Leaving a legacy ….

Legacy Hotels and Resorts, as the name suggests, believes in creating a sustainable and responsible future for generations to come.  Together with the Heritage Environmental Certification Programme, Legacy Hotels strive to touch Africa lightly through greater awareness and appreciation of the environment and by changing the way in which they operate.

Initiatives included:

• reduced reliance on electricity in their kitchens and outdoor catering operations through the introduction of LP gas;
• replaced the use of wood and coal in fireplaces with more eco-friendly compressed wood-chip blocks;
• introduced no-idling areas at reception and loading bay areas;
• embarked on a process of sourcing and implementing sustainable energy alternatives;
• introduced more efficient driving procedures for Legacy drivers; and
• introduced bio-fuel alternatives in their game operations.

Initiatives specific to various Legacy Hotel venues

Bakubung Bush Lodge:

• LED pathway lights have been installed to ensure the reduction of light utilisation by 35%.
• A biodiesel plant has been built on the property whereby the diesel product is used in all game drive vehicles
• Electrical induction heating systems have been installed in order to reduce usage percentages
• Effluent plant structures have been built on the property, thereby releasing treated water back into nature
• Additional electrical metering systems prove successful in the monitoring and controlling of power saving.

Kwa Maritane:

• A solar panel system has been installed which provides the lodge with hot water facilities directed to the kitchen and laundry.

Centurion Lake Hotel:

• Various new LED technologies are being tested for evaluation before operational recommendations are met.
• Electrical sensor technology is being tested in the conference rooms, which will switch off the power in the event that no movement is registered.

Commodore Hotel:

• The Commodore Hotel is Legacy’s leading hotel in terms of the installation of water saving shower heads. The showerheads not only reduce the amount of water used but also reduce the amount of electricity used in heating the water.

Castleburn Lodge:

• Castleburn Implements the use of compressed wood pulp fire logs. This is a by-product of the wood, which burns cleaner and produces less smoke.

The Michelangelo:

• Energy saver key cards are used for all hotel rooms, which switch off selected electrical items within the room. Once a guest exits their hotel room and the key card is removed from its station, the lights and various other electrical appliances are deactivated.

DAVINCI Hotel & Suites:

• Power factor controls are utilised to ensure optimal use of electrical supply, which again reduces power usage, leading to savings as less power is needed or consumed.
• Energy saver key cards are used for all hotel rooms, which switch off selected electrical items within the room. Once a guest exits their hotel room and the key card is removed from its station, the lights and various other electrical appliances are deactivated.
• LED lighting is used within the retail areas, reducing light utilisation by up to 35%
• Lighting designs have been altered from normal 70 Watt standards to 35 Watt resulting in a 50% saving.
• The Building Management System has built in functionality whereby the monitoring and controlling of high volume air-conditioning and water services is maintained at optimal levels.
• Solar panels have been installed to reduce electrical input needed to supply the building with hot water.
• Electrical timers for the basement parking lights have been installed to switch lighting off when there is no activity within the area. Only selected lights are operational at all times. This reduces the lighting normal usage by 50%.

The DAVINCI was created, designed and built from the ground up to be one of the most environment friendly hotels in Africa. A total of 117 flat panel solar collectors, capable of heating water for 138 guest rooms, are strategically positioned on the rooftop of the hotel. The cutting edge Solar Water Heating System is capable of pre-heating 30 000 litres of water to 65ºC before it enters the hotel’s electrical heating system, reducing the establishment’s electricity usage by at least 60% annually. This 60% saving is expected to equate to annual savings of 210.8 tonnes in harmful CO² emissions into the air. 

The Heritage Environmental Certification Programme was first introduced in 2002 in order to coincide with the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in response to a need for greater environmental awareness by the Southern African hospitality industry. Together with the Heritage Foundation, Legacy Hotels endeavours to operate in an increasingly efficient manner so as to reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. Legacy has committed to being more eco-friendly everyday for the benefit of future generations to come.

Heritage recognises and certifies the environmental performance of tourism-based products across southern Africa and today, the Heritage logo represents Africa’s leading environmental certification programme. Hotels, resorts, tourist attractions and travel professionals apply it across the continent. 

By staying in Heritage certified properties, you are contributing to a more caring and responsible approach to tourism and travel. 

To find out more about Legacy and the environment, download their informational brochure here