What are We Doing
With historic rooms, art and furnishings dating back to the 17th-century Prestonfield could hardly be a more sustainable hotel...we don't just recycle, we restore.
Waste management.
Our recycling centre now sorts our waste with a growing proportion of it being recycled. We now recycle our glass, paper, card, plastics and packaging, part-used room amenities, oil and wood. This saves over 200 nesgoing to landfill annually.
We are the first hotel in the city to start sending our food and organic waste away for composting by a local charity. As well as helping the Cyrenians with their aims it should save a further 48 tonnes going to landfill.
Insulated polystyrene food boxes are returned to our suppliers for re-use and wooden wine cases are now used as containers for growing herbs and salads, or kindling for our log fires, rather than being dumped.
Energy conservation
We have invested in a new highly efficient condensing boiler which will produce much of our hot water and heating needs far more efficiently.
The fires around the hotel burn predominantly carbon-neutral logs which come from fallen timber in the grounds.
Air-conditioning systems are fitted with efficient heat exchanger systems and room heaters and towel rails are now remotely controlled so that they are not active when a room is unlet.
A rolling programme is seeing kitchen equipment being replaced when redundant with newer, more efficient models such as dishwashers with sophisticated heat recovery systems.
A range of lighting options are being installed as appropriate throughout the hotel including LED and fibre optic technology, lower energy bulbs and dimmer switches.
Water conservation
We are now harvesting rainwater to use for irrigation in the gardens at Prestonfield and are investing in more power and water efficient glass and dishwashing systems.
Printwork.
We recognise that guests still often prefer a printed copy, so we now ensure that all of our printwork is produced to the rigorous standards of the Forestry Stewardship Council and that digital versions of all of our printwork is available on our website and by email.
Travel.
We actively support a staff bike to work scheme, encourage car sharing, publicise local bus routes and have bikes available for guests to use.
Compost.
We compost leaves and vegetative waste on site for use in the garden and grounds.
Natural Habitat.
We have a biodiversity action plan and are enthusiastically following its aims including recently planting over a thousand trees, all of native species. Woodland walks, hedges and other habitats are being managed to encourage species and a variety of boxes for owls, birds and bats have been installed.
Carbon offsetting.
We recognise that it isn’t a perfect solution but we currently carbon offset Prestonfield’s car and are looking at arrangements to offset the entirety of our carbon footprint.
Responsible purchasing.
We by organic, local or sustainably-produced produce where possible and actively support small local producers, growers, forragers and suppliers.
Grow your own!
Rhubarb has been grown here at Prestonfield since the 18th century and we still grow some of what we use.
We are starting to grow a range of salads, vegetables and herbs for use in the kitchens at Prestonfield and over the summer the greenhouse and newly-installed polytunnel will be filled with quirky heritage tomato varieties of all shapes and sizes.
We are also propagating and growing a range of flowering plants and topiaries to decorate the hotel with and to reduce our need for cut flowers.
