (Think about six phone boxes in a block: big enough for a lawnmower and a barbcue and other essentials of suburban life, but not much use for a summer house or similar so we can stay in the garden overnight) Wheeled vehicles (Caravan, shepherd's hut) are the same but with the twist that the 12 cubic metres will be measured from the ground, not the floor of the vehicle, so all the space between ground and floor is part of your 'allowance'. There isn't a caravan in existence that low.

Yurts, though, are considerd a tent and we can put that of as a 'temporary' dwelling, which will hopefully be ignored, and we cn move it if not.

So first question: what do people use for

insulation

? we're in an area of short, dry summers and cold, dry winters with temperatures often reaching minus five degrees or lower in winter, (That's "very cold" degrees Farehnheit), so

heating

and

insulation

will be essential for year-round use.

We would also like it to look 'tidy': we're in a very expensive region where every second car is a Mercedes and we'd like to show that a self-made shelter can be cost effective and look nice, 'professional', even.

I'm guessing we would make an inner cover to go over the frame, then an insulation cover, and then the outer waterproof canvas, but what to use?

And while I'm here, how do I make sure there isn't a draughty gap at floor level?

All suggestions welcome...