Home Energy Management Innovative Ecoresort to Be Built on California’s Monterey Coastline

Innovative Ecoresort to Be Built on California’s Monterey Coastline

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MONTEREY, CALIF.—Security National Guaranty (SNG) announced plans to develop the greenest ecoresort in the world on the Monterey Peninsula. To be located on a degraded former sand mining site, Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort will be an environmentally friendly development that will provide visitors, tourists and residents with an ideal green living environment as well as educational facilities for instruction on sustainability and environmental principles. The ecoresort will aim to achieve LEED Platinum certification upon completion and will yield more than 500 construction and permanent green jobs for Monterey’s local economy.

In the first-of-its kind development, every single detail of Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort encompasses principles of sustainability and conservation while preserving coastal resources and rehabilitating the coastline and the area’s native plants and animals. The resort design boasts the following features and benefits that collectively will reduce by 50 percent its carbon footprint compared with a traditional structure:

• Design: Designed in harmony with the site, the plans consider topography, orientation and scale of existing and restored dune formations.

• Position: The property is set further back from the shoreline than required by local zoning to provide a buffer for habitat and natural coastal processes.

• Materials and construction: Maximum use of recycled building materials, onsite prefab construction and intelligent building operations.

• Living architecture: Five acres of living roofs which mitigate stormwater, and provide insulation and cooling, leave only 1.5 acres of non-native vegetative cover on the ecoresort.

• Renewable energy: Thirty percent of energy needs are provided by on-site renewable sources to power the building’s functions—geothermal, wind and solar systems to be deployed.

• Water conservation: Unparalleled water conservation measures—on-site graywater recycling, complete stormwater management and rainwater capture for non potable uses (laundry and irrigation).

• Optimization of natural resources: Wind, light and moveable shades enable the ecoresort to utilize the natural advantages of the site.

‘Respect, Renew, Restore’

Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort is committed to its slogan to “respect, renew and restore” the natural coastal resources on which the property will be based. The original site, a sand dune, was destroyed during 60 years of sand mining that finally ceased in 1986. It will now be restored to create 29 acres of dune habitat, including 6.5 acres that will be dedicated to providing a safe habitat for endangered species and expanding biodiversity.

“We are driving forward the nascent green development trade with a team of handpicked sustainability experts who are pooling their knowledge to ensure every aspect of this project is environmentally profitable,” said Ed Ghandour, president and founder of SNG. “For sixteen years we have been committed to making the Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort a reality; our ultimate vision is to create a model that inspires others to develop sustainable structures that protect and restore local ecosystems.”

In compliance with California’s Coastal Act, the current plans exceed the Local Coastal Plan standards as certified by the California Coastal Commission. The project will provide beach access and parking to members of the public for the first time, along the eight-mile stretch of coastline from Monterey to the City of Marina to the north. Other facilities included in the plans include an on-site sustainability learning center, a holistic healing center, access to the beach and dune trails, botanical and herb gardens, green dining and electric/biofuel transportation for guests and visitors. A portion of the profits from the ecoresort will fund local environmental projects.

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