Green Meetings
Recognized as an industry leader for its green initiatives and innovations, Peppermill Reno is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation. The award-winning resort strives to minimize the impact its operations have on the environment, all without compromising the five-star levels of service and quality hundreds of thousands of guests experience every year.
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Geothermal Heating
The Peppermill Resort Spa Casino has been mindful of energy over the years. In 2010, the resort spent $9.7 million and drilled 4,400 feet to complete one of the most ambitious geothermal projects in the United States by tapping into a vast reservoir of natural geothermal activity more than three quarters of a mile underground to heat the property’s two million square feet of hotel, resort and casino operations.
Several years after making that investment, the decision to commit to geothermal energy is paying off for the Peppermill. The property saves $2.2 million in natural gas bills yearly, and its carbon footprint has been drastically reduced by 12,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year, using the sustainable energy resource.
The Peppermill’s pools, hot tubs, domestic water for showers and mechanical systems generate all their heating energy from the geothermal operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition to pumping the naturally heated water from the ground, the resort has also installed a reinjection well that returns the geothermal fluids back underground, to be reheated by the volcanic energy after it has heated the property.
While the state-of-the-art geothermal system headlines the Peppermill’s green initiatives, the resort has invested millions more in making every facet of its operation more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. This combination of green initiatives makes the Peppermill one of the leading examples of environmental stewardship in the nation.
Reduce
- Peppermill Resort Spa Casino invested over $9.7 million in a complete overhaul of the existing geothermal system, including drilling new deep wells to handle heating 100% of the resort’s domestic hot water, mechanical systems, pools and whirlpool tubs.
- Implementing hydronic systems to heat and cool the facility through the use of closed-loop systems. In the winter, the cold water is cooled utilizing a pre-cooling system to reduce the load on the chillers. When outside temperatures drop, the pre-cooling system reverts to free-cooling mode, and the chillers shut down. The hot water is then produced through the geothermal wells, which heat the hot water through the same closed loop system. This is done using a plate and frame heat exchanger. The process then allows the property to keep Cleaver-Brooks boilers shut down for an extended period of time, resulting in both power and natural gas savings.
- In an effort to conserve precious water resources and lower carbon footprint, the Peppermill’s “Get Green" housekeeping program encourages guests to reuse towels and bed linens. This sustainability initiative has reduced the property’s annual impact by 5%.
- Installation of over 40,000 square feet of artificial grass turf saves approximately 5,184,000 gallons of water per season and drastically reduces use of chemicals and pesticides.
- In 2018, the Peppermill invested in a major overhaul of its laundry facility. With the addition of Milnor PulseFlow CBW and various other facility upgrades, an additional 21,571,775 gallons of water and 8.9 billion BTUs of energy are saved each year.
- The property conserves 1.4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually by replacing over four hundred 1000 watt fluorescent lightbulbs with 180 watt LED lightbulbs.
- In an effort to reduce paper consumption, the human resources department has implemented software that tallows for the digital creation, transfer and storage of forms and documents.
Reuse
- Reusable serving utensils, eating utensils, napkins and tablecloths are used in all restaurants to minimize landfill waste.
Recycle
- The installation of 30 plasma air generators and air purification units produces an all-natural bipolar ionization that significantly improves the air quality on the casino floor. These units neutralize odors, cigarette smoke, allergens, bacteria and airborne irritants and inhibit organic compounds found in carpet, furniture and cleaning agents. The Peppermill was recognized by the American Lung Association for air quality and purification efforts.
- Twenty-two Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) have been placed throughout the property. These ERVs introduce 123,400 CFM of fresh air into the environment, rather than simply recycling the existing air.
- To encourage recycling, paper receptacles have been placed in all administrative offices including onsite sales, print shop and advertising departments.