Heavenly Mountain Resort gets favorable environmental certification

Heavenly Mountain Resort has announced that its new multi-million-dollar Tamarack Lodge received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Tamarack Lodge is the first LEED-certified, on-mountain building at Lake Tahoe. It will serve as the blueprint for the construction of Northstar California's new on-mountain lodge and as a guide for future Vail Resorts development.
“From the beginning of project planning, our objective was to create a spectacular on-mountain lodge that met or exceeded the environmental standards embodied by LEED’s green building principles. I am extremely proud of the dedication and commitment of our team,” said Pete Sonntag, vice president and general manager of Heavenly Mountain Resort.
After opening on Dec.17, 2010, Tamarack Lodge earned the reputation as Lake Tahoe’s finest on-mountain restaurant, offering guests a combination of the highest-quality food in a comfortable, alpine-themed setting. From the nicest bathrooms in the ski world to the industry’s only refillable drinks, Tamarack Lodge takes service and sustainability to the next level

Heavenly worked with a LEED-certified commissioning engineer and design team to ensure the process was transparent and closely aligned with the US Green Building Council’s recommendations. The project features native and adaptive plant species in re-vegetation and landscaping to reduce water consumption. Fifty-six tons of construction waste were diverted from local landfills. Ten percent of the total building materials were sourced from recycled materials.
Heavenly used low-emitting sealants and paints which kept the levels of volatile organic compounds well below recommended standards. The Tamarack Lodge roof material was chosen carefully to reduce heat island effect, a term used to describe an area that concentrates heat leading to increased energy needs and green house gas emissions.
Many behind-the-scenes design features will allow for on-going energy and water savings making a lasting positive impact on the environment. Low-flush lavatories and other smart plumbing fixture designs will help Heavenly cut water consumption by 33 percent. Light timers and automatic control system will help reduce light pollution on the mountain and cut energy use in the future.