XCO2 supported Six Senses with the energy and environmental strategy to reduce the impacts and running costs of its flagship resort.

The challenges of tackling carbon emissions from an existing high-end resort are numerous, and even more for one located on a remote island in the Maldives. Our approach has been to develop low-cost, innovative energy efficiency solutions before using a range of low-carbon energy systems applicable to the use and location of the resort.

The first part of the strategy included thorough monitoring of environmental conditions on-site and of comfort conditions in buildings. From there, energy efficiency measures were developed to reduce consumption while maintaining required comfort levels.

As part of an integrated approach, water and waste strategies have also been developed.

Once efficiency was improved to the maximum allowed for an existing resort, low- and zero-carbon technologies were implemented. A 70kW photovoltaic installation has been completed, to be expanded in the near future. Plans exist for a site-wide heating network to distribute heat from existing generators which were converted into Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants, greatly improving their efficiencies and reducing fuel consumption. Overall, following our input, the predicted CO2 reduction is 3,000 tonnes per year.