By Jan Tilley, TATOC board member and Chairman of Diamond Resorts at Pine Lake

‘Going Green’ is the buzz phrase these days.  But how can an existing resort take part without it costing the members a lot extra in management fees?

Trying to be more environmentally friendly can raise other problems; for example, how do you dispose of long-life bulbs or batteries?  Neither of these can be put into the general waste.

It is now the law that anybody selling batteries both single use and rechargeable have to provide a disposal service. The light bulbs (as they contain heavy metals) have to be disposed of carefully so that the metals can be reclaimed.

So where can you start without it costing a lot? The easiest way is by asking your staff and guests to turn off all lights, electrical equipment and TVs in areas that are not occupied. A TV on standby uses nearly as much power as when it is fully on. 

Another area is re-cycling not only the usual bottles, tins, plastic and paper but also furniture. There is a scheme in the U.K. that takes redundant furniture, repairs and refurbishes it and then sells or donates it to people and organisations that are in need or deserve it. (Web-site www.frn.org.uk will find a member near you).

Other things to be re-cycled include waste food. Used cooking oil can be converted into biofuel.

Now that the EU has banned incandescent bulbs, as you run out of stock you will have to replace them with low energy bulbs. The internet lists the various types that are available.

Could you reduce the amount of laundering needed? In most parts of Europe, unless it is very hot, daily linen changes are not essential. Weekly changes are probably sufficient except for towels but even here you could ask guests to hang up those that they do not want changed. 

By doing this you will save not only electricity but water - and soap powder. If reluctant to offer this try an experiment: ask owners to put out a sign for a linen change or to put their towels in the bath (signal for replacement).

In Florida, a company has been set up to re-cycle waste soap from units and hotel rooms. It is sterilised and reformed and given to the homeless or third world poor.

One resort recently saved nearly £20,000 by re-covering bar chairs in-house. They also exchanged their felled trees for excess shrubs from another resort. Computers can also be re-cycled by specialists who check and clean them.

There are various ways in which a resort can save fuel, for example by converting existing vehicles to Low Pressure Gas (LPG) or Biofuel.

Buying new resort vehicles?  Then consider some of the new dual-fuel vehicles which, in the U.K., enjoy a much reduced road tax. If transport is only needed on site then try a golf buggy. Resort staff like them as they provide extra opportunities for communication.

Another way to save fuel is by improving insulation or redcing draughts. One resort visited recently had large gaps around the main door. Even in warmer countries better roof insulation and double glazing can reduce heat gain to buildings.

If it is not possible to install internal wall insulation then it may be possible to apply an external insulation such as ‘Rocksilk  Krimpact Facade Slab’. Using this type of product can give very low U-values

Yet another way is to up-grade electrical equipment to modern A-rated levels and put individual thermostatic valves on heating radiators. 

Fitting individual rooms with air-conditioning can be expensive to do and run, whereas a multispeed ceiling fan is cheaper – by 60-80 per cent - to buy, fit and run.

Water use is another area where savings can be made. When refurbishing a unit choose low flush units; aerated shower units give power showers but uses less water.

Collect rain / grey water for use in washing machines, cisterns and so on. If not refurbishing – consider putting a brick in each cistern. It will still flush adequately but will save water with each flush. This is good for the environment and for resorts’ pockets.

Once you have done some or all the above it may be possible to start thinking of other types of power generation. Solar power units have improved markedly recently and could be worth the outlay if you have south facing roofs. Cost of installation is coming down and in some areas it may be possible to get a grant.

Wind power may be worth considering if you are in a windy area.  But it could be expensive to install a large unit to supply most of a resort’s power needs but smaller units could be worth considering.

Water power needs a constant strong supply of flowing water and if this is available then it could be worth investigating whether a water-powered generator is feasible.

It is now possible to fit a Voltage Optimisation unit to domestic supplies and this reduces the voltage to 220V hence reducing power usage and removing voltage spikes. They cost around £600-700 per unit fitted.

Other ways to be green: In the U.K. all new builds now have to include increased insulation. When refurbishing this could be added into the costing and would create future savings.

Use heat exchangers to collect waste heat from air-conditioning units, washing machines, and heat the water for showers and so on. If building a conservatory consider putting a large water tank underneath to act as a heat sink during the summer. Heat exchangers can then use it during cold spells.

Plant more trees either on your property or elsewhere. This would be a way of encouraging your owners to join in the ‘Going Green’ programme. They could either donate trees or seeds or help plant them on your resort.

Cleaning products which are eco-friendly should be bought as these are non-toxic and biodegradable.

Management should reduce the amount of paper used by aiming for on-line bill payments, banking and emails; re-cycled ink cartridges, aluminium, plastic and paper are valuable. Insist on buying locally produced materials and products.

GREEN NOTE: There are various ways of getting guidance on ‘Going Green’. There is the ISO14000 series of standards that are internationally recognised. There is also the Green Tourism Scheme which runs in a number of countries.

Taken from Sharetime magazine issue 6