IO 4: Sustainability as a business strategy – Case Ballena Alegre Bungalow Resort & Spa

SITUATION

Energy Consumtions

An establishment of tourism accomodation with capacity of over 3000 tourist beds has a huge enviromental impact. Their energy consumtions, waste creation and overall daily product consumtion have enourmous costs and impacts which are relevant to control. Evenmore when the establishment is located in the middle of a protected wetland natural park and in front of one of the most known beaches of the famous natural destination Costa Brava in Spain. The establishment consums yearly 1.487 MWh of electricity, 1.534 MWh of natural gas and 120 MWh of gasoline, a total of 3.141 MWh each year. In water consumtion this company consums over 40.000m³ of creates 607 tons of waste.

Challenge

The challenge is to reduce the enviromental impact

The challenge is to reduce the enviromental impact (CO² emisions) by natural filters (trees) and renewable energy sources, to reduce company’s consumtion costs by producing own energy and extend the sustainability strategy to all the involved publics of the company (customers, employees and provides). The problem was firstly the high energy consumtions and need to convert the energy consumtions in renewable energy sources and therefor invest in eficient energy solutions.  Due to the importance and size of the investments, previous research and prototype testing, they needed to extend the policy to all involved publics to achieve better results. These kind of investments are only usefull during 6 months a year while the establiment is open. Furthermore this strategy and investment policy can have an important marketing impact, as sustainability is mandatory concept in todays business policies

Solution

Eficient energy infrastructure

Ballena Alegra Bungalow Resort & Spa aims for high sustainabilty trough their eficient energy infrastructure and innovative policy towards providers and customers. They impulse responsable holidays for their customers by involving them with their energy consumtion in accomodations and rewarding those who achieve low energy consumtions. In this same strategy they also aim for responsable providers to achieve a responsable comitment with the products they deliver at the resort. Finally the company applies their strategy also on their employees so these are more involved in the sustainable strategy of the company.

The impulsed the „Responsable Holiday“ campaign as a global marketing campaign to comunicate and involve all publics. This campaign is based on press relaeses and multimedia material (audio/video) on social media and in the internal camping channels (internal tv channel).
Furthermore they impulsed the “Responsible Holday” contest among the customers. Those costumeros how reduce the most their energy use win a free week of bungalow accomodation in high season. With this they search for more energy conscience among the customers and aim for a huge energy reduction among the bungalow customers.

IMPACT

Eliminate 50% of CO² emissions

Due to the previous energy investments they achive a 60% of renewable energy and eliminate 50% of their CO² emissions. More sustainable conscient customers, more involved and motivated employees, and a huge reduction of energy costs. In the first 2 years they received 3 awards and gave them free media exposure. Finally, they are a more sustainable business in all aspects

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE CASE

Energy cost reduction

The sector can find inspiration and knowledge about energy cost reduction, and see direct and indirect results of involving other parties in their business strategy

QOUTE

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