a smaller footprint

Wisconsin hotel goes fossil fuel free

Recognized by Natural Home & Garden magazine as one of the “Top 10 Eco-Destinations in North America,” Inn Serendipity is one of nine small businesses named 2004 ENERGY STAR Small Business Network Award winners today. The firms had the foresight to undertake energy efficiency improvements that saved $40,000 in annual energy costs and more than 590,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually and those 2004 upgrades will be even more valuable this winter.

Inn Serendipity is a bed and breakfast and organic farm, owned by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko.

Starting with increasing the energy efficiency of the bed and breakfast, the owners incorporated an array of improvements and innovative strategies. The bed and breakfast installed double-paned, low-emissivity (low-E) windows, the attic space was insulated to a R-Value of R-19, caulking and weather-stripping was applied, and the water heater and hot water pipes were insulated. The only cooling used is an ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioner for the office. Much of the Inn’s water heating is provided by a solar thermal system, so guests shower with water heated by the sun. ENERGY STAR qualified screw-in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were used throughout the facility. Laundering of clothing and linens is accomplished by an ENERGY STAR qualified washing machine. Its refrigerator is an ENERGY STAR qualified Sun Frost.

Congratulations to the Ivanko’s! Nice work.

Entry Filed under: Activism