Subject: Preparing Communities for Climate Change, Economic Insecurity and AI-driven Job Disruption through Practical, Scalable Solutions from Cabinz CIC
Hello,
As we face three of the greatest challenges of our time—the accelerating consequences of climate change, the transformation of work due to artificial intelligence plus automation and increasing global economic and political insecurity.
It is vital that we begin preparing resilient, community-based solutions for stronger shelters now.
Cabinz CIC, an eleven-year-old social enterprise based in Saltney, Flintshire, is developing scalable, low-cost strategies to help communities adapt. We are in a unique position today as we have secured access to thousands of metres of clearance stock insulated metal panels (IMPs) for £8-£18 a metre.
These are from a Flintshire building company, which alongside millions of high-quality, low cost screws and fixings from Cabinz cics' own stock, enables us to deliver practical solutions to DIY simple shelters affordably and at scale.
We would like to highlight key initiatives we have worked on for several years:
1. Stronger Affordable Shelters
We are working with local allotment groups in Flintshire and Cheshire to create fire-resistant, storm-resilient shelters using IMPs. Recent events, such as the Chester Whipcord allotment fire, show how vulnerable current wood structures are.
By supplying clearance stock materials at a fraction of their usual cost, Cabinz CIC is working to provide DIY kits for community groups, small businesses & DIY'ers enabling them to build durable garden rooms, workshops, and recreational facilities as well. These shelters will better withstand storms, fires, and other climate-related risks. They may also be used for civil defence (see point 5)
We are researching and encouraging others to build shelters in these designs, though some may need development and prototyping :
(of course they can build a rectangular one from a £100 build pack from Garden Room Guru
who have just offered a nice alu frame garden room base)
2. Larger version of a H4 Hexayurt
3. Arched shelters from wood / scaffold tube / gas pipe hoop / frame like this chicken coop one we supplied materials to.
4. Safe T Home® cylindrical shelter of corrugated sheets based on grain silo design
5. hexayurt walled shelter with a flat roof
6. Dual Pitch roof shelter with 4m height to roof.
7. Rectangular shelters using IMP panels then with trellis made from wood battening angled to deflect wind, forming a hexagonal overall shape
2. 'Gap Rooms' Storage & Reuse Infill Development prototype will be filmed by..
Garages across the UK are overflowing, often preventing effective reuse and recycling. Our proposal is for modular storage rooms, built using pallet racking and covered with insulated panels, to be installed above passageways or at the side of buildings. These structures could:
Free up garages for active use,
Support reuse initiatives by providing secure storage,
Incorporate water-harvesting systems,
Blend with local architecture through finishes like brick veneer or wood cladding.
This design not only supports sustainable living but also helps families and small businesses manage limited space more effectively.
3. Building Resistance Matrix Programme (BRMP)
The BRMP is designed to reinforce and insulate vulnerable buildings, sheds, greenhouses, and animal shelters, making them more resistant to floods and high winds.
By leveraging our vast supply of affordable fixings and reclaimed materials, communities can cost-effectively strengthen small but vital structures—reducing risks of damage and protecting food security through flood-resistant raised beds.
These practical steps can form the foundation of a larger national resilience effort, helping the UK to prepare not only for extreme weather but also for the socioeconomic shifts that automation and AI will bring. By equipping communities with affordable resources and practical designs, we can support cottage industries, reduce waste, and promote self-reliance and self-employment.
By creating wider access to low cost premises at scale, mental and physical health will be improved.
4.DIGRS Project DIY very low cost insulated room dividing / shelter Mk 1 panels to save energy in the winter / reduce heat in summer
Cabinz are working with Vinay Gupta, Inventor of the Hexayurt emergency shelter to produce prototypes of external shelters with IMP panels and internal room dividers using the Hexayurt taping method with foil backed panels available from Secondsandco.co.uk . Cabinz Cic has previously produced prototypes of insulated panels from wood battens and fabric joined together with low cost tools and a variety of insulation (see link) as part .
Panels can be used to make small indoor shelters as well as room dividers. Trellis and green walls can help insulate external walls. Panel offcuts can be used to make animal shelters or security / storm shutters.
5. Civic Protection and Emergency Community Shelters
We are working on a national project to design and produce internal and external storm and security shutters made from Insulated Metal Panels (IMPs), with the option to add solar panels for renewable energy generation.
Small garden-rooms built from insulated metal panels (IMPs) can serve as above-ground refuges or safe rooms and used for normal purposes. Because they are lighter and simpler than traditional masonry, they can then be converted with external protection layers (sandbags, soil, or concrete) to resist storm winds debris.
We have donated tools and medical equipment to Ukraine and researched protective shutters reusing materials. In a war zone, such rooms can provide safer shelter than staying inside a brick house, where bricks may become lethal shrapnel in a blast or missile strike.
Larger community shelters could follow a similar principle using prefab kits to create semi-underground or fully underground bunkers on public land. These can be cheaper, flexible, and allow self-build for groups or municipalities on a budget.
A relevant demonstration (on protective layering of structures) can be seen here:
prefab kit to self-build underground shelters on a budget
Appendix: Alternatives to Garden Rooms and Modular
Buildings
If AI disrupts employment and incomes
collapse, garden rooms and modular buildings are one of the strongest
solutions — but not the only one. Alternatives include:
1. Tiny Homes / Modular Micro-Housing: Stand alone
micro-houses produced from timber, SIPs, or shipping containers.
2.
Community Land Trust Housing: Cooperative low-cost housing, replacing
rent with contributions in labour or produce.
3. Shipping
Container Conversions: Durable, portable, but requiring
insulation.
4. Earth Shelters / Natural Building: Cob, rammed
earth, or straw bale construction, labour-intensive but low cost.
5.
Community-Scale Shared Facilities: Dormitory-style living with shared
kitchens, workshops, and gardens.
Garden rooms and modular
buildings stand out because they combine affordability, speed of
deployment, resilience to weather, and flexibility of use.
Our Request
We ask for your support in:
Recognising these initiatives as part of local and national planning for climate resilience, affordable business premises and civil defence.
Helping us connect with councils, housing associations, and community groups who could benefit.
Exploring partnerships to scale these solutions more widely.
With access to affordable, durable materials, Cabinz CIC can help communities build resilience, support reuse, and prepare for the future of work in a changing climate.
Thank you for considering these proposals. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can collaborate with government, councils, and businesses to make these ideas a reality.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Ridley
Director,
Cabinz CIC
Saltney, Flintshire
cabinznet@gmail.com
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