Reduce your carbon footprint at AquaCity

By using renewable energy sources, such as geothermal water, wind and solar emergy, to heat and power the resort, AquaCity in northern Slovakia saves more carbon emissions per day (24,000 kg) than an entire flight of 120 passengers emits (20,000 kg) during a flight from London Stansted to nearby Poprad. Or in other words, in less time than it takes to check-in to one of AquaCity's two hotels, the amount of carbon generated by the flight, on a per passenger basis, is negated.

Europe’s greenest destination AquaCity resort in northern Slovakia saves more carbon emissions in just a single day than the total carbon gas emissions generated by an entire plane load of visitors flying from Stansted to nearby Poprad airport.

A flight to Slovakia for around 120 passengers generates around 20,000 kgs of C02 emissions, AquaCity saves 24,000 kgs per day by using renewable energy sources, the equivalent amount per day of the total C02 absorbed by 33 mature trees during their entire lifetime.**

Or, in other words, the carbon footprint of every visitor flying to AquaCity* is negated within just 10.2 minutes of arrival at the resort, less than the time it takes to check-in, making it one of the world’s most environmentally friendly places to holiday.

AquaCity avoids burning fossil fuels by using geothermal water to centrally heat the resort’s two hotels, restaurant, leisure, conference and spa centre, supply the water-park and thermal pools and generate up to 80% of its electricity requirement.

AquaCity is aiming to be the first resort in the world to produce entirely independent energy from the earth, wind and sun. Solar panels and wind turbines currently being commissioned to supplement the existing geothermal water bore holes, that sustains the majority of the resort’s energy requirement, without burning fossil fuels.

Chief Executive of AquaCity Jan Telensky said “the earth currently has the highest concentration of carbon for 660,000 years. The tourism industry needs to completely re-think how it operates to start making meaningful changes to the damage it’s doing to the environment. It’s no use putting the entire blame on the airlines or planting a handful of trees, it’s about finding alternative energy sources and dramatically reducing the amount of fossil fuels we’re burning.

We’ve already proved at AquaCity that environmental technology even gives us a competitive edge. We saved over £2.5 million in energy costs in 2006, enabling us to invest in our hotels and leisure facilities and offer our clients affordable luxury, that literally doesn’t cost the earth”.

AquaCity’s future plans include an Eden Dome style project, whereby the Czech born businessman will be creating a jungle of green in the middle of Europe, whose oxygen emissions will positively counter the C0² in the atmosphere.

What green means at AquaCity:-

- The swimming pools are stainless-steel lined, reducing the amount of chemical required to keep them sanitised
- In the kitchens, taps are fixed to prevent them running freely, grills and ovens are not left on
- Room keys operate the central lighting, avoiding lights being left on when unoccupied
- Dripping taps are attended to and low energy light bulbs are used
- Waste is recycled where possible
- Local legislation is adhered to
- A local and social `conscience’ ensures staff are recruited from the locality and the community receives support
- All of the resort’s heating is extracted from the geothermal water via heat exchangers
- The swimming pools are filled with natural geothermal water
- `Used’ water is cooled and returned to the earth
- Geothermal water is converted to electricity to power the resort, currently in part, ultimately in total

For information about AquaCity resort visit Aquacityresort.com.

* Source: Climate Care: Based on 170 kgs of C02 emissions per passenger on the flight from London Stansted to Poprad.

** Source: Carbon Footprint Ltd