Sustainability

Jetwing Lighthouse hosts an onsite biomass boiler, which is fuelled by cinnamon wood for 24 hours a day, and is primarily used to generate steam for hot water and laundry requirements. The hot water requirements of Jetwing Lighthouse are met through a central hot water system, driven entirely through renewable means, with our biomass boiler. In addition, a 125 kW grid-tied and net-metered roof mounted solar photovoltaic array that was commissioned in 2017, contributes towards 10% of the total electricity requirement of Jetwing Lighthouse.

The effluent treatment plant at Jetwing Lighthouse allows us to treat 100% of wastewater that is generated onsite. The treated water is then used for garden irrigation, while the sludge produced is used as a nutrient-rich soil enhancer. All garden sweepings and other tree clippings from our gardens are composted in a traditional above ground compost pile, where the product compost is also used as a nutrient-rich soil enhancer in the hotel gardens.

Food waste from our kitchens and restaurants are added to a biogas digester on a daily basis, which then produces a CH₄-rich output gas that helps fuel modified stoves in our staff kitchen.

Home to one of the largest resident blue whale populations in the world, our hotel on the southern coastline of Sri Lanka is the ideal location for both the observation and awareness of these magnificent species. Jetwing Lighthouse features an onsite cetacean information center, which shares knowledge on these marine mammals with our guests, local schoolchildren and the wider community. We also work with local boat and tour operators to conduct awareness programmes and responsible whale watching tours, which are carried out by our resident naturalist.

In addition to lectures and workshops on the environment, which are frequently conducted by our resident naturalist at local schools, Jetwing Lighthouse has also undertaken a number of projects to support the communities in our neighbourhood.

Following the 2004 tsunami, Jetwing Lighthouse collaborated with a number of parties to build a community swimming pool supervised by professional coaches, who helped instill these valuable aquatic skills into future generations such as the local schoolchildren who continue to benefit from free swimming lessons. In addition, Jetwing Lighthouse also collaborated with local tuk-tuk drivers to give them a sense of belonging as we welcomed them into our family. Eliminating the need for a third party taxi service, the local tuk-tuk drivers continue to provide our guests with tours and transport in and around the southern capital of Galle.

All glass bottles used at Jetwing Lighthouse are filled with purified water at an onsite water bottling plant. With a maximum bottling capacity of 2000 litres per day, the plant features semi-automated washing, and fully automated filling and capping systems in a unit that is housed in a repurposed container, powered by a dedicated solar array. Jetwing Lighthouse also maintains an organic garden, which grows fresh regional produce that is primarily used in staff cafeteria kitchen at the hotel.