Sustainability

We wish to leave our environment in better condition for future generations. We believe in protecting the beautiful village of Clyde and its surrounding area which is why environmental sustainability and health considerations are important in shaping the way we plan, develop and operate the business. 

Conservation

• We are committed to authentically restoring our beautiful stone buildings, providing them a means to generate a sustainable revenue to ensure their future preservation and protection
• We use best practice in conservation - we commissioned a major Conservation Plan for all the historic stone buildings, covering methodology, history, archaeological values and development approach
• We have widely consulted on conservation - all our restoration has been undertaken in close consultation with NZ Historic Places Trust and highly respected architects and engineers
• We share our experiences with our guests - the history of the buildings and region, as well as the restoration, is shared with guests by way of books and photographic albums. We also make the Conservation Plan available to guests
• We use sustainable materials for new building - our Lodge, Stables and Barns building restoration has been built from re-newable materials sympathetic to design and structure of the old buildings

Energy

• We use energy and water-efficient washing machines - our washing machine and commercial dishwasher have a high consumer rating for water and energy usage
• We use a renewable source of fuel - wood from the local forest is used in our recently installed environmentally friendly Masport fire, meeting the stringent Air Zone 1 requirements
• We have installed quality insulation in all our historic stone buildings - new Thermo blanket insulation provides the highest standard heat insulation, and retrofitted many windows with double-glazing
• We installed a new fuel efficient diesel boiler to heat the water, radiators and underfloor of bathrooms - good home insulation ensures that rooms retain heat. In vulnerable areas in winter, wall radiators are switched to ‘freeze-guard’ option when rooms are unoccupied. The whole system works off thermostats
• We have re-plumbed the property - the plumbing is all lagged reducing energy wastage
• We aim to minimise the carbon footprint by buying locally - when impractical, we buy from Dunedin or further afield in the Otago province

Waste

• We feed our food scraps to a worm farm - reduces our waste and provides a source of nutrient for the garden
• We recycle - plastics, paper, cardboard, glass and metal recycled locally
• We aim to use sustainable business practices - we only print out e-mails when necessary. We use both sides of paper. We use recycled copy paper and refill ink cartridges
• We buy in bulk - we use refillable and recyclable dispensers for toiletries, liquid soap and commercial cleaning products
• We often buy second-hand - we regularly buy antique china, silver, lights and furniture, whilst also repairing old equipment for continued use. Much of the building materials used in our restoration was second hand: roofing iron, nails, timber planks, clawfoot baths
• We manage our septic tank waste - we use eco-friendly cleaning products, clothes washing liquids and toilet paper. They are biodegradable and approved for septic tank systems
• We care about air pollution - we do not dampen down the fire at night and we burn dry wood
• We have a state-of-the-art septic tank system - we have installed a multi-tank Oasis system, with UV Filter treatment and new disposal field in the front garden

Water

• We conserve water use in the garden - our sprinkler and garden watering are controlled on timers; a drip irrigation system has been installed
• We mulch all garden beds to retain moisture in the soil
• We use water wisely - we have new water efficient dual-flush toilets and new efficient shower heads (max. 5 litres per minute)
• We request guests be sparing with water - our Compendium advises guests of our towel/linen policy: only changing towels when requested
• We maintain our equipment to reduce water loss - we have agreed a regular programme for our plumbing maintenance with a local plumber

Community

• We support local trades people - in developing and restoring the property we used local trades people: builders, electricians, plumbers, architects, painters and artisans (wood and metal)
• We support local businesses - appliances, electrical goods, soft furnishings, carpet, paint and hardware all bought locally
• We care about our local history - guests are offered the chance to learn the ‘story’ of the property and wider region in a special guest book and in conversation; we have shared our story with heritage groups, Rotary and Lions Club members, U3A and others
• We enjoy being part of the community - we are members of the Rail Trail Operators Group, members of the local District Business Group and members of the Clyde Strategy team
• We are both actively involved in the Region: David is a Trustee on the Central Otago Heritage Trust, a Member of the Otago Chamber of Commerce Advisory Group and until recently was a Board Member of the Rail Trail Operators Group. Andrea is a Trustee of the Central Otago Arts Trust and a Committee Member of the Clyde Museum Society
• We are active members in developing a regular Clyde market day, partially on our property, that has attracted over 2,000 people some weekends; it involves stalls, music, food and wine, and a children’s programme. We have recently launched the [email protected] four day foodie festival
• We contribute our front garden for community events: Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival at Easter (1,000+ on our lawn); the Christmas Carol singing and Light-Up Clyde festival; Clyde/Alexandra wine growers New Release Launch; and the new [email protected] special events
• We support the community and provide sponsorship for the Clyde Women’s and Men’s Golf Tournaments, the Otago Child Cancer Foundation, the national Guide Dogs for the Blind charity event, the Goldrush 3 day Multisport Race, and a number of Tourism Central Otago regional promotions
• We work with others in the community - we co-operate and complement other accommodation and catering suppliers in Clyde - we refer guests to restaurants, pubs and cafes - and along the Rail Trail. We aim to share and exchange ideas with other local hospitality providers and tourism operators
• We support culture and the arts - we regularly open our property to the general public: we estimate well over 2,000 people have viewed throughout the property over the last three years
• We aim to beautify our surroundings - we have redesigned our courtyard and planted native Central Otago drought-resistant trees and shrubs