Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa manages its own waste and wastewater treatment of water features
Portugal hosts the first 'tourist complex echo' of the world, equivalent to 80 football fields
Drafting Interempresas11/12/2009
December 11, 2009
Waste recycling and water treatment are beginning to take root in the tourism sector with the opening of the Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa. 100 Km to the North of the Algarve (Portugal), the first 'echo complex tourist', with dimensions equal to the of 80 football fields, opened its doors at the end of the month of August. In all, 81 hectares destined to leisure, although provided station of purification of waste waters (WWTP) and treatment of pure water (ETAP). All in all, an investment of more than one million euros.
View of the pool and one of the tents at the Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa.
"The objective and the spirit of Zmar is to offer visitors a space of fun, entertainment, rest and nature with minimal environmental impact, but also with very large and excellent services." With these words, synthesizes the director-general of the Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa, Francisco Mello-Breyner, the ' leit - motiv' bass which was born the first 'tourist complex echo' of truth. At the end of the month of August, opened to the public this leisure space, accommodating up to 3,000 people in the area of the Alentejo, 100 kilometers north of the Algarve (Portugal).
A community with its own life where has created a proprietary system that allows both debug and reuse the water you use, as well as manage the subsequent recycling of solid waste.
A complex pioneer, with own water treatment
As a novelty, the Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa reuses all water used, basically in irrigation and maintenance tasks. In this sense, the campsite has allocated more than one million euros to the construction of a station of purification of sewage (WWTP) and treatment of pure water (etap). The first, recycled 30 cubic metres of water at the time, through the combined system of pre-oxidación, coagulación-floculación, decantation, filtration sand and disinfection. The station is a quantity of water equivalent to that required a population of 4.370. The second station generates between 300 and 400 cubic metres of water daily.
Sewage treatment installation of water in the Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa.
Station of sewage recycle 30 cubic metres of water per hour. Between 300 and 400 cubic meters of pure water, pure water treatment station generates newspapers
A campsite with solid waste treatment station
During the time that remains in the Zmar Eco Camping, visitors known ' firsthand' how all solid waste is managed. On the one hand, collecting buckets differentiated for organic materials, plastics and papers in the accommodation and public areas are installed. In addition, cubes are enabled to deposit materials such as glass and batteries. The collection of waste is carried out in a selective manner: the organic are used as fertilizer and feed the farm animals, while the rest moved to the station of treatment of solid waste. Once there, they are in specific containers that collect, on a regular basis, the official services. Since the opening of the campsite, the highest peak of solid waste production, took place on August 20, with eight cubic meters.
Selective collection of waste containers are proliferating in all facilities of the campsite.
Cabins with wood from certified forests
All the common buildings in the Zmar (restaurant, child care, spa and cottages) have been built with wood from certified forests capable of producing new trees at a rate higher than logging. But this space environmental commitment is not here, because that renewable energies are also incorporated. Thus the cabins have equipped with solar panels, especially in garbage collection while the venue circulating electric vehicles.
Cottages with solar panels in the enclosure.
All the common buildings in the Zmar (restaurant, child care, spa and cottages) have been built with wood from certified forests capable of producing new trees at a rate higher than logging. But this space environmental commitment is not here, because that renewable energies are also incorporated. Thus the cabins have equipped with solar panels, especially in garbage collection while the venue circulating electric vehicles. Finally, we have avoided the use of materials of difficult degradation on the surface of the ground. For example, all roads, roads, car parks and caravan parks not be have been waterproofed. The cabins and other buildings are suspended above the ground, resting on wooden pillars in order to avoid the waterproofing. In synthesis, design and construction of this 'eco-camping', is has been carried out with organic materials, respecting their natural environment.
All buildings have been built with wood from certified forests capable of producing new trees at a rate higher than logging. The cabins have been equipped with solar panels and the
enclosure circulating electric vehicles
The bet of the Zmar Eco Camping Resort for sustainability has not gone unnoticed, despite its recent inauguration during last spring. This tourist complex, situated in the natural park of the Alentejan Southwest and with five-star category, has obtained the first prize of the recent Lisbon Sil'09 real estate exhibition, in the category of 'Sustainable building'. A clear example that luxury and environmental commitment are not hotly contested.
Electric vehicle that works with solar energy.
The Zmar provides for an occupancy rate greater than 70%, of which 15% would be SpanishThis year Zmar Eco Camping Resort & Spa expected to exceed 70% of occupation and the 160 000 overnight stays. Also, the organization provides that the percentage of Spanish visitors would exceed 15%. Behind the Spanish tourism, is located the German, Dutch, English and French. In addition, the forthcoming opening of a new complex has announced in Cádiz.