Geothermal Energy Systems
Building Blocks of Sustainability
Home
About us
GES news
Products
Geothermal
How it works
Geothermal loops
How it is used
Products
Accessories
Q & A
Wind
How it works
Products
Solar
How it works
Water heaters
Eco-friendly products
Water from the air
Solar refuse compactor
Carbon credits
Investors
Photo gallery
Downloads
Contact us
Links
Everything Green.
Four star Hotel
EC developer set to build "Green Hotel"
PORT ALFRED -- A new four-star boutique hotel for Port Alfred is set to open its doors in April 2009, with the emphasis on an environmentally friendly, quiet and intimate retreat on the banks of the Kowie River in town.
My Pond Hotel, from the stable of Novate Property Investments, is currently being constructed to the tune of R9 million on the premises of Port Frances House in Van der Riet Street, and will be the flagship hotel of the group's three other franchise hotels to be developed in the Eastern Cape.
My Pond Hotel will, besides 17 upmarket en-suite bedrooms, also consist of a restaurant, pub, small conference facility for up to 40 people, and a storybook honeymoon suite overlooking the river. The 55-square-metre honeymoon suite will be complete with a spa bath, while the conference centre, doubling as a wedding venue with doors leading to the towpath on the riverbank, will boast state-of-the-art audiovisuals.
The hotel will be joined by a walkway to the adjacent complex, which houses, among others, Equilibrium Beauty Spa, and Ocean Basket.
"We want to see the whole riverfront come alive." said Novate strategic development manager Grant Wheatley. Speaking to Eastern Cape Today, Wheatley said they've done extensive research to establish what the market is looking for. "My Pond Hotel will be quirky, and a place that people can relate to. It's not a standard hotel with a corporate image, but rather a quiet, homely resort where guests can feel comfortable and fit into, almost like a fish in a pond!"
Great care has been taken in the planning and design of the exterior and interior of the hotel, which is to set a new standard in environmental sustainability. Novate have awarded a contract to Geothermal Energy Systems to install a state-of-the-art system to provide heating and cooling for the building directly from the earth.
."This is a first for South Africa. With support from the Ndlambe Municipality, the introduction of this pioneering system should lead to a 70% reduction in the power consumption of the building, along with reducing the carbon footprint of the building and its guests," said Wheatley.
Geothermal energy has been used to heat and air-condition buildings for several decades, tapping the energy in the earth's surface and driving a heating and air-conditioning system for both residential and commercial uses. The result is a green or natural heat pump that saves energy and benefits the environment. "At My Pond we will use this technology to heat water and provide air conditioning, along with the heating of the swimming pool. The system will require the installation of an underground sealed pipe grid on the premises of the property. This grid will ensure the heat exchange process occurs with no detrimental effect to the environment," said Wheatley.
A system in which rainwater is captured to be stored and filtered on site for drinking is also being installed. All drinking water will be bottled in reusable glass bottles. Many of the electrical light fittings will be low-energy fittings or LED, and the design of the building will incorporate as much natural light and ventilation as possible.
All paper used in the administration of the business will be 100%-recycled and pencils to be Forestry Stewardship Councilcertified, therefore coming from sustainable forests. "The town has limited opportunities for recycling of waste, but My Pond will attempt to ensure that tri-bin separation takes place, with at least 50% of our waste being sent for recycling," Wheatley,
Copyright © GES (Pty) Ltd. 2009