Good practice business YOUTH HOSTEL SCUOL

Contributor Herbert Hamele
Country Switzerland
Keywords
  • ETGG2030-GP
  • ETGG2030-MAP
Organisation YOUTH HOSTLE SCUOL
Postal address Prà da Faira, 7550 Scuol, Schweiz
Webpage http://youthhostel.ch/en/hostels/scuol/
Release date 08/04/2022
Landscape type Protected
Topics
  • Good Governance & CSR
GSTC Criteria for Industry
  • A7.3 Sustainable practices and materials
  • A7.4 Access for all
  • A10 Destnation engagement
  • B2 Local employment
  • B3 Local purchasing
  • B7 Decent work
  • D1.1 Environmentally preferable purchasing
  • D1.3 Energy conservation
  • D2.1 Greenhouse gas emissions
  • D2.3 Wastewater
Marketplace category Accommodation Providers Accommodation Providers
Type Best Practice Business (Best Practice Business)
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Certified by ibex fairstay

Category:

Hostel Accommodation

Size:

Small

Protected areas nearby:

Parc Naziunal Svizzer (Swiss National Park)

Certifying body:

 IBEX fairstay

 

Outstanding contributions

The youth hostel in Scuol is one of over 50 individual hostels operated by Swiss Youth Hostels.  It has 164 beds provided in a mixture of two to six bedded rooms. The hostel has pursued environmental principles in its initial construction and its operation. It has received the IBEX Fairstay sustainability label since 2010 and in its last certification it achieved the top rating of ‘Platinum’. The hostel has also received various awards for architecture and green technology.

The hostel was built according to the highest energy standards in Switzerland. The ECO building label confirmed that only the most environmentally friendly building materials were used, and the Minergie construction method ensures minimal energy consumption during operation. Energy use and CO2 emissions are reduced to a minimum, through the use of efficient appliances, a heat-pump system for heating and solar collectors for hot water.  The 27m2  system saves about 15,000 kWh of energy per year.  All electricity is sourced from renewable hydropower. The carbon footprint of the Scuol hostel is significantly less than the already low average for Swiss youth hostels of 5.5 kg per overnight stay.

Guests can offset their CO2 emissions with Myclimate and make a contribution to local sustainability.  This is then doubled by Swiss Youth Hostels. The location of the Scuol hostel in the immediate vicinity of the train, bus and mountain railway stations is perfectly geared to travel by public transport. The hostel seeks to provide a healthy, low impact experience. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are offered and meat is anti-allergenic and sustainable. Exploration of the surrounding natural area is promoted and facilitated.

From the beginning, prior to development, there was close engagement with regional and local bodies, including the mountain railways, the municipality and tourism organisation. Exceptional cooperation was sought with the regional farmers’ association, which made the land of its former cattle market available for the building.  In return, the hostel buys as much regional farm produce as possible and gives preference to hiring farmers, especially in the winter season when there is little work on the farm.  Equal opportunities and pay are provided for men and women and there is a strong focus on barrier-free accessibility.

Swiss Youth Hostels has very strong links with local, regional and national organisations and seeks to set an example on sustainability in the tourism industry.  In this regard, it also plays a leading role in Hostelling International, which has 63 youth hostel associations in 81 countries.

Key SDGs related to this action

 

  

See: Tourism for SDGs - Recommendations for Companies
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