Chilean Eco Lodge stands out as a Shining Star of Responsible Tourism

Water conservation is a ‘hot topic’ in tourism, and in certain parts of the world the water footprint presents a great challenge. One of Green Globe’s top performing members, the Chepu Adventures Eco Lodge, located at Chepu, Chiloe Island, Insular Patagonia, in the south of Chile, developed an impressive water conservation project. At the Eco Lodge, water consumption comes entirely from rainwater recovery and filtration. 

"Living in a sustainable way can be challenging at times, as our natural resources the wind, sun, and rain, are not always available when needed," said Amory Uslar, Owner of Chepu Adventures Eco Lodge. "As it rains less in Chiloe from January to April, when most of our guests settle, we have to take good care of it. Throughout the year we collect water in a 16,000 liter well, and also in two 5,000 liter tanks. A guest consumes about 80 – 100 liters of water a day. In the bathrooms and kitchens we only use rainwater, harvested from the roofs of the lodge and stored in the well. Solar water heaters provide hot water for showers and the kitchen, electricity is provided by wind and solar energy."

Guests at Chepu Adventures have always shown a great interest and commitment to saving water and energy, living a true eco experience. Therefore, the owners decided to provide tools, allowing guests to monitor their daily consumption information in real time, and to be aware of their eco-limits (maximum daily amount of energy and water usage per person). These eco-limits vary by lodge size, season, and the number of guests visiting.

The Water Management System (WMS) was designed, financed, and developed by Chepu Adventures step by step – with the support of volunteers and guests. This WMS consists of a 7" tablet screen, which displays two virtual dials for water and energy consumption, eco-limits are indicated in a different color. Sensors are connected to every single source of water and energy, as well as to temperature controllers. Individual and total information is available on a screen in the main hall at the lodge. 

"Detailed information makes people aware and also willing to keep eco-limits, and a friendly eco-behavior. This information allows guests to learn how to keep their savings at home and continue with their environmentally friendly practices, discuss and compare with friends and family, and spread awareness. Implementing this innovative solution at our Eco Lodge has resulted in a dramatic reduction of water and energy consumption, allowing us to stay within sustainability limits day after day," added Amory Uslar.

Chepu Adventures’ water conservation project won the ‘Best for Water Conservation’ category at this year’s Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM in London. The awards celebrate the shining stars of responsible tourism – those ventures around the world that make positive contributions to nature and heritage conservation, and to the economies of local communities.

For years, Chepu Adventures Eco Lodge has promoted low-impact tourism as a profitable and auto-sustainable economic alternative. An outstanding commitment to environmental practices on all levels, combined with the drive to continuously improve and align with sustainable being, make this lodge a showcase for a true eco-experience.