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In warm climates, you can enjoy the pleasures and- benefits of outdoor bathing. Tubs and spas cost ‘61 less than a swimming pool and you can integrateone into any underused area of a small garden or patio. They also use less heat and water than a pool. Common tub sizes are 1.5-1.8m (5-6ft) in diameter, with a depth of 75cm-1.5m (30in-5ft), although 1.2m (4ft) is typical. A standard 1.5 by 1.2m (5 by 4ft) tub holds about 1893 litres (415 gallons) of water, and a 1.8 by 1.2m (6 by 4ft) tub about 2650 litres (583 gallons). When the bathers are included, a tub is heavy, weighing between 3175 and 3630kg (7000-80001b). Apart from space for the tub, you should also calculate for decking and the support system of water heater, pump, filter, and perhaps an optional blower for whirlpool jets.

You must give careful thought to the choice of outdoor bathing space, including consideration of privacy, access, sun and shade, shelter from winds, safety, views, and local planning and building requirements. Usually, the need for privacy and effective screening from adjoining properties will mean siting the tub close to the house. Surrounded by decking, the space becomes the perfect place for sunbathing and entertaining. Evergreen trees and shrubs create a shelter belt that ensures quiet and seclusion; on the windward side you can erect wooden, glass, bamboo, or canvas screens.

Saunas

Many cultures have found ways of enjoying outdoor bathing, from the ancient Greek and Roman thermae to the Turkish baths and the sweat lodges of the North American Indians. But it is to the Finns that we owe the joys of the sauna. To them, saunas are so important that they would commonly build the sauna before the house! The sauna combines physical revival with mental relaxation and quiet contemplation, on a communal basis. A sauna can be sited in the house or outdoors and can be as small as 1 by 1m by 2m high (39in by 39in by 7ft). An innovative Austrian domestic heating system also incorporates, in the middle of the house, a brick sauna that acts as a heat store for the whole house. This can be used as a family health area without incurring additional energy costs.

A natural setting enhances the pleasures of outdoor bathing. The tub here, sited where it catches the full sun, is surrounded by mature trees and shrubs, and sweet-smelling herbs and flowering plants scent the air. The water is heated by independent solar collector panels, but these could also be connected to the home’s solar water-heating system. Depending on climate, the panels can provide all the necessary heat or be supplemented by a back-up heater. With sun for more than six hours a day, a solar heating system can provide 70-100% of the heat needed for a tub or spa. With fre‑

quent use of the tub, you can recover the cost of installing solar heating in two or three years. Keep the tub covered with a lid or insulating

blanket when not in use. Have regular checks carried out on the tub, pump, filters, and water quality, including the correct pH balance. For wooden tubs choose hardwood timber from plantations, and local solid-wood furniture in preference to plastic furniture and foam- filled cushions. In cooler climates, site the tub in a gazebo or in a sunspace/ conservatory attached to the house. You could also use an outdoor tub for a cold plunge after a soak or sauna.

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