Unique hotel on tiny Isle of Sark scoops gold at world's largest eco-build event

LA MOINERIE HOTEL on the Isle of Sark has scooped gold at the world's biggest event for sustainable design and construction – the fifth eco-achievement in six months for hotels owned by Sark Estate Management.

The Natural Stone Sustainability Awards – held at the EcoBuild 2012 expo – praised Sark Estate Management and Guernsey-based stone mason Granite Le Pelley for the efforts taken to carefully restore one of the oldest hotels in the Channel Islands.

In the "Re-use of Materials" category, La Moinerie – built on the site of an old farm and medieval monastery – picked up gold for reclaiming and cleaning original stone from its surrounding derelict buildings.

A cobbled lane and courtyard were also created from 1,000m² of 18th century granite cubes from Brittany, France – they had previously been a cobbled street, which was dug up and replaced by a modern road until La Moinerie reclaimed the granite and shipped it to the Isle of Sark.

Kevin Delaney, managing director of Sark Estate Management, credited the teams from Granite Le Pelley, local Sark builders and architect Andrew Male from Lovell Ozanne on Guernsey, saying: "Our philosophy before we started to restore La Moinerie was to support the island's economy and to use local resources and materials as much as we could.

"The remit for the teams was tough – Sark Estate Management requested a unique design but one that also suited the skills of the labour we had available on our small island. The result is one the most sustainable hotels in the Channel Islands and we are delighted to be recognised for this work with a gold award from the Stone Federation Great Britain."

Phil Le Roy, managing director of Granite Le Pelley, said: "As well as building and refurbishing as sustainably as possible, Sark Estate Management have a vision to grow, rear and catch from the sea as much of the produce they require as possible. With their extensive vineyards, market gardens, greenhouses and supplies from local farmers and fishermen, they are very much on their way."

More green gains for Sark Island Hotels
In February 2012, La Moinerie was one of three hotels owned by Sark Estate Management that received the highest rating of three stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Sark Island Hotels – operated by Sark Estate Management – is also a finalist in the Environment & Energy Awards 2012. On May 22nd, the eco-friendly hotel group will be short-listed along with five other organisations: Sainsbury's supermarket, East Midlands Airport, The Green House, Willmott Dixon and Wellcome Trust Genome Campus in the Sustainable Business of the Year category.

Notes to Editors
1. The Natural Stone Sustainability Awards are run by the Stone Federation Great Britain
2. The Awards are in their second year and were launched by the Stone Federation as part of its ongoing sustainability strategy. The aim of the Awards is to illustrate the sustainable qualities of natural stone and to recognise and reward outstanding achievement, awareness and innovation in sustainability in the natural stone industry. They act as a benchmark for achieving best practice in this sector – from the extraction of natural stone to all its uses
3. The four classic hotels in the Sark Island Hotels group include the Aval du Creux, La Moinerie Hotel, Hotel Petit Champ and the Dixcart Bay Hotel, which opens on May 1st.
4. Sark Island Hotels are supplied with fresh seasonal produce from their own kitchen gardens, plus other island growers and suppliers, as well as fresh bread from their boulangerie.
5. From early summer the deliveries to Sark Island Hotels will be made by horse and dray.
6. And from 2013, Sark wine will also be offered to hotel guests from the island's vineyards, which were planted in 2010.


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