While Coastal EcoVentures is focused on small- and medium-sized tourism developments (what other choice does a new, small fund have?), it’s worth taking a quick look at one of the largest new developments in the world.
The $4 billion Resorts World in Singapore opens this spring. Features of the project include: numerous energy efficiency design elements in the two main hotels, preservation of the surrounding forest, rainwater harvesting, and the largest solar panel array (500,000 annual kWh) in Singapore. The project has earned the highest rating of Singapore’s version of LEED certification.
Some may react to such a large project by saying, “It can’t possibly be sustainable.” Bringing all those people to one area will overwhelm local ecosystems and transform the local economies and communities, all for the worse.
But scale also brings efficiencies, including energy and water use per guest-night. And one large project may be preferable to the sprawl that would occur if the same capacity were spread among many smaller resorts.
So we would advocate a much closer analysis before drawing any conclusions. Here are some things we might learn from this project:
1. Do the project’s responsible design elements command a price premium that is sustained over time?
2. How do the projected energy performance – and environmental performance generally – compare with actual performance?
3. How are off-site impacts managed? Are third-party operators (e.g., tour guides) who serve guests provide the same environmental safeguards as the main resort?
4. How are the responsible design features perceived by guests? Does this vary between Asian visitors and travelers from America and Europe?
We’ll have these questions in mind as we track the success or failure of Resorts World.
