Why Eco?

To ensure the buildings' energy efficiency, natural materials such as expanded cork agglomerate and cryptomeria wood were used in the buildings' exterior cladding for thermal insulation. Wood was also used inside the buildings, especially in the Villas & Studios, enhancing thermal insulation. The windows of the central building are made of aluminum frames with a thermal cut-off system and double glazing, with energy rating A+.

The entire resort's hot water (DHW) system is based on highly efficient heat pumps. All lighting in the Resort is provided by LED technology.

The Villas are equipped with a key card that switches off the lighting and electrical appliances when guests leave the room, a measure that contributes to the management of energy consumption.

Rainwater is collected from the roofs of the various buildings, which is routed and stored in an existing basin on the perimeter of the Resort. This basin makes it possible to store water for watering the garden areas. To ensure that the basin has water throughout the year, there is a connection with the natural lake on the property, which pumps water whenever necessary.

The landscaped areas have mostly autochthonous species, which reduce the need for irrigation.

Santa Bárbara Resort has been gradually implementing a set of actions to reduce waste production that include, among others, the promotion of the use of reusable packaging (glass and metal), such as amenities that are available in individual glass packages. of refilling, the option of providing other single-use amenities, only on request, communication with guests without using paper printing, availability of reusable cloth bags for the laundry as an alternative to the plastic film used to pack the washed clothes . To avoid food waste, measures have been implemented such as changing the buffet breakfast to à la carte, purchases adjusted to the menus and quantities served, these being adjusted to avoid waste. In terms of the vegetable garden, the surplus that is not used in the restaurants of the Singular Properties group is made available to employees and their families.

With regard to the waste produced, the respective selective separation and subsequent forwarding to an authorized waste management operator is guaranteed. In this sense, different selective sorting containers are available in all areas of Santa Bárbara, which include informative signs.

Santa Bárbara Resort has an agricultural production farm within its perimeter that supplies the restaurant with fruits, herbs and other vegetables, promoting local production.

For all areas and services and whenever possible, local suppliers are selected. As an example, we highlight the dairy products that are mostly of Azorean origin, as well as the white wines from the restaurant's menu.

The concern with the choice of natural materials and of organic origin is present in the choices that are made in terms of different areas and products, as is the case of amenities of organic origin and based on algae, in the choice of wood for different supports of communication with guests.

The Resort has developed an annual sustainability training plan for all its employees, with a view to their greater involvement and knowledge of the Santa Bárbara concept, the Singular Properties Group's objectives in this field and the measures already implemented with a view to improving the environmental performance of the resort.

In terms of initiatives of a social nature, Santa Bárbara has been carrying out campaigns to clean the beach of Santa Bárbara with its employees. These campaigns have occasionally involved other local stakeholders, namely in the first year the initiative involved the participation of a school in the municipality of Ribeira Grande and in the second year with a group of scouts from the municipality.

A special highlight goes to the amenities line that now bears the seal of Voya, an organic Irish brand, based on algae, with confirmed therapeutic properties and whose products recreate the calming effects of a spa experience, presented here in what could not be more in accordance with the sustainable practices that characterize the Singular Properties units.