Massanutten Resort has launched a variety of new initiatives intended to reduce the resort’s carbon footprint.
The Sustainability Committeea at the resort has a list of projects in its pipeline, which will continue to promote sustainability at the resort, including submitting an entry to the National Ski Areas Association Climate Challenge. These initiatives will complement steps Massanutten has already taken, including installing solar panels in partnership with Secure Futures and implementing over $30,000 of energy-efficient snow guns as part of the NSAA Sustainable Slopes Grant.
“The Energy & Environmental Sustainability Committee has made a tremendous impact on how we operate at the resort,” said Matthias Smith, general manager at Massanutten Resort. “As winters in Virginia become more volatile and create an increased dependence on snowmaking activities, the resort’s energy footprint will continue to grow. The Sustainability Committee will ensure we are taking the right steps in protecting our beautiful Shenandoah Valley now and well into the future.”
With the goal of generating a Climate Action Plan for the resort to reference in current and future development plans, the Sustainability Committee has already started implementing a variety of targeted initiatives that will decrease Massanutten’s carbon footprint.
At the start of the year, Massanutten made plans to add solar array panels to some of its buildings, including the laundry room and Woodstone Building, offsetting a large percentage of the two facilities’ energy usage. In addition, the Committee has added multiple electric car charging stations, implemented a recycling program – which allows them to collect over 150,000 pounds of recyclable material annually – and begun reusing all wasted motor oil to power the Clean Burn furnace that heats the ski maintenance shop in the winter.
The resort is being recognized for its incorporation of sustainable practices and environmental stewardship, with the 2022 NSAA Sustainable Slopes Grant. With this grant, the resort will welcome $30,000 of energy efficient HKD snow guns, which will allow its team to add five HKD Impulse towers to its newly developed terrain. This grant will further Massanutten’s goal of continuing to make conscious steps to reduce its carbon footprint, as it plans for a variety of other upcoming projects.
Over the next few months, the Massanutten Sustainability Committee will focus on two main projects to continue in the direction of creating a sustainable destination. This year, the committee will submit an entry for the NSAA Climate Challenge – a program administered by the National Ski Area Association to inventory carbon emissions, set a reduction goal, implement projects to meet the goal and engage with guests/legislators on the broader climate change issue and how it impacts resort operations.
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