As a company, it is our duty to take responsibility for sustainable development in tourism. Sustainability does not just mean paying attention to nature, but also taking into account the other associated social and economic aspects. The fact that nature is particularly important to us can already be seen in the valley by the gigantic Engstligen Falls.
Engstligenalp is one of the 162 objects included in the Swiss Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments. The Federal Inventory protects the most valuable landscapes with their culture and nature. Between 1977 and 1998, the objects were included in the inventory in four series. With the exception of Basel-Stadt, every Swiss canton has at least one area protected by the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments.
In total, BLN areas cover 19 percent of Switzerland’s total land area. It has been proven that natural and cultural landscapes have a positive effect on physical and mental health and well-being. The unique landscapes and natural monuments to be protected have been selected on the basis of their visual beauty, their uniqueness, their extent, their scientific, ecological or cultural-geographical significance.
The BLN area 1513 Engstligenalp and Entschligefäll (Engstligen Falls) covers an area of 2,494 hectares and is located in the municipality of Adelboden.
Unique selling points:
The aim of the new sustainability strategy of Switzerland Tourism (ST) and the tourism industry is to promote more sustainable tourism and its visibility. With the Swisstainable label, we are committed to the sustainable development of our business today and in the future, which is also known as “grandchild suitability”. The word Enkeltauglichkeit says: “We contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN and the Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 adopted by the Federal Council and always take all aspects of sustainability into account”. We are continuing to develop our range in the direction of sustainability.
Engstligenalp is taking its philosophy of using nature sensibly and carefully even further: construction of a hydroelectric power plant began in 2010 – it has been reliably supplying electricity to the grid since April 2011.
The Engstligenalp small hydroelectric power plant is now regarded as a prime example of how efficient electricity production can be achieved while taking all environmental concerns into account: The company’s own power plant produces environmentally friendly and sustainable electricity for around 500 households and thus feeds more energy into the Adelboden power grid than is used to operate the mountain railroads and the mountain hotel.
In addition to our hydroelectric power plant, we also use solar energy to cover the energy requirements of the Senn- und Raclettehütte. The solar panels on the roofs generate clean electricity directly on site.
50 kilowatts of solar capacity are installed on the raclette hut, with the entire roof surface being used as an in-roof system. Around half of the electricity is consumed on site and the rest is fed into the power grid.
The Sennhütte has 20 kilowatts installed and around 50% of the roof area is used to generate electricity. All the electricity generated is used in the restaurant. Advantages of solar energy:
The solar systems are designed for the conditions in the mountains and help us to cover our local energy needs.
We source our food from our partner H&R Gastro, which stands for a long-term perspective for our region.
With the protected brand “Made in the Bernese Oberland”, H&R Gastro promotes regional products, supports regional producers in the long term and actively contributes to the preservation of craftsmanship and jobs in the Bernese Oberland. To contribute to greater sustainability throughout the value chain, it is important to choose the right partner.
