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I know I've talked about the amazing place where the Moroccan
will take place, but in celebration of Earth Day, I wanted to tell you about another part of Peacock Pavilions that is very relevant today especially - the "eco-friendly" part.
was designed with the earth in mind, and the owners take steps to make a healthy haven, and one that doesn't make a huge mark on the land. Located on a 8.5 acre piece of land just outside Marrakesh, 5 acres of which is olive grove, this boutique hotel was built taking certain things into consideration to make it more "green". With over 300 days of sun a year, creative pergolas and porches allow for the needed shade.
To reduce electric energy consumption and carbon output, here are a few things Peacock Pavilions lists on their website as eco-friendly elements:
Insulation in the walls and on the roofs more vulnerable to heat gain or loss. This step is almost always skipped in Marrakech, because of the extra costs entailed.
Aluminum windows with air tight seals.
Rumsford fireplaces which radiate more heat into a room and less up the chimney.
Radiant floor heating. Hot air passes through pipes buried in the concrete floor slabs. The heat is then radiated into the room over a period of hours. This is more efficient than heating air, and nicer for the feet, too.
Air conditioning through evaporative cooling. This system draws 70% less energy than conventional air conditioners and is well adapted for arid climate. Used frequently in the southwest of the US, evaporative coolers blow a mist of water over a filter and then air is passed through the filter. Air temperature can be reduced as much as 30 degrees F.
Solar water heater panels. Hot water for our own house and our 3 bedroom Pavilion is provided by the Moroccan sun, with back-up provide by instant gas heaters.
Primarily fluorescent lights. Why use 75 watts when 20 watts will do the same job?
As for the lovely piece of land it sits on, Peacock Pavilions takes measures in the care of the land, gardens, and irrigation. Instead of using the common "flooding" irrigation system as in much of Morocco, Peacock Pavilions uses a drip system which
only puts out about 1 gallon of water on the ground per hour. The water slowly seeps in the ground with almost no evaporation, thus saving a lot of precious water in this dry climate. Also grey water is used for irrigation.
No chemical pesticides are ever used on the property, and an organic garden with d
elicious tomatoes, lettuce picked fresh from the garden...pumpkin, corn, onions, and more are grown using only natural fertilizer.
Besides enjoying the upcoming
at an eco-friendly location, also with the all-vegetarian menu being served, we're being even more gentle with the earth. This past
lists some of the popular points citing vegetarianism as one of the best "green" practices around.
