Sustainability At Cabra Castle

Sustainability

At Cabra Castle Hotel, we are passionate about sustainability and are committed to making a positive impact on the environment by implementing effective green practices and procedures throughout our hotel. We currently hold the award for ‘Best Sustainable Practices Ulster’ with the Irish Restaurant Association 2023 and have recently received our Eco award with Green Hospitality Ireland with the aim of consistently improving our efforts and achieving the gold award 2024 and platinum awards in the future.

We actively began our ‘Green’ journey in 2019 and our fantastic staff are key to our success in delivering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly service. Their invaluable input, insight and engagement is at the core of our achievements to date. Many initiatives have already been introduced and new ideas are emerging and evolving daily. We recognise that sustainability is a never-ending journey and are excited for the road ahead.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

We follow the process of metering, measuring, monitoring, evaluating and managing our waste, energy, water and carbon in order to reduce:

We have retained our “real keys” rather than resorting to the use of plastic key cards.
Jacuzzi covers are in place (in bridal accommodation) to retain heat.
All our light bulbs have been changed to LED lighting.
Food waste monitored on a continual basis in order to minimise wastage.
Our food waste management partners remove this waste and convert to Bio fuel – for the months of January to July 2024 to date, converting food waste to18.59MWH of renewable energy, producing 9.3 tonne of fertiliser digest and diverting 23.23 tonne of CO2 from landfill.
Recent installation of our own 160 panel solar farm in June 2024 is estimated will produce renewable energy accounting for 50% of our total usage. We source green energy only for our remaining electrical needs.
Gas usage has been reduced by 5% in the first 6 months of 2024 Jan - June based on comparison of figures 2023-2024.
We have our Green Procurement policy in place and are actively working with suppliers to have them reduce reuse and recycle packaging with the vast majority of supplier within 100km radius.
Most of our food products are produced within Cavan and the surrounding area where possible.
'Meat free Mondays’ for staff meals every week.
Encourage guests and staff to walk or use public transport.
Electric Car Chargers located in our car park.
Our partnership with the cycle to work scheme / Travelhub / Bike-to-work actively encourages our staff avail of this wonderful scheme reducing carbon for transportation to and from work.

CO-OPERATION

Adopting new ideas / adapting practices / embracing change.
Suggestion box in place for our staff to become actively involved / make suggestions on how we can further improve.
Waste Management programme in place with waste separation available in guest rooms, staff areas and public areas. Our efforts from 2023 – 2004 have reduced waste diverted to landfill by 33%. We aim to further reduce by an additional 5% in the coming 12 months.
All our staff follow our ‘Think Before You Print’ policy.
We encourage guests to follow our 7 steps to a greener stay with literature available in guest bedrooms and also on pre-arrival confirmation email.

COMMITMENT

To be fully engaged in the reduction of our energy consumption and waste production through dedication, education, reducing & reusing. We aim to continue to reduce our landfill waste.
We follow a strict waste separation policy with all waste segregated into general, recycling and compost.
Oil Filtration System in use which reuses oil, consuming less and saving in oil used. This results in less deliveries, less pickups and reduction in carbon footprint, all used oil is recycled and converted to Bio fuel.
Green Meetings Programme in place with no plastic glasses or water drums used. Stationary station rather than stationary per person, resulting in less paper & pen usage.
We aim to further reduce the use of single use, non-compostable plastics.
Fully biodegradable cups and eco-friendly packaging is used for take-away breakfast items.
We use environmentally friendly soap & shampoo in our bedrooms with very limited single use toiletries available.
We have significantly reduced our single use plastics throughout our F&B operations.

COMMUNITY

Working together with a common understanding.
Promotion of our ‘green’ message through our social media channels.
Tree Planting on the hotel grounds with over 5,000 tree planted since 2019.
Regular clean ups of our local surroundings.
Donating old / unwanted goods, & lost property to local charity.
Responsible recycling of batteries / old ink cartridges with ERP – the proceed of which help fund Barretstown Kids which is a specially-designed camp in County Kildare, Ireland, that provides therapeutic recreation programmes for children with serious and often life-threatening illnesses

BIODIVERSITY

Cabra castle is set on 100 acres of rolling parkland surrounded by mature stands of native broadleaf woodland, comprising of Sessile and pedunculate Oak, Beech, Birch, Ash, evergreens such as Holly, Yew, and rhododendron.

Up until 4 years ago, our 2018/19 season, Cabra Castle played host to many golf enthusiasts with an onsite 9-hole golf course, however, as part of a major redevelopment, the decision to close the course was made, & we have returned our grounds to nature allowing us to focus instead on our beautiful surroundings.

Since then, 40% of the grassland was returned to native meadow, which is sensitively managed. No chemical fertilisers or pesticides are applied and meadows are only cut once per year. Native wildflowers including the Marsh Orchid have returned & this species rich Meadowlands is attracting, many pollinators, moths and butterfly such as the meadow brown, painted Lady, and marsh fritillary.

A 1 km wooded walkway has been introduced to allow our guests to fully immerse themselves in nature, while also providing a wonderful home for these many pollinators present on site.

Copse planting along the boundaries comprising of 5000 native transplants were planted in the 2019 -20 season. Native species such as oak, Alder Birch, Beech and pine were planted. Pollinator friendly species such as Rowan, Blackthorn, Whitethorn, Holly, Willow, Guilder Rose, Beach Rose and Dog Woods were planted as understood planting.

Extensive planting of trees has continued over the past 24 months with over 400 native species bedded with plans in place for further planting.

The recently constructed Granary at Cabra Castle, - is surrounded by many pollinator-friendly species - to ensure our Biodiversity efforts are continued. Emphasis will continue on Carbon offsetting.

Mapping of our grounds flora and fauna is currently underway which has identified the return of several pollinator species such as the speckled wood, western honey bee and hairy footed flower bee to date.

OUR FUTURE PLANS

We are well on the way to achieving the Gold Award with Green Hospitality Ireland with a long-term plan to become carbon neutral and even carbon positive. We have also commenced our journey with Failte Ireland Climate action plan in collaboration with earth check for further evaluation, measurements and assistance in meeting our goals

OUR TARGETS

We aim to reduce waste product sent to landfill by an additional 5% over the next 12 months.

We will do this through staff education on correct waste segregation, and monitoring of same, further installation of recycling bins throughout the grounds for ease of recycling for guests and staff alike, further limiting of single use plastics where at all possible.
We are actively working with our supply partners so that they too can become involved in our mission to reduce waste, and assist us by limiting packaging on the products we purchase.

We aim to further increase the use of renewable energy onsite.

To do this, in additional to our solar farm installed June 2024, we plan on reducing reliance on fossil fuels by switching from Natural gas to biofuel alternative systems in the coming 12-18 months.

We aim to increase monitoring of water usage and reduce usage through education and training of staff, providing information and with installation of water measurement devices on all outlets and metering throughout the property.