2009 National ASLA Conference ‐ Panel Outline:
Performance Landscapes in Resort Environments Putting Sustainability to Work Sunday, September 20, 1:30‐3:00pm
Panel Brief: In the pursuit of sustainability, we all know there are more sensitive ways to develop than conventional methods. This session is not about why we should improve our development ways, but more to the question of how? Assuming that the industry will develop and operate resorts in a more sustainable manner because it’s the right thing to do is of course faulty, there has to be bottom line motivation, and there is. Feasible sustainability in resort environments can be achieved through Performance Landscape design. Market and economic drivers are leading savvy, success minded business owners, developers and hotel operators toward more sustainable business models. In this panel session you will hear from: •
Tim Harmon, CEO of Aburge Resorts, a first‐tier resort hotel operating company with a proven focus on environmental sustainability in resort development and operations
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Greg Cory, ERA AECOM, Principal, a veteran market analyst who closely monitors the emerging trends toward green development and operations
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Moderator ‐ Todd Hill, EDAW AECOM, VP/Principal, ASLA, LEED AP, a seasoned landscape architect with 25 years of in resort planning, design and implementation experience at EDAW.
The market supports sustainable, immersive experiences that benefit the surrounding community and economy. Resort development is an important and sought after economic engine, which if harnessed appropriately can result in improved wellbeing of the local population, preservation of sensitive environments and promotion and awareness of unique indigenous cultures. Governments seek to improve quality of life for their citizens through progressive infrastructure (clean water and proper sanitary conditions), safety and securing, education, job creation, and enhanced opportunities for their country. Resort development plays an important and primary role in how infrastructure and development is implemented in pristine environments. Even in a recessionary economy, the need for time‐off and immersion in an exotic and memorable place is not waning. We are in a position to convince the industry; developers, operators and governments of the most appropriate ways to design and operate resort destinations.
Performance Landscape in Resort Environments – an Authentic Experience: Our goal in resort design and operations is to be true to a given destination and its culture. The trend for years was to travel to a resort for an “escape” experience. While visitors today certainly wish get away from the daily grind and to reconnect and reenergize, the notion of going to a fabricated place which has nothing (other than weather and exotic setting) with the destination is outmoded. We promote a more holistic approach which allows for the escapist experience, especially during the immediate arrival period to decompress and realize that one has “finally gotten there”, yet goes well beyond. A place that offers the necessary market requirements of quality, amenity, comfort and security. A destination that is not an illusion, which is based in and celebrates the indigenous flora and fauna, and the culture, where form follows function so that there is a connection between design and operation. The performance landscape design process incorporates and considers non‐traditional elements to establish a more comprehensive, sustainable solution to the built and ongoing functioning environment. This panel will explore the functional alternatives to a two‐dimensional passive esthetic of resort landscapes which may appear beautiful yet are artificially created. Part of performance landscape design is to reveal the operational aspects of the resort to be more transparent so that visitors can read what is happening in the landscape. In this panel we will discuss what actions and elements contribute to sustainability and begin to define initiatives that make a meaningful to contribution to sustainability in design and operations.
Section I – What is Meaningful? Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry • Sustainability affects all aspects and functions in a company • It’s got to be real and meaningful Outline of Criteria • Define “meaningful” • Degree to which sustainability has been integrated into the company • Type of hotel product; urban vs. resort hotels • VP of Sustainability – internal champion with cross‐functional capabilities • Wyndham Worldwide, Scandic, Accor • Very few areas such as sustainability where inaction carries such clear and inevitable consequences How to Measure • New paradigm – exemplary performance: o Environmental o Social
• Vision • • • • •
o Economic An in‐depth knowledge of the company Business Drivers How to maximize value to user Market – consumers perception Perception vs. premium Design + Planning
Section II – Performance Landscape What the Market is Looking for • Vacationers are seeking restorative leisure time • Experiences that appeal combine escape with authenticity • Deeper connection to place • Exposure to cultural and social traditions • The satisfaction that comes with treading lightly. Contradictory Impulses Peter McElhinney, COO Lagomar Properties, market is complex with contradictory impulses; people want a balance of: • Escapism + locality • Indulgence + conservation • Innovation + tradition • Return to familiar places and at the same time seek out novelty Quality Destinations Walter Jamieson, PhD, a professor of tourism, University of Hawaii at Mania: • All being equal, market will look at environmental or social responsibility • Destinations need to reflect local community values and traditions • Goal to create destinations integrally tied to place, enhance regional character and provide a unique experience—all without overstressing local communities and ecosystems • A functioning landscape Co‐author ‐ The Role of Responsible Tourism Development in Poverty Reduction (Routledge, 2007) What is a Performance Landscape? The landscape grounds the design into the surrounding context and sets the tone for how guests perceive and relate to their environment. In conventional landscape design, it’s common to separate function from aesthetic:
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Fantastical basis of design not authentic to place Exotic plant collections Display fountains that aren’t tied to water harvesting and purification Thematic gardens without a natural capacity for storm water drainage Performance Landscape Reaches beyond esthetic appearance to unify the seen with the unseen, where landscape elements serve to enhance sustainable functioning resort operations to perform vital resort functions: • • • • • •
Supporting natural water processes Enhancing native habitats Harnessing energy and modulating climate impacts Native species selection which limit insect and herbaceous plant control Showcasing ancestral traditions Support operational needs while fostering a unique and authentic guest experience.
Performance Landscape Elements take on multiple roles, what is esthetically beautiful can be a functioning system: • To collect and treat rainfall • Provide a food source for indigenous fauna • A tranquil design that repairs threatened flora from invasive species intrusion and control erosion • Create or sustain local jobs • Provide interpretive and educational role to intuitively communicate environmental awareness and appreciation Performance Landscape Deborah Marton, Executive Director of Design Trust for Public Space; the general ethos of “reduce, reuse, recycle and protect”, the goal of high performance design is to: • Reduce consumption of natural or other materials • To reuse whatever you can or recycle elements onsite • To serve and protect existing resources onsite • www.designtrust.org/projects Author ‐ High Performance Landscape Design, June 2009 Read What’s Happening A second layer to performance landscaping, ideally you can read what’s happening in the natural ‐ systems – Swiss Family Robinson, Shangri‐La. Performance landscape values that are integral to the way the landscape is 1.) Designed, and 2.) Function are, 3.) Readable to the user:
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instead of piping storm water and sending it downstream, direct to a constructed wetland and make that process readable users understand the values that led to design of particular landscape The message of a landscape that serves to benefit the function of the resort Provides an educational purpose
Benefits for All Performance landscape provides environmental benefits: • Conservation of pristine habitat – redefine open space set asides to >50‐70% • Capture, harvest and filtration of water • Improved air quality • Reduction of energy • Reduction of resource use • Increase use of locally/regionally available materials • Reduction of heat island effect • Reduced use of herbicides and pesticides • Preservation of soil health. High Design ‐ Not Sacrifice There can’t be a negative tradeoff in design quality ‐ performance landscape ultimately improves the guest experience by virtue of the comprehensive approach required to balance and reflect the range of: • Aesthetic • Environmental • Cultural Design is inherently connected and evocative of location in a way that can’t be approximated in a traditional approach. Requires awareness and commitment throughout the process Performance – Not an Afterthought Kevin Underwood, Principal EDAW and global director of resorts, tourism and leisure, performance landscape is addressed through interdisciplinary teams working together from the earliest stages. Beyond typical consultants the project team may include: • Ecologists • Water experts • (GIS) specialists • Economists • Archeologists and Sociologists The goal is for planning and design work to become part of a long‐term and sustainable solution, maturing into thriving places and communities Focus on Place ‐ Performance Design without Sacrifice
Holistic design that is rooted in location offers the best potential for creating settings with deep connection and meaning, but the standard has to be high design, example; Anvaya Cove in the Philippines: • • • •
One of the reasons that visitors travel is to escape from their daily lives destination should feature elements unlike any other place create a memorable contrast between where they are from a sustainable, family‐oriented community with a mountain backdrop and stunning setting on the South China Sea
Anvaya Cove Process EDAW prepared for the project: • Comprehensive GIS analysis of existing conditions • Extensive regional and local market analysis • Ecological assessment • Social impact analysis • Density and yield studies This groundwork informed an open space plan and design guidelines Discovery Process – Avaya Cove • Several rare and endangered species were found on or near the site • Green Sea Turtles nest on the beach • Philippine mallard habitat in abandoned farm dams Results of Process – Avaya Cove Developer took a sensitive approach; the resort is designed to sit lightly on the land with minimal alteration: • To the existing vegetation, terrain, and drainage systems • restricting development to just over one 1/3rd of the 400 hectare coastal site • Preservation of large areas of natural landscape including: o dramatic cliffs o dense vegetation of Mango and Narra trees • expand the mallard habitat by creation of a lagoon and eco islands at the beach club • stormwater plan to improve runoff of water entering the sea free of sediment load • Traditional building types utilizing locally available labor & materials • Buildings and landscape were planned carefully to maximize the benefit of cooling sea breezes • provide shade structures along paths gathering areas for rain and heat protection • Part of the beach is closed seasonally to protect Green Sea Turtle nests • interpretation program for natural wildlife and vegetation communities (local labor) Bottom Line – Show Restraint to Unlock Value
The process and resulting preservation of open space and habitat: • seem to ‐ limit development opportunity per conventional wisdom • actually ‐ unlock the essence of the site • amplify the long term viability of the resort • Trading immediate development for preservation can pay big dividends long term The result is a resort destination that is unique and deeply resonant of place and culture that can’t be replicated Cultural Authenticity ‐ Hualalai Resort Performance landscape has sensitivity to cultural authenticity that tells a unique story of place: • design should lead to discovery of the culture of the surrounding context • Understanding and appreciation for the heritage of the culture • Time tested lessons of its people • Elements of place are in balance and reveal the story of the place Authenticity ‐ Not Pastiche In the past we haven’t been as sensitive to reflecting local values: • We’ve seen a pastiche approach; stick‐on appliqué • How to design a resort that would truly reflect the surrounding community Authenticity – Hualalai: Physical & Social Connectivity Hualalai, Koahala Coast, set in the lava fields, incorporates sustainability features: • Incorporate native Hawaiian culture into all aspects of the resort development and operations • Preservation of historic native Hawaiian trails throughout the ‘Mauka’ (uphill) landscape • Make sure boundary conditions don’t cut the resort off, but seen as good neighbors? • Respect and celebrate culture – the story will help sell the resort development • Employees & Communities feel better ‐ translates into an authentic resort experience • Consider the evolving social dynamic
Section III ‐ Backing it up Bringing it all together • What would best example look like? • Best Industry Examples Vacation travel impact (excluding business travel) • By 2010 there will be in excess of 1 billion international trips annually • Increased by 70% since 1996 • Domestic travel is greater than international • Annual direct spending is in excess of $1.55 trillion
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Total economic impact greater than $5 trillion Direct employment exceeds 230 million (10% of the workforce Constitutes @ 10% of GDP, up to 40% in emerging markets Ecotourism is the fastest growing segment Source: World Tourism Organization Travel & Leisure World’s Best Hotels 2009 • Bushmans Kloof, South Africa: 14 rooms • Singita Sabi Sand: 18 rooms • Twelve Apostles, South Africa: 15 rooms • Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia: 35 rooms • Oberoi Vanyavilas, India: 25 tents • Oberoi Udaivilas, India • Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Argentina • Kirawira Camp, Tanzania: 25 tents • Inn At Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina: 50 rooms Common denominators • Exotic Locations • Spectacular Settings • Authentic Regional Architecture • Design Subordinate to the Environment • Domestic Scale • Indoor/outdoor spaces Brand overview • There are now around 160 plus hotel brands, up from 80 a decade ago. • Are more brands better or are we merely creating more confusion for an already perplexed consumer? • Probably yes and yes. • Many new brands in the hospitality sector are ill‐conceived and lacking clear definition – likely to be absorbed by stronger ones over time. The Trend… • Retro Travel – ‘slow lane travel’, with multiple modes of transport, nostalgic journeys reflecting a by‐gone age. • Connoisseur Travel – dedicated vacation time focused on personal passions; culture, the natural environment, the built environment, well‐being, food and wine. Resorts need to reach out to these markets through extensive soft programming.
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Volunteerism – blurring of lines between volunteerism and activity holidays. Over 25 percent of travelers are interested in taking a service‐based holiday; potential to offer multifaceted holiday experiences International ecotourism society study of travelers (2006) • 75% feel it is important their visits not damage the environment • 80% believe hotels should be proactive in protecting the environment • 61% say travel is enhanced by preservation efforts and natural environments • 59% support limiting access to public lands • 75% of tour operators have green policies • 38% of travelers are willing to pay 5‐10% more to patronize and support green policies Ecolodge footprint and justification for biodiversity conservation study • 70% use recycled materials • 87% minimize visual intrusion on their surroundings • 96% use local vegetation only • 70% have sustainable water programs • 87% participate in conservation initiatives • 76% give back financially to the community Green Certification Programs • Green Globe 21 • ECOTEL (Mexico) • European Blue Flag • Costa Rica Certification for Sustainable Tourism • Galapagos Smart Voyager • Thailand Green Leaf Carbon offsets for travelers • www.climatecare.org • www.atmosfair.de/index/php?id=08L=3 • www.nativeenergy.com Sustainable development in the hotel industry (Cornell 2008) • Starwood’s ‘Element’ brand requires LEED certification of all properties • ACCOR 134 point checklist and Billion Tree Program • Hilton reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2014 • Kimpton ‘Cares’: Trust for Public Land, Dress for Success, employee network • Marriott foundation for people with disabilities • Taj Hotels Group distributes 30% after tax profits to community initiatives
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Intercontinental Hotel Group pursuing ISO 14001 certification for all hotels Comments from the trenches • Sustainability may not necessarily = higher rate • Sustainability is being demanded by broader segments • The consumer needs education on ‘best practices’ • Viral marketing campaign reaches conscious consumers • Reservations system ‐ “make mine carbon neutral” • Travel as a form of self expression ‐ come back with a story • Family values – cant buy your way to happiness: experiences that engage and reconnect Example projects • DesPark, Holland – recycled pipes • Ice Hotel, Sweden – annually renewable • NMaho Bay, St John’s, USVI ‐ tent cabins • Cotton Bay, Dominica – carbon offset program for air travel • Pelican Eyes, Nicaragua – vet clinic/sanctuary • Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka – suspended floor plate • Longitude 131, Ayers Rock, Australia – artist in residence • Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia – floating island wastewater treatment • Morgan’s rock – local furniture • Star island, Bahamas – gasification of waste for energy • Turtle Island, Fiji – founded secondary school • Southern Ocean Lodge, AU – low construction cost • Orchard Garden, San Francisco – in demand as green hotel • The Willard, Washington DC – triple bottom line
Section ‐ Moving Forward Trends in Business Operations • Business Operations • utility data management, commodity procurement, and analysis of local rebate and incentive programs that accelerate retrofit payback periods Retrofit of Existing Resorts • Obstacles to overcome • Back Casting – look where you want to be, then assess where you are now and define the path to get there
Don’t be left behind • Sustainability is an issue that every hotel company must inevitably deal with. The sooner they address it, the better they will be equipped for the future. • Get on Board • Carbon neutrality Research • Geographical checklist for arid sites • Water resource use in resorts – UGA study