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The Heritage Boutique Apartments path to eco-labelling

A guest post by Martha Ecker, host of the Heritage boutique apartments. With a raffle at the end.

At the end of 2021, the time had come - the Heritage Boutique Apartments Bad Ischl are now officially carriers of the Austrian eco-label. We want to celebrate that together.

The Heritage Boutique Apartment "Sophie" for two people - historical furniture and modern comfort

Holiday like an emperor in the heart of the Salzkammergut

Since 2020 you will find us in the imperial city of Bad Ischl, in the center of the Salzkammergut, just a stone's throw away from the former summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Sisi. Our family business offers five unique apartments that we have furnished with hand-picked individual pieces. Right from the start, we had the aspiration to offer sustainable holidays at the highest level. Our name - Heritage - is also an allusion to the rich cultural and natural heritage of the region, which we want to protect and appreciate together with our guests.

Why an eco-label?

It quickly became clear to us that we wanted to do more than just using historical furniture and “green common sense”. Much of this is obvious: recycling, active mobility instead of a car, or the use of energy-saving lamps. However, we quickly realized that professional help is also needed to find out what can be done even better. In addition, we wanted to show our guests that we don't just adorn ourselves with "green feathers", but really do our best. The Upper Austrian climate alliance then gave us the tip to take a closer look at the Austrian eco-label.

What does this mean for our guests?

First and foremost, a holiday in the Salzkammergut awaits you with a clear conscience and a high level of comfort. Whether personalized travel tips for a trip to Hallstatt by train and boat, organic and fair trade products, self-sewn shopping bags, or an (e-)bike garage - we want you to feel comfortable during your stay in Bad Ischl. And what speaks against making the world a little bit better with pleasure?

The imperial city of Bad Ischl has a lot to offer - all year round. Bad Ischl Congress Center, © badischl.at

From registration to examination to award

The preparatory phase was about assessing the status quo: Which of the criteria do we meet, what do we still have to work on? There is a long checklist with more than 100 points - some of these are mandatory, some a minimum sum must be reached. We got support from a sustainability consultant who was also able to give us valuable tips for everyday life. Did you know, for example, that there are now shower heads that use only half as much energy and water for the same level of comfort? Or cleaning devices with dry steam that do not require any cleaning agents at all?

Then the audit followed: Our apartments were put through their paces according to ecological criteria and that sustainability concept discussed. Shortly thereafter, the confirmation came: We can call ourselves a "Green Hotel" - yay!

Look out for this indicator if you are looking for sustainable accommodation in Austria

Challenges and plans for the future

Some aspects of the certification were easy, while other factors were quite challenging. Our five apartments are located in a 130-year-old villa with a beautiful Salzkammergut facade. That's why we had to cut back on the insulation, for example. However, our walls are so thick that you don't need additional cooling in summer - a definite plus! When it comes to energy supply, we rely on CO2-neutral suppliers and will, if possible, produce our own electricity in the future.

It is a well-known fact that standing still means going backwards. In this sense, the progress of the eco-label is checked every two years by independent auditors. We already have some plans for the future: We want to provide electric bicycles for our guests, further reduce our CO2 consumption and work even more towards climate neutrality.

We are happy and proud that we have taken this important first step and can really recommend the eco-label certification.

All the best from Bad Ischl,

– Monica, Martha and Kamal

The boutique apartments Ella, Sophie, Katharina and Adele

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