2900 Alexander Avenue in Anderson, California, 96007
530-365-7077
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GAIA Anderson Hotel & Spa Opens as America’s first LEED Gold Certified Hotel
GAIA Anderson Hotel & Spa, built for $14 million, opened on May 1, 2008 and is the latest creation from Mr. Wen Chang, creator of America’s first, LEED Gold certified hotel, Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in American Canyon, California.
Maintaining his very high standards for the ultimate in an eco-friendly hotel, Mr. Chang directed the construction crew in the usage of state-of-the-art green building practices that include 122 totally “green” rooms – painted with special, low-VOC paints, recycled carpets, state of the art and energy-saving air conditioners and heaters that use 15% less energy. Behind the walls, all the wood used in construction was certified as new growth wood.
Outside the hotel, on 11 beautiful acres of natural landscaping, touched by the Sacramento River, the landscaping is chemical-free.
Building With A Heart
The eco-friendly hotel features a full-service restaurant and more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space, all built under the rigorous construction guidelines of the U.S. Green Building Council. Every detail is important. Exceeding the standards of the USGBC, nearly 90% of the wood used in the construction of the hotel is certified as sustainably-harvested and comes from local timber sources within 500 miles of the hotel’s location.
Solar lighting, natural light from the sun, illuminates the public areas of the hotel through SolaTubes that focus the light of the sun into these areas, replacing electric lights and energy consumption during the day. Solar power provides more than 12% of the hotel’s electrical needs, while a real-time display in the lobby shows how much energy and water is being used by the hotel, and how much CO2 – a common gas implicated in global warming – is being saved due to sophisticated energy conservation at the hotel.
Every inch of the grounds, with the hotel situated on 11 acres of beautiful land touched by the Sacramento river, are totally chemical-free with no herbicides, pesticides or toxic chemicals used in the landscaping.
No detail is overlooked. Scraps of wood, cardboard and metal left over from the nearly completed construction are recycled.
Gaia’s Green Features
Wood Based Materials. All lumber used for the hotel is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international network to promote responsible management of the world’s forests.
Coatings, Adhesives and Sealants. Low VOC (volatile organic compound) sealants and adhesives were used throughout the hotel for carpet, construction. Low VOC paints were used throughout the hotel. Both these strategies help improve the air quality within the hotel and have a positive effect on human health by improving the quality of air.
Carpet. Carpet with recycled content. Our carpets contain post consumer recycled material in the backing, fiber and pad. Construction Waste Management. The contractor is committed to implementing waste diversion practices as an integral part of their operations. They provided a recycling station for paints. The contractor also provided a recycling station for cardboard. During construction, bins were placed on the property primarily for cardboard. All cardboard were recycled on the premises.
Stone. All restrooms use recycled tiles and granite.
Water. The project achieved a water use reduction of about 40%. DDLow flush toilets. All toilets produce 1 gpf (gallon per flush). Standard toilets produce 1.6 gallons per flush. All of our guestrooms are equipped with low flow showerheads. The Koi pond uses recycled water from the site, which is then filtered and cleaned prior to entering the pond.
Environmental Quality. Appropriately sized and efficient HVAC units are used throughout. These units are quieter and more efficient than standard HVAC systems and use a more environmentally friendly refrigerant than is standard. Aluminum exterior grates were used in all entrances of the property. This helps to minimize dust and particulates entering the building, therefore improving air quality.
Energy. All windows used are efficient, low energy transmittable and reduce glare. Solatube tubular skylights are used throughout the hotel including our conference rooms, lobby and the hallways. These skylights magnify the sun’s rays to deliver abundant light into the property interior spaces during the day. We save electricity by using these skylights. Solar panel provides 10% of our electricity. Cool reflective roof reflect heat therefore saving money in cooling costs.
Recycling. Recycling bins in rooms and around property. Newspapers are not delivered to each occupied room. Newspapers are located in the lobby available for guests who actually read them. Bulk soap and shower dispensers are used in all guest rooms. This helps to eliminate hundreds of pounds of plastic containers and packaging daily from mini shower bottles and soap. Only recycled paper products are used at the hotel.
Landscaping. Chemical free landscaping. All of the fertilizers used for landscaping are all natural and chemical free. Native and climate-adaptive plants were used so water use for irrigating is very limited.
Cleaning. Environmentally friendly cleaning products are used to clean the property.
This is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind “Green” hotel – an environmentally sustainable hotel – that is setting a trend for new, eco-conscious travelers who expect to travel as they live: being environmentally conscious, walking the talk with a minimal impact on the earth and usage of as many recycled and natural products, and energy saving products, as humanly possible.
About GAIA Anderson Hotel & Spa
Located on 11 naturally-landscaped acres in Anderson, California (south of the city of Redding, just off Highway 5, the main North-South route from California to Oregon) GAIA Anderson Hotel & Spa is a 122 rooms, cutting-edge, eco-operational hotel offering guests the ultimate experience of harmony with nature. The nearly completed eco-hotel includes more than 5,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a full-service restaurant featuring California cuisine and local, artisan foods and banquet facilities for local events, weddings and other gatherings.
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