For many people, wellness and luxury are the epitome of vacation. Few want to think about sustainability and eco-friendly travel. And yet the wellness area, with its saunas and pools, consumes a lot of water and energy. So how do you combine sustainability, wellness, and luxury? As part of our „Sustainability Pioneers” interview series, we ask hoteliers from sustainable hotels these very questions.
Today: Lukas Obendorfer from Hotel Der Birkenhof ***** Genussresort & Spa in Neuburg v. Wald in the Upper Palatinate region, Germany
Wellness meets Sustainability at the Birkenhof
„I am responsible for it every day in the house, so I do not have to think about it too much”, explains Lukas Obendorfer when asked if he read the questions in advance. A lot has changed since he took over the management of Birkenhof. Especially in the last few years, there have been numerous projects that have advanced the sustainability of the gourmet resort. We spoke to him about his passion projects and how to combine 5-star, wellness and sustainability.
Green Pearls®: Are you more of a sauna or pool person or more of an „avoid the spa” type?
Lukas Obendorfer: I do not avoid the spa when I’m on vacation. I’m more of a water person, but I also like to go to the sauna from time to time. I am not an extreme sauna enthusiast, though, who has to participate in every sauna infusion.
GP: Would you call the Birkenhof a sustainable wellness hotel? And if so, since when?
Lukas Obendorfer: Indeed, I would describe the Birkenhof as a sustainable wellness hotel. We are one of 20 Green Sign companies that have reached level 5, which is the maximum that can be achieved.
We started to change three years ago, but last year we made the big leap when we changed our energy concept. We have been going strong ever since.
Sustainable Wellness: Benefiting Guests and Environment
GP: The spa is the area of the hotel that wastes a lot of energy. So how do you make a spa sustainable? And most importantly, where do you even start to implement sustainability in such a large project?
Lukas Obendorfer: You can achieve sustainability by going through a transformation like we did last year. We reduced our gas consumption by 90% and are now heating with wood chips. In the future, the wood chips will also be burned in a combined heat and power plant.
Looking at the pool technology alone: All three of our outdoor pools are covered with shades [at night] so pumps can be turned down and fewer chemicals are needed. One of the pools even goes down two inches at night. That air cushion saves a tremendous amount of energy.
GP: What do you think was the most successful measure?
Lukas Obendorfer: I think the biggest difference was the switch to our combined heat and power plant last year. It was also one of our biggest investments so far. Before that, we started with small projects like water-saving taps, e-charging stations, and so on. But those were really small things.
We have a monitor at the front desk that shows all of our sustainable ideas and projects. Occasionally guests will stop, carefully read it, and ask about it.
I believe that if you do good, you should talk about it – and then you can inspire the guest to join in.
GP: How does your energy approach work?
Lukas Obendorfer: We have two boilers that burn only wood chips and produce heat. As soon as we have an agreement with the grid operator, we will add a wood gasifier. We convert wood into gas and put it into our combined heat and power plant to produce 70 kW of electrical energy and 110 kW of thermal energy. This is what we use to cover our base load.
GP: Where do you get the wood?
Lukas Obendorfer: We do not have our own forestry operation, but we have a supply contract with the local farmers’ association. I really appreciate this because it allows us to support the region. If the farmer in the neighboring village pays the business tax, the community can build, buy, or expand something new.
It also takes the community with you. They know that there is a big project where they can make money, grow and develop.
GP: The energy concept with the wood gasifier and the combined heat and power plant is a project close to your heart, right?
Lukas Obendorfer: Yes, you could say that. But I, of course, have others as well. For example, we are exploring and planning what we can do with PV systems. We are also working on our grease trap. The plan is to add bacteria that break down grease so we do not have to empty the grease trap as often.
What we have only been operating for a few weeks is our composting plant. For this, we are working together with a Dutch company. Here is how it works: I put all my food waste and organic waste in there and the composting plant circulates it with bacteria, heat, and a stirring function. I fill it for about a week, let it work for 24 hours, and then I take out the compost, which I have to sieve and then I can take it away. It saves CO2 because the truck does not have to come here, I have no disposal costs, I do not have to buy compost for my garden and I have nutrient-rich soil that I can process further.
Only if we participate, inspire others and persuade them to join in will we achieve a result as a whole!
GP: What would be something you would say to your fellow hoteliers: „Definitely do that!”
Lukas Obendorfer: I have to say that the PV systems are worthwhile. The cooperation with Hargassner, with whom we made our boilers, is also very interesting. And, of course, our composting plant.
GP: Is there a project or anything else, where you would have hoped for more?
Lukas Obendorfer: Hoped for more? Yes, I hoped that the bureaucracy would be easier in certain areas. And that my wood gasifier would already be running, because it is sitting completely assembled in the room for a year. There has been a new feed-in law since December, but the grid operators do not know how to implement it. And even when you write to the government and ask them, they say: „We don’t know either. “
GP: So bureaucratic requirements are blocking sustainable development?
Lukas Obendorfer: Yeah, sometimes the bureaucracy is at a point where I quietly think my part … If we want to change something, we have to do something now and not wait another three years.
GP: Looking into the future: Where do you see the Birkenhof?
Lukas Obendorfer: We want to continue to focus on wellness and good cuisine and evolve; see what regional suppliers are emerging in the area and collaborate.
For me and my whole family, the social aspect is also important. We have not even touched on that. I am happy when I can employ ten different nationalities. People who earn their money here, send it home and build their houses there. This also means that we sometimes support a project with a hospice or our cooperation with the local fire brigade, for which we sponsor a festival or two. I also believe that if you are a big company and you are an employer, you should not say: „I’m on top of the mountain and I don’t care about what’s going on around me,” but rather involve people and communities as much as possible in certain issues.
GP: What do you see as the biggest challenge in combining sustainability with guests’ desires for wellness and luxury?
Lukas Obendorfer: It is very possible to combine luxury and sustainability. We are a 5-star hotel and certified level 5 Green Sign. There are many ways to do something sustainable without restricting the guests.
I believe that if you are doing something good, you should talk about it – and that way you can get guests on board for one or two things.
GP: How do you develop sustainability in tourism?
Lukas Obendorfer: For me, sustainability is a process. I cannot be sustainable and say: “I’m going to throw all the mattresses out of the rooms and buy sustainable mattresses.” I have to do it one step at a time. When I find a new product, I phase out the old one or use it up, and then I implement the new one.
It makes me proud to be able to go somewhere and report on my successes or failures. Sustainability is not a competitive advantage. Only if we participate, inspire, and get others to participate, will we achieve a result!
GP: Thank you for the interview!
About the Birkenhof ***** Genussresort & Spa
This award-winning 5-star hotel offers a unique retreat with views of the surrounding lakes and forests of the Upper Palatinate Lake District. In addition to first-class cuisine at the 2-Michelin-starred Eisvogel Restaurant, guests enjoy individually designed rooms and suites with comfortable sitting areas and balconies, some with private whirlpool and sauna. The spa area features a Finnish sauna, tepidarium, and laconium, as well as several indoor and outdoor pools and a natural swimming pond. The Betula Spa offers a variety of massage and beauty treatments. The surrounding area is ideal for extensive biking, hiking, and enjoying nature.
