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/ca
se_study_hotel_kandalama.pdf
Eco Hotel: Heritance Kandalama
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
Kandalama Industry Recognition
 Numerous Industry Awards
 Green Globes 1996-1998 (when case study was
conducted)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Operations
 The local community is greatly positively impacted
 Over 40% of employees are locals that have been
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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
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
Green?
 Excellent example of green business & sustainable
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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.