Laax Sets Sustainability Goals For 2022 And Beyond

The Swiss ski resort, LAAX, has set out five sustainability goals to reach by 2023, as well as four key projects including the remodelling of its mountain hub to become an energy producer rather than consumer, a new on-demand lift service, the return of the Last Day Pass, and electric car and shuttle services in the destination.

The weather in LAAX may be ice cold, but the fight against irreversible climate damage is firing up. The Swiss resort, famed for its freestyle ethos and a leader in green initiatives, has outlined five key sustainability goals to reach by 2023, as well as four projects which are  bringing the destination a step closer to its goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.

Sustainability goals to reach by 2023:

• Energy consumption is to be reduced by 0.4gwh
• LAAX already runs on 100% Swiss hydropower, but will generate up to 1gwh from its own solar, wind or hydro plants
• By replacing oil heating systems with climate-friendly systems in all LAAX’s buildings, the destination will reduce our CO2 emissions by 100% by 2023
• LAAX aims to reduce residual waste by 50%, by using less packaging, utilising reusable rather than disposable solutions and recycling plastic
• In all new buildings and refurbishments, LAAX will implement nature-oriented infrastructure such as green roofs, Bosco Verticale, ecologically valuable plants and green company areas

Below are details of four key projects being implemented in order to reach LAAX’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Renovation of Crap Sogn Gion (the GALAAXY)

LAAX has announced its plans to renovate the mountain station of Crap Sogn Gion (the GALAAXY). In the current building stock of LAAX, this is the largest and most inefficient consumer, both economically and ecologically. LAAX’s vision is to transform the building from an energy consumer to an energy producer by 2024, with work commencing in 2022. From an operational and architectural perspective, the transformation will be a lighthouse project and lead the way for sustainable approaches in the tourism industry.

On-demand lift service

While all of LAAX’s lifts currently run on CO2 neutral hydro and solar power, by 2023 three existing lifts will be replaced with several 10-person, high-tech gondolas that will only operate when needed, rather than on an endless cable rotation. This ‘on-demand’ technology will see the gondola come into action once a guest selects their destination and boards, this new mode of transport will significantly reduce energy consumption. The lift upgrade will begin in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2023.

Last Day Pass

LAAX has launched for the second consecutive year its Last Day Pass. This popular initiative enables visitors to the ski resort to purchase a biodegradable, wooden pass produced locally, with the money raised reinvested in sustainable projects. All of the proceeds will enable LAAX to offset CO2 though the planting indigenous trees, slowing down the melt and pushing back the last day of the local Vorab Glacier. Each card sold will offset approximately 1 tonne of CO2, slowing the melt down by 10 minutes. Visitors are able to track the progress on the website.

Green Transport

LAAX’s E-Shuttle service has been introduced via the INSIDE LAAX App to offer sustainable transport while in the destination. For a fee of CHF 24 per ride , which will be donated in full to the Greenstyle Foundation, the shuttle service will be available between Trin, Flims, Laax, Falera, Sagogn, Valendas and Schnaus. The E-Shuttle also offers bike transport for a maximum of 2 bikes.

LAAX has also partnered with Sponti-Car, which has a fleet of electric vehicles for visitors to rent per their needs. 

For those travelling to LAAX by electric car, there are charging stations in the rocksresort in Laax, in the STENNA shopping centre in Flims and in front of the Hotel Chesa in Flims. At the "coffee and charge" fast charging station at the Chesa in Flims guests only need 20 to 30 minutes to refuel. The resort now also offers special Tesla charging stations.

All of these new green initiatives fall within the destinations wider Greenstyle initiative  which launched in 2010. The Weisse Arena Group, which operates the ski resort LAAX, have implemented a seven-point plan to achieve their goal in becoming a completely carbon neutral destination by 2030, including the aims of maximum energy efficiency, 100% renewable energy, 100% CO2 reduction in existing buildings and 50% less residual waste.

The scheme also encompasses efforts on a smaller scale, such the development of its own environmentally friendly ski wax. In contrast to conventional petroleum-based, fluorine waxes, which take 100,000 years to decompose and are now detectable in Swiss cows’ milk, LAAX’s plant-based wax biodegrades easily, causing less harm to the local flora and fauna. The biodegradable wax is already available for purchase at LAAX Rental.