I have reported on Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort numerous times on Green Lodging News. I recently learned that the carbon-neutral property in Eagle Beach, Aruba, plans to go carbon negative this year. The announcement was made on Earth Day. How does the property plan to reach its goal? Here is a list of their latest initiatives:
- Green loans for employees. To continue the reduction of fossil fuel-dependency, Bucuti & Tara provides employees with loans for electric bicycles, electric automobiles, and solar panels for home use.
- Charging stations. Guests and staff have complimentary use of the resort’s electric charging stations for vehicles and bicycles.
- Administrative offices are being removed from the resort’s overall grid and placed on a self-sufficient microgrid, which will reduce electricity use up to 15 percent.
- Goodbye, red meat. Beef items are being reduced on guest menus and will be 100 percent reduced in employee meal offerings, which are praised for their healthy items.
- Air-conditioning. A new rooftop system is being installed to increase efficiency and further reduce energy consumption by 10 percent.
- Solar-heated water. Replacement rooftop solar panels will continue heating water to meet most of the resort’s hot water demand.
- Stove tops. Kitchen stoves will be 100 percent induction burners (currently 75 percent), which deliver 80 to 90 percent of their electromagnetic energy to the food pan versus a mere 38 percent with gas stovetops and 70 percent with electric ranges. Bonus: Since the kitchen is not as hot, less air-conditioning is consumed.
- Insulating paint. Interiors and exteriors are almost completely repainted with state-of-the-art insulating paint that draws up to 25 percent less of current energy consumption, a major feat in tropical climates.
Bucuti, a worldwide sustainable tourism leader, holds eco-certifications of LEED Gold, Green Globe Platinum and Travelife Gold and was named the World’s Most Sustainable Hotel/Resort in 2016 by Green Globe.
To learn more about Bucuti’s green initiatives, go to the property’s website or search on “Bucuti” on Green Lodging News.
