1. Green Business Practices A Case Study The Kandalama Hotel Kandy, Sri Lanka John Walsh Justine Mulliez SpencerLee

2. The Case Study • by Green Globes • Assessment and rating system • Based out of Canada • Site Visits August 2000, January 2001 - Conducted by Mr. Ravi De Silva • http://www.yourhomeplanet.com/ecolodgical/pdfs/case_study_hotel_kandalama.pdf

3. Eco Hotel: Heritance Kandalama

4. Overview • 162 rooms • Designed by Sri Lankan born, UK trained architect Geoffrey Bawa • Development initially met with opposition from people who were opposed to any tourism infrastructure development in their protected environmental region • Developers in turn included community concerns about the environment in their plans and through that built one of the most environmentally hotels in the planet

5. Kandalama Industry Recognition • Numerous Industry Awards • Green Globes 1996-1998 (when case study was conducted)

6. Sri Lanka • Island in the Indian Ocean, 20 miles SE of India • Highest biodiversity on the Asian continent • Located at the crossroads of different ecological zones and within Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle • 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

7. Green Business Practices • Collaborative partnerships to protect forest around the hotel as conservation forest • In house nursery produces indigenous forest plants to be used in reforestation on and around hotel property • Hotel central to the rehabilitation of nearly 230 ha of rainforest

8. Eco-Park • Kandalama Hotel designed to “complement and enhance” the natural environment despite its size • Eco Park: Environmental Education Center • Built by employees using local materials • Space now serves as employee event area

9. Environmental Planning • Developed by environmental engineer Ravi de Silva • Identified six key environmental issues in planning, 4 relating to business practices • The effects of the Hotel site on natural hydrology and run off patterns • The discharge of solid and liquid waste into the lake system • The discharge of waste and operational by-products in the proximate semi-pristine forest system • The impact on the local community

10. Environmental Management • Open door policy for staff to discuss environmental ideas with environment director • Environmental education for staff and community • Control mechanism for illegal activities around the hotel • Employs more than 300 local people

11. Water Use • Have not touched the enormous reservoir nearby to help benefit the local people with their farming • Water is found by means of tube wells that are dug deep into the mountainside • Waste water is treated through an on-site wastewater treatment that is then used for the watering of hotel plant life and vegetable • Grey water is collected from filters and then used to minimize the distribution of dust on the hotel’s gravel

12. Energy • Certified for ISO 14001 and Earth Check Silver • Collect data monthly to ensure progress • Have 40% come from solar power within 2 years • Provide education for drivers and guides to understand the issues with idling • Encourage the use of bicycles and buses that are provided by the hotel to reduce carbon emissions • Use Bio Mass collected from the hotel grounds to avoid the use of gas

13. Indoor Environmental Quality • No substances generating toxic fumes on premises • No smoking for employees and guests • Fresh air is made accessible for each room to lessen the reliance on air conditioning

14. Operations • The local community is greatly positively impacted • Over 40% of employees are locals that have been specifically trained by the hotel • The EcoPark is used as a tool to educate local students about the environment • Recycling is split into 15 categories thereby almost completely eliminating waste • Natural, local foods are the only sort used in restaurants • Tree planting is in the works through the use of coconut shells as seedling containers

15. Operations continued… • Cooked food waste given to local farmers to feed animals. • Kandalama produces own paper, on-site, elephant poo • Extensive composting • Clay pots used wherever possible instead of plastics • Plants to ice coolers

16. Green? • Excellent example of green business & sustainable ecotourism practices • 2 main approaches: biologically inspired production, reinvest in natural capital. • Extensive tree-replanting, waste reduction & monitoring, giving back to community • However, only 40% locals • Also, 162 rooms – a lot of consumption • Despite this, still excellent sustainable practices.