Environment

LEED CERTIFIED HOTEL

The property was certified for its building & construction efforts sustainability-wise. In addition to being the only property in Colombia to have the LEED certification we are currently in the process of being certified for our operational excellence (sustainability efforts) and have started the first step of diagnosis which will able us to know the next level of LEED certification, we can obtain according to the guidelines of LEED O+M v4.1.

INTELLIGENT AUTOMATED EVERGY SAVING SYSTEM

The property utilizes an intelligent system that minimizes the consumption of energy. In fact our rooms have an automated energy system that identifies the presence of the guest in the room and turns on the air conditioning and activates the functionalities of the room. Once the guest leaves the room, after 15 minutes the energy consumption of the room stops.

SOLAR POWERED PROPERTY

Our buildings are equipped with solar collectors that are used to heat water for the rooms and general services of the main building (main kitchen, administrative offices, employee area, among others).

LOW-POWER EQUIPMENT & ELECTRONICS

Being a new property, the equipment purchased is latest technology and utilizes low wattage.

WATER COLLECTING TANKS

Several water collecting units are located in the property. The water is sent to are water treatment plant that allows its use and subsequent use in irrigation. In addition, we have a food waste reduction program. As an example, the remaining fruit from our breakfasts is used in our skewers and fruit gazpachos on beaches and swimming pools.

SINGLE-USE PLASTIC FREE PROPERTY

As requested by Accor the use of single-use plastic is not allowed. We work with suppliers that have certifications of good environmental practices. Another of several actions to eliminate plastic has been the change of the keys to the guest rooms, which are now designed in wood. Also, all the waste bags in the hotel have been replaced by ones that are made with compostable and biodegradable elements.

WILDLIFE

The hotel has a wildlife support program. As the hotel is in the middle of a jungle, all the wild animals that land into our property which needs assistance are handed over to a local animal association which is managed by regulated veterinarians.

THE MAGNETIC KEYS

To access the room are manufactured with wood which can easily biodegrade in natural environment. The wooden materials used in this cards, come from sustainable forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. In addition to the above and to significantly reduce the use of magnetic keys, in the hotel we will have before the end of the first half of 2023, a Bluetooth key technology that can be used from the guest’s cell phone. This technology supported by the company Stay My Way will allow us to send the guest their room key via email. In this way the guest will be able to access his room just by bringing his cell phone closer to the lock.

RECYCLING EFFORTS

There are no regulated recycling policies in Cartagena. The hotel created one with Veolia (following the European standards) and monitors (with documentation) all the waste which is produced in the hotel in order to ensure all our waste is disposed adequately. The network of agreements with formal entities that certify the disposal of all waste generated as a result of the operation has recently been expanded. Within the recycling process, the usable material is delivered to a local Baru Environmental cooperative who are duly certified.

BEACH & FOREST CLEAN-UPS

The hotel organizes brigades on a monthly basis to clean-up all the garbage which lands near our shores and premises.

FUTURE PROJECTS

· Our Chef’s garden will be open for public by march 2023. We hope to be able to produce up to 50% of the herbs we use in our first year of operation.
· Another solar panel project is underway; 1,000 panels will be added which should help us produce more than 33% of our energy consumption. This project estimates adding panels on the roofs
of our buildings and also taking advantage of the hotel’s parking space.
· As for organic waste, work is being done on the option of having the composting of this waste. We seek that the fertilizer generated in this process is used in our Chef’s garden, as part of the generation of circular economy.