Energy, Food Sourcing and Resources at brückenWIRT
As a family-run hotel, we have close ties to St. Johann and the surrounding region. Here, we explain how we use energy, source food and handle resources at brückenWIRT, with practical examples from our daily work.
Electricity and Heating
Hydropower and photovoltaics
According to our guarantee of origin, all the electricity we purchase comes from hydropower. We also generate electricity with solar panels on the roof of the brückenWIRT building. This electricity is used directly in the hotel. We do not have a battery storage system.
We use district heating and gas for heating, hot water and the pool. Our statement about hydropower applies to the electricity we purchase, not to the hotel’s total energy use.
Our Building and Technology
LED lighting, room air conditioning and thermal insulation
During our renovation, we invested in insulation, windows and air conditioning, among other improvements. Part of the roof is planted with vegetation. In rooms equipped with the relevant controls, the air conditioning switches off when a window is opened.
Most of the hotel’s lighting uses LED bulbs. We do not have minibars in the rooms. If you need to keep something cool, please ask us and we will be happy to help.
Waste avoidance, waste separation and recycling
Reduce, reuse & recycle
Waste avoidance, waste separation and recycling are further important elements of our sustainability efforts. We encourage our guests and employees to actively participate in this process by providing appropriate collection bins in all public areas of our hotel. In this way, we significantly reduce our waste volumes and help to conserve resources.
Food and Suppliers
We buy food from businesses in the region and elsewhere in Austria. These include organic eggs from a farmer in St. Johann, milk from Salzburg Milch and bread from Bäckerei Bauer in Mühlbach. We also source fish from the Bluntautal and Lake Königssee.
The milk and eggs we purchase come from Austria. We source our meat from within the EU. Our suppliers may change depending on the product, season and availability.
We source our products from the following producers, among others:
- Various types of meat and sausages from the Urban butcher's shop
- Fresh fish from the Bluntau Valley (especially on the a la carte menu)
- Organic eggs at breakfast
- Organic honey from the Hinterhauser apiary
- Milk, yoghurt and cream from Salzburg Milch
- Organic muesli and organic porridge from Verival
- House wine from Weingut Emil Bauer and other Austrian winegrowers on the wine list
- Schnaps from various St. Johann farmers
- Various breads and rolls from the local bakery
- Beer from the Stieglbier brewery in Salzburg
- Chocolate from the Craiger family business in Fiesach
and many more ...
Employee training
in the area of sustainability
Our belief in sustainability does not end with our environmentally friendly initiatives and our procurement policy. It also extends to our employees, who play a crucial role in its implementation. We continuously invest in sustainability training and education for our employees. Our entire team is sensitised and actively engaged in integrating the principles of sustainability into their daily work environment.
Through training, our employees learn how to conserve energy and resources, reduce waste and support our guests in sustainable practices. This not only creates an awareness of environmental protection, but also fosters an atmosphere of commitment and responsibility towards our environment. By continuously training and supporting our employees in sustainability, we ensure that our efforts in this area are not just lip service, but are ingrained in all aspects of our hotel operations.
