At the Design stage for construction, the number of environmental concerns are highlighted as a part of our development policies. All elements of the design are seriously reviewed with consideration for the impact on the environment both locally and globally. Our concerns at the design phase can be summarized as follows:

Legal requirement: Local, national and international legal requirements will be reviewed and incorporated into design requirements and hotel environmental management systems. Implications of relevant international convention, protocol, and agreement such as CITES, the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols, and Ramsar convention are given a high priority for the design of the site.

Local Environment: Local environment is viewed as a key point as it is easy to draw links between local environmental degradation caused and adjacent resorts, this could disastrous in terms of publicity and the effect on the local environment. Prospective sites are carefully investigated; designs and construction techniques are developed to minimize the impact of the resort on the local ecosystem. Any EIA requirements will also be incorporated into the design stage.

Environmental/Geographical Risk: Before embarking on any new project, it is key to review the environmental risk associated with the project, including issue such as flash floods, fire risk, avalanches, landslides, tropical storms, droughts, slope stability, coastal erosion and the presence of vulnerable/protected ecosystems (e.g. RAMSAR sites) will be highly considered and if necessary designs and construction methods will be modified to account for local conditions and legislation.

Building Design: Our development policy always gives a significant on the buildings which are designed with great care to minimize its energy requirements during its lifetime, and furthermore to reflect as far as possible the local architecture and, culture. It is of paramount importance to Six Senses that all wood used in construction comes from a sustainable renewable source; on recent projects we have worked closely with governments and the Forestry Stewardship Council.

Energy Management: Six Senses is committed to reducing global warming caused by greenhouse emissions resulting from our operations. For any new site, the energy supply will be reviewed and use of renewable and innovative energy saving devices will be incorporated. Where possible, we would evaluate any other alternative options such as solar thermal hot water generation, wind power, combined heat and power system alternative fuels such as biodiesel, hydro electric power, heat pumps, etc.

Water Supply: Water usage, supply, storage and disposal all need to be integrated and optimized for each site. Typically, we would try to identify a sustainable clean water source. Groundwater, rainwater collection and natural streams will regularly be considered if a mains water supply is not either available, or cost effective. As a last resort, where no other options are available, desalination may be considered although this is expensive and energy intensive. With all these options great care will be taken to avoid any environmental concerns such as saline intrusions caused by over pumping groundwater.

Waste Water: Waste water systems will be designed to treat water to a very high level so that it can be used for irrigation around the site, ideally we would use a traditional primary & secondary treatment system enhanced by a “constructed” wetland. Water reuse will be optimized at the design stage to meet the on-site requirements. In cases where water supply is restricted, recycled shower water may be used for flushing water.

The construction stage is critical as it is during this period when the potential for damaging the environment irreversibly is greatest. Environmental concerns at the construction stage are as follows:

Environmental Management: For each project, an environmental management plan will be drawn up for both construction and operations. During construction phase, this will cover the areas of waste management and use of materials, water management, environmental protection, mitigation measures, environmental monitoring and environmental legal requirements.

Materials: It is key importance that we use timber and materials from a sustainable source in a responsible manner. We insist that any wood comes from a renewable, and were practical certified forest and that all other materials and labour is, wherever possible sourced locally from environmentally responsible suppliers/sources.

Waste Management: Waste management during construction is key to protecting the site from construction workers and saving valuable resources. Our policy highlights the proper waste management that prevent much damage occurring from random dumping of waste on ecologically sensitive areas. Typically much of the waste from construction is valuable and can be recycled for furniture and building repair, etc.

Water Management: Our policy is given a significant importance on water usage which is aimed to secure and protect from contamination early on, especially in environments where the water supply is vulnerable. This groundwater protection will form a key part of our environmental management during construction.

Waste Water Management: It is vital that waste water is properly disposed of. Construction of waste water handling and treatment facilities should always be considered a priority and is among the first items on the construction programme.

Environmental Protection: Environmental protection during construction is also critical for Six Senses. Great care will be taken to avoid damaging native vegetation and sensitive habitats during the construction.

Mitigation: Where necessary mitigation measures will be carried out to off set any negative impacts of the development.

Environmental Monitoring: In some cases, where projects are environmentally sensitive, an environmental monitoring programme will be drawn up before construction begins. Typically this will reflect local legal requirements, the need for groundwater and habitat protection and recommendations of any EIA where applicable.