Fancourt green inside and out

This affirms the resort's dedication to responsible environmental business practice and its commitment to improving performance in terms of a 'green' approach in all key spheres of the business operation.

Driven by Tana Scott, its safety, health, environment and quality manager, it has established an environmental management system to improve its performance with recycling as the first and key focus area implemented to lessen its footprint. Other focus areas include management of invasive alien vegetation species; waste, water and electricity management. It is investigating the installation of a biogas system, which would process sewage, food waste and organic waste, while producing energy and reusable water.

Green steps

Over the last couple of years, it has cleared more than 30 hectares of alien vegetation on the 613 hectare estate, and large areas are being rehabilitated back to a more indigenous environment in the war against the encroaching alien vegetation - recognised as one of the single biggest threats to biodiversity in the Western Cape.

Accomplished through successful partnerships, innovative environmental ideas have been introduced as part of the latest developments taking place on the estate. These include incorporating green initiatives right from construction stage, using environmentally friendly bricks for building purposes, and special glazing to reduce temperature loss. It also extends to insulating ceilings and water pipes, using paints with a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) where possible, and energy efficient equipment with LED or energy-saving light bulbs throughout.

Other joint initiatives and many smaller actions are also employed on an ongoing basis, such as sorting and recycling of all waste and using biodegradable cleaning products and micro-organisms in the kitchen fat traps. The outcome of this has been an 80% recycling figure for all waste generated and its energy consumption has reduced by about 10% over the last two years.