was honouring the recently renovated Kaslo Hotel with a PowerSense Conservation Award and we had to find out why. Turns out not only was John Ecland interested in restoring a community landmark (the original Kaslo Hotel was built in 1896) but he wanted to integrate, “modern energy efficient technology that will help ensure it is here for decades to come,” he says.
A geothermal system, including ground source heat pumps, was installed and is responsible for everything from warming and cooling the air temperature within the hotel to supplying hot water for the rooms and the restaurant. Compact fluorescent and LED lighting are used throughout the building and energy-efficient doors and windows were also installed. After everything was finalized, Fortis calculated that the Kaslo Hotel’s annual energy savings were a whopping 301,000 kilowatt hours. (An average household consumes approximately 18,000 kWh per year.)
According to manager Andy LeCouffe, the hotel offers a “complete experience – we’re an environmentally conscious luxury hotel located on the main street of a quaint village with stunning lake and mountain views.” He says they specialize in small weddings that emphasize a personalized touch and can accommodate 125 people in the restaurant area and another 125 on the covered deck overlooking the water. (The hotel sleeps 40 in 11 guest rooms and three apartment-style rooms.)