Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
The project was designed with a material strategy that minimises embodied carbon by relying on local, natural resources and reusing excavation material.
- On-site sourcing: Stone and aggregates from excavation were repurposed into retaining walls, cladding, and concrete aggregates, cutting transport emissions and reducing reliance on imported material.
- Circular use of excavation material: Excavated rock was treated as a resource rather than waste, reintroduced as structural and decorative elements.
- Low-impact materials: Limestone, terracotta, raw linen, timber, rattan, and hand-crafted ceramics were selected for their low embodied carbon profile compared to synthetic alternatives.
- Local craftsmanship: Furniture, fittings, and decorative elements were produced by Cretan artisans and workshops, shortening supply chains and embedding regional expertise.
Together, these measures significantly reduce the resort’s embodied carbon footprint while strengthening cultural authenticity.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Energy efficiency and renewable systems form the backbone of the resort’s strategy for reducing operational emissions.
- Passive design: The resort is terraced into the hillside for natural shading and cross-ventilation. Deep pergolas, planted and green roofs, and private plunge pools stabilise microclimates and reduce cooling loads.
- Renewable energy systems:
- Photovoltaic solar panels generate renewable electricity on site.
- Geothermal systems: Two AERMEC NXP1400 4 four-pipe water-cooled heat pumps (cooling capacity 399.2 kW, heating capacity 470.2 kW) and two AERMEC WRK0550 HL water-cooled heat pumps for domestic hot water (thermal capacity 142.6 kW) deliver savings of ~45,000 kWh annually compared to conventional systems.
- Heat recovery systems: 28 Daikin REYQ air-cooled VRV units (cooling capacity 906 kW, heating capacity 1,020 kW) capture waste heat from air-conditioning, producing domestic hot water with an additional ~42,000 kWh annual energy saving.
- Water strategy: Grey water treatment provides irrigation, supplemented by drought-resistant native planting to reduce demand.
Combined, these passive and active systems lower the resort’s operational emissions while improving thermal comfort and building resilience to the Cretan climate.
Afterlife
While conceived as a long-term hospitality destination, the project embeds principles that could support adaptability and reuse in the future. The terraced, modular arrangement of the accommodation units and the use of simple geometric volumes mean that the built fabric could be reprogrammed for alternative uses beyond resort operations — from residential to wellness or educational functions — without requiring wholesale reconstruction.
On a material level, the project already embraces disassembly and reuse. Excavated stone was not discarded but reincorporated into walls and landscaping, showing how construction by-products can become durable design assets. Many of the interior elements — such as timber and rattan furniture, terracotta tiling, and hand-crafted ceramics — are produced locally using natural materials, making them easier to repair, reclaim, or recycle. This approach ensures that should parts of the resort ever be altered or dismantled, building elements can readily enter the circular economy.
