HOUSTON—When Deer Lake Lodge & Spa opens this summer, guests will stay in 11 rooms, eight of which were once shipping containers. A total of 23 shipping containers are being used at the resort; 15 will comprise the main building area. The shipping containers are just one recycling example found on the 50-acre property located a 40-minute drive from Houston.
Developer Tracy Boulware says that given Houston’s port location, shipping containers are easy to find and very inexpensive. “They are sturdy and very unique,” she says. Where needed, spaces have been cut out of the containers. Blue jean and spray foam will help insulate the buildings from the hot Texas sun. Some of the buildings are covered with sod roof. Porches over the guestroom entrances are made from highly reflective corrugated tin. There are energy-efficient windows and a gutter and pipe system funnels water to a nearby pond. The water will be used for irrigation.
“We have compact fluorescents,” Boulware says. “Once the project is complete, we will switch over to LEDs.”
Low-flow fixtures and native landscaping will help minimize water consumption. From the main entrance to the lodge and spa—a distance of one-third mile—recycled asphalt has been used. Leftover gravel from rock crushers is also being utilized. Old fence material is being used as siding on the buildings and old doors from renovated Houston homes have also been reused.
“I try to design and use materials that won’t require repainting,” Boulware says.
Solar Panels a Possibility
After Deer Lake Lodge & Spa opens, Boulware says she may invest in solar panels to help meet or exceed the property’s electricity needs.
Spa amenities include a fasting lounge, heated saltwater pool, jetted spa, infrared sauna, and scenic countryside walking trails. The cleansing program consists of a combination of semi-fasting and therapeutic treatments targeted towards detoxification and elimination. Guests will have the option to participate in yoga and attend a variety of seminars on meditation, relaxation, healthy living and other similar topics.
“There will be no food served here,” Boulware says.
Boulware and her sister decided there were more sensible ways to improve health rather than simply masking symptoms with solutions that are often toxic to the body. The sisters began to notice a lack of holistic approaches in the market, and after extensive research, they expanded on the concept of a place where spa-goers could enjoy a multi-faceted detoxification program in a resort atmosphere.
Boulware estimates the project will end up costing her and her sister, Dr. T.C. Hughes, N.D., just $100 to $120 per square foot for the approximately 9,000 to 10,000 square feet of space.
Go to Deer Lake Lodge & Spa for more details.
