Eco-Friendly

Growing global awareness about environmental issues, sustainability, preventative health, and localism, has kindled a newfound precedent in our daily lives, whereby acting locally means thinking globally.  The Penticton Lakeside Resort is proud to be a part of this worldwide environmental revolution as a leading, eco-friendly business in British Columbia.

One of the major environmental impacts our planet is facing today, is the supply and demand of our food system.  While the fundamentals of natural farming, also known as agroecology, supports crucial environmental principles, such as biodiversity, ecological balance, sustainability, natural plant fertilization, natural pest management and soil integrity, all of which synergistically work to reduce our carbon footprint, research likewise demonstrates the beneficial effect of naturally produced food on our individual health.  If you’ve visited our flagship restaurant on Okanagan Lake – the Hooded Merganser – then you have eaten something that’s come from our very own, Valley View Farm.  Situated a short drive from the Penticton Lakeside Resort, our hotel farm practises sustainable food production and natural farming methods, generating over a thousand pounds of food per month for the Penticton Lakeside Resort & the Hooded Merganser restaurant.

Taking a leisurely stroll along our resort’s lakeside pathway that hugs our natural riparian area stretching along the shoreline, you will spot a plethora of native species, such as the western skink, loons, beaver and the bufflehead and hooded merganser ducks, (which two of our restaurants are named after).  Casting your gaze upward toward our private beach, the osprey nest and refuge can be seen overlooking our marina.   You can enjoy watching this majestic bird swoop and dive, catching fish, or playing in the wind.  This little ecosystem is the pride and joy of our resort, which we preserve and protect, for the benefit of our local environment, community members and guests alike, who can watch the abundance of native wildlife organically thrive and develop.

Stepping out to enjoy the panoramic views of the lake and valley from one of our three restaurant and bar patios or from the comfort of your private balcony, you may often see one of our chefs perusing the on-site herb garden.  Located across from the Hooded Merganser and adjacent to our Bufflehead Café, our chefs can be seen harvesting the freshest herbs, edible flowers, fruits, and vegetables, used daily in our drinks and dishes.

As an eco-friendly resort, we believe going green should go beyond the celebrated slogan, to fulfill an integrated ethos and comprehensive eco-conscious lifestyle.  At the Penticton Lakeside Resort, this eco-conscious lifestyle, is reflected by the environmental beliefs and commitments of our business.  Our geothermal heating system uses natural sources of power generated from deep beneath our resort, to mitigate our resort’s energy consumption while heating and cooling our guest rooms.  On-site electric vehicle and Tesla charging stations, accommodates a fuel-free visit.  The use of environmentally friendly cleaning products throughout the resort, likewise, endeavours to reduce potentially harmful chemicals in and amongst our guest and staff environments, while simultaneously protecting the natural environment and local ecosystems, (into which most of these products eventually find their way).  Our Green Choice program allows our guests to opt out of housekeeping services in exchange for a food and beverage voucher that can be enjoyed at any of our three, on-site venues, and is available every night a guest decides to forgo room cleaning.  Likewise, our laundry and towel saver programs allow guests to choose whether they would like their bedding and towels replaced daily.  Combined, these eco programs at our resort, endeavour to protect our environment by reducing the consumption of millions of gallons of water and lessening the effects of environmental pollution with cleaning detergents.

Although many of us may not necessarily feel nor consciously recognize the day-to-day effects of global climate change, the process has nevertheless already begun to reshape the social, economic, geopolitical, and environmental landscapes of our planet.  The use of renewable and sustainable energy sources and products to fuel our homes and businesses is needed now more than ever, which is why we build our new West Wing – a six-story, 70-suite addition to our resort – with the purpose of reducing our resort’s overall carbon footprint.  Opting to use timber from sustainably managed B.C. forests, rather than commonly used steel and concrete, the Penticton Lakeside Resort was able to not only reduce its overall carbon footprint, but likewise the carbon footprint of the construction industry itself, which is currently responsible for 40 to 50 percent of CO₂ emissions in Canada.  The fact that wood is the only material that can remove carbon from the atmosphere for the lifetime of its usage, se­questering carbon dioxide at a rate of 1 to 1.2 tons/m³ of wood, when sustainably sourced, timber can be harvested and replenished with fewer lasting environmental impacts than any other building material.

One of the first of its kind in Canada at the time of inception, our West Wing features the most extensive use of cross-laminated timber panels in any construction in the Okanagan.  Overlooking the south shore of Okanagan Lake, the Penticton Lakeside Resort’s West Wing, is not only a modern, iconic addition to Penticton’s waterfront, but the very components of its construction – primarily the cross laminated timber panels that are integrated into all major elements of its design, were locally produced right here in the Okanagan. The construction features exposed wood ceilings, large glulam columns and beams, wood stairs and stair shafts, and exposed mass timber features, including the atrium and ceiling structure – all of which showcase the majesty of a sustainable, environmentally conscious, and thoughtful build that will stand the test of time.

Climate change is one of the most urgent issues our world faces today, and we recognize it is not something any person or business can continue to ignore.  At the Penticton Lakeside Resort, we believe that communication and education about the cause and effect of global climate change is integral to preserving this beautiful planet – the only home we have and know.  As a business, we continue to communicate the importance of environmentalism with our guests, clients, partners, and community members alike, putting into practise our deep-rooted beliefs and commitments to our planet and each other, by choosing to act and invest in a way that puts our environment at the forefront of our business decision making and lifestyle.