Juillet 2022
Le développement durable, autrefois à la mode, est aujourd'hui une nécessité.
Pour un lieu plusieurs fois centenaire, le développement durable fait partie depuis longtemps de son mode de vie. Cependant, il est nécessaire de continuer. Voici les améliorations concrètes qui ont été apportées au cours des sept dernières années :-)
• Electricity o Switching to LED lighting when renewing bulbs; changing projectors with recent low consumption equipment...
"With over 240 bulbs, it makes sense" ;-))) o Installation of presence detectors to automatically switch lighting on and off in several areas depending on the actual presence of people o Turning off the water heaters when there are no customers
o One large television in the lounge bar "And yes, there are other great things to do than watch TV "Well, don't worry, we still have a TV with a DVD, CD, USB key player for the kids, or the big sports events hi, hi!"
• Water : o Watering with a drip system at night to limit evaporation o Planting of robust and low water consuming plants/trees: Judas tree, cyst...
• Heating o Installation of valves on the heating circuit to heat the spaces in a de-correlated way according to the occupation of the castle o Installation of an external temperature sensor for the boiler
o Use of dead wood to make fires in the chimney "A nice blaze in the chimney of the dining room, it's great"
• Paper : most of our exchanges with customers have been dematerialised for the past 7 years: contracts sent by internet, elimination of brochures, etc.
• Isulation of the castle
o Installation of windows in the machicolation room, change of window or o Puttying the woodwork of the French windows, o Installation of a door at the top of the Renaissance staircase and rework of the entrance door and the chapel to limit heat loss, "Uh.... There are still other doors to improve. Yes, yes, it will come!" o Lime sealing of air inlets in the walls
o Insulation of the lost attic with glass wool insulation and
installation of an overfloor and insulation of the walls under the attic
o Installation of double glazing for the windows overlooking the
the machicolations,
o Closing the machicolations with lime for the walls, and Plexiglas or glass for the machicolations,
• Waste management
o Improved sanitation on the farm
o Selective sorting of waste with information for customers
o Installation of a composter on the estate
In our fields
· Replacement of the cultivation of the fields at the top of the Pech with fertilizer by a melliferous flower meadow without fertilizer
"When will the beehives be installed and the castle honey produced? Yummmm"
On the societal level
· Promotion of short circuits with an address book of local producers (fruit, vegetables, eggs, jams, locally produced aperitif, donkey milk cosmetics, etc.) for guests staying at the Castle
· Priority to the purchase of products made locally or in France
. Calling on local companies for work and events organised by our clients...
. Work with an ESAT (Etablissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail) with disabled staff
Not to mention communicating with customers on how to contribute to saving energy and natural resources with simple everyday gestures: turn off the lights, don't leave the taps running, water the plants with the water left in the jugs.... "Even on holiday, we can think about preserving nature, right?"
In short, it is an ongoing process. Other steps are under consideration ;-)
A big thank you to Patrick who brought so many good ideas and implemented them !