SAN FRANCISCO—Cavallo Point Lodge has received the internationally acclaimed 2013 Travel + Leisure Global-Vision Award in the category of Sustainability. The award winners are recognized in five categories: Culture, Conservation, Community, Leadership, and Sustainability and Cavallo Point was chosen from a pool of 200 international entries. Also recently ranked among the “Top 5 Resorts in the U.S” by Travel + Leisure, the lodge garnered this award for its exemplary commitment to the environment, the community and establishing responsible travel practices. Since opening in 2008, Cavallo Point has earned several top environmental accolades, including LEED Gold certification and America’s top new national green landmarks by Travel + Leisure Magazine.
“We are honored to be recognized by Travel + Leisure for our efforts in sustainability at Cavallo Point Lodge,” said Euan Taylor, general manager of Cavallo Point Lodge. “Our continued business growth, the positive support from guests and honors from media and other prestigious organizations confirms that we are on the right path. Our ongoing promise to current and future guests is our commitment to sustainability.”
Cavallo Point Lodge has embraced the challenges of sustainability by finding innovative ways to lighten its footprint—all without sacrificing the guest experience. The 45-acre Fort Baker property was given new life five years ago, when it was transformed into a 142-room hotel—the first on the National Register of Historic Places to receive LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Today, the award-winning destination attracts visitors and overnight guests internationally, nationally, and locally. The lodge offers historic and contemporary accommodations, acclaimed dining, a premier spa, cooking school, retail shop, art gallery, hiking and other numerous activities.
“The importance of sustainability, conservation and preservation of the environment, nature and local culture continues to be at the forefront here at Cavallo Point,” said Peter Heinemann, principal of Passport Resorts, which operates the lodge. “Our entire team is passionate about ensuring the best sustainable and luxurious experience possible for our guests; we could not be happier to receive this recognition.”
Long History of Sustainability Commitment
Throughout Cavallo’s 10-year development process (beginning in 1998) and in the five years since it opened, a focus on sustainable efforts has been paramount. The lodge has launched many initiatives to conserve the environment throughout its facilities:
The acclaimed Murray Circle restaurant focuses on using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced products. Menus are seasonally adapted and crafted from the best available sources in the local area. Since most of the ingredients used are fresh, the restaurant’s refrigeration requirements are greatly reduced, saving overall energy.
Taking advantage of its waterfront location and using natural or energy-efficient ventilation, including ceiling fans and windows that open to cool San Francisco Bay breezes, the lodge has significantly reduced energy demand by eliminating air-conditioning in 97 percent of the lodging rooms. For cooler seasons, new buildings were specifically designed for solar gain capabilities that provide heating comfort directly from the sun.
The lodge is also the single greatest contributor of recycled waste in Sausalito, which operates on a mandated recycle-to-trash ratio (50/50). In fact, the lodge is the town’s leading business to ensure these recycling goals are achieved.
Was Once an Army Military Reservation
From before 1897 to 2000, Fort Baker served as an Army military reservation. Therefore, preservation of the historic structures at Cavallo Point has always been one of the central sustainability themes of the property.
At the time of development, the property reused 17 historic previously abandoned and deteriorated buildings. Most of the materials that comprise the buildings were reused.
Nearly 100 percent of the building shells and approximately 75 percent of the buildings’ interior fabric, such as walls and floors were retained or repurposed. Open space was maximized to encourage wildlife inhabitation.
To promote community engagement, the lodge encourages guests to appreciate and learn about the local surrounding natural areas with the assistance of its Les Clefs d’Or Concierge. The lodge offers many activities such as hikes on the Golden Gate National Recreation Area trails, lessons on Richardson Bay, bike tours across the Golden Gate Bridge, etc. Additionally, the lodge’s new Family Discovery Package features 10 add-on adventures, most of them focused on engaging with nature or wildlife.
The Art Gallery presents rotating exhibits featuring works of local artists. The themes of these quarterly exhibits focus on sustainability, conservation, or appreciation of the beauty of the environment, nature or place. A percentage of artwork sales from the exhibits is donated to The Good Night Foundation.
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