We live by and for the environment. Global warming and the footprints we leave are an important part of our work on how we develop the resort. Therefore we at Kläppen work with the following environmental policy:
Environmental work is important to us from three aspects:
- To contribute and take responsibility for society and make our footprint as small as possible.
- In the long term, reduce costs and impact through efficient work.
- That the guests should know that they have come to a destination that consciously works with sustainability issues.
We must take into account the environmental aspect of all our activities. Specific points Kläppen Ski Resort AB works by:
- Preserving nature in the forest and mountain environment in which we work. Through detailed planning we work on how the mountain will be developed together with the Swedish Forest Management Agency and the County Administrative Board where earmarked areas with high natural value on the mountain are preserved.
- Select and design products and services with as little environmental impact as possible.
- To continuously improve staff knowledge of the environment.
- Encourage guests to leave the car parked at the cabin and continue the work according to plan on ski paths and transport lifts with the aim that all accommodation should have ski in/out.
- To eventually have our own internal transport so that guests can transport themselves collectively within the facility even after the lifts have closed.
- Encourage guests to travel to us by public transport such as e.g. train and bus.
- Work to be able to control the heating in the cabins in future.
- All waste must be sorted and the environmentally hazardous items, such as e.g. caretaking/operations, must have environmental stations.
- The environmental aspect should always be taken into account when taking measures/ carrying out investments. The environmental gain must then be compared to any additional costs; that is, we should do what is feasible from a cost point of view and seek solutions and practices that protect the environment and the economy.
Kläppen Ski Resort AB was also one of the companies that participated in Green2020, an EU environmental project on borderless energy cooperation between the ski resorts in Dalarna and Norwegian Hedmark. The purpose of GREEN 2020 has been to show the destinations several ways to achieve the EU's energy target of 20% energy efficiency, 20 % increased share in renewable energy as well as 20% more efficient transport by 2020. The project has worked with major destinations within Scandinavia's largest ski area. Through close cooperation, studies, surveys and pilot tests at the destinations have been mixed with seminars, study sessions, training courses and meetings. This has meant that all ski resorts have invested both working hours and money in order to be able to implement several measures proposed within the framework of GREEN 2020.
Some projects that were implemented and being implemented to achieve the above objectives:
- 2011, 25 million were invested in snow production system where a water reservoir was built at the top. The reservoir is self-replenishing with natural water and means that water for the slopes it aims to provide water for snow production does not need to be pumped from the river Vesterdalälven, but the water can in principle be released by self-pressure to the slopes, which saves energy in pumping. At the same time, 40 energy efficient low energy cannons were installed. Altogether this saves up to 800 000kwh.
- We are continuously investing in energy-efficient snow cannons to streamline snow production, to produce more snow for a shorter period of time with reduced electricity consumption.
- Ongoing, the heating and ventilation in Kläppen's properties have been switched from direct electricity to rock/geothermal heat and the ventilation has been replaced by an FTX unit that recovers indoor air.
- We train piste machine operators in Ecodriving. And have GPS systems in the piste machines in order to optimise driving and snow depth measurement so that we don't produce more snow than we need.
- In 2015 we altered the way we change the lift attendants for a break in the lifts. From this being done by snowmobile we now do it by Snowscoot. In this way we have reduced total snow scooters in the resort by three.
- We will gradually be replacing the old 2 stroke snow scooters for more fuel efficient 4 stroke snow scooters.
- In 2018 we are working to replace all piste lighting for energy-saving LED lights. This is estimated to save so much energy that we will recoup total investment of 2.5 million in three years
- New lifts invested in since 2004 have had frequency driven motor which means that it consumes less energy than the old type. The speed can also vary during high/low season. Projects are currently under way to invest in this technology on all of the older lifts as well.