How do you make Kilkea Castle sustainable?

That’s the problematic question its owners had to answer when they renovated the old fortress and turned it into the Kilkea Castle Estate & Golf Club.

“We’re very committed to sustainability,” says the property’s sales director Adrian Mooney. “And the process has been ongoing for years.”

But recently, there’s been a sense of urgency. Above-normal temperatures, fewer frost days, and weather that feels more Mediterranean than Irish have prodded Kilkea to set new, ambitious sustainability goals. (Other Irish hotels have felt similar pressure, including the Anantara property in Dublin.)

Kilkea is trying hard to answer how to make a 10th-century castle sustainable. Visitors will notice a greener property in many ways, but that’s not why Kilkea is embarking on a sustainability journey.

Here’s how they made Kilkea Castle sustainable

Kilkea Castle, built in 1180, is protected under Irish law. Any changes to the hotel are controlled and managed through the country’s development control process, so the options for making it sustainable were limited.

Although you can’t remodel a tower to fit solar panels on the roof of a historic castle, you can ensure that the guest rooms are as green as possible. That means eliminating single-use plastics, implementing an aggressive recycling program and sourcing restaurant meals locally to avoid leaving an oversized carbon footprint.

You can also plant vegetables in your immaculately manicured English garden and serve them to guests who want an authentic farm-to-table experience.

Kilkea Castle Estate & Golf Club did everything in and around the castle.

But the guest villas—well, that’s another story. They received solar panels and energy-efficient insulation and heating, bringing them to the highest possible standard.

It still wasn’t enough.

How they took sustainability to the next level

As the world heated up, Kilkea’s efforts to become greener became more serious. There were EV charging stations, a new leach field to handle wastewater, and even more solar panels. Last year, the hotel also added a new Volvo XC60 Hybrid courtesy car.

Mooney says the hotel wanted to find even more ways to save energy. So, it installed a new building management system.

“This tells us our energy output and flags spikes so we can monitor and best control,” he explains.

For example, if someone leaves the heat on in the conference centre, the building management system will alert hotel management, and they can turn it off.

Although Kilkea’s owners explored the possibility of harnessing the nearby River Grease for hydroelectric power, they found that the current wasn’t powerful enough. However, the next green energy project is showing great potential.

“We are very early in the scoping the property for geothermal energy,” he says.

A few days ago, engineers were drilling two areas near the clubhouse and golf course. Kilkea Castle will have access to geothermal energy by next fall if all goes as planned.

How much would the hotel save?

“It’s impossible to say at this point,” he says.

Is this what guests want?

Kilkea’s efforts to reach a new level of sustainability come as Irish tourism officials are urging more green initiatives.

But the big question is: Do guests want it?

Mooney says it depends on the guest. The average visitor doesn’t ask if the hotel is sustainable. Still, meeting planners often include a checkbox for sustainability efforts when they send out a request for a proposal, so having a ready answer is helpful.

Is anyone paying attention? Yes, but mostly in small ways. A notice on the menu explains that the chef aims to “reduce the food miles” it takes to bring you a meal. There’s the produce grown just a stone’s throw from the castle. Solar panels and a hybrid courtesy car carry the same message: We want to be part of the solution.

So, the average guest gets a more sustainable experience even though it might not be requested. And that’s just fine with the folks at Kilkea Castle.

Ultimately, says Mooney, Kilkea hasn’t embarked on these sustainability efforts for the benefit of the guests — although the guests often benefit from them. And it isn’t for the publicity, either. Kilkea hasn’t sent out any media releases boasting about its sustainability.

Instead, its owners are deeply convinced that sustainability, while not always easy, is the right thing to do.

 

 

 

Written by: Christopher Elliott

 

 

BIO:
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.

 

 

 

 

 

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