Sustainability Policy

1. Introduction

Killeavy Castle Estate is committed to operating as a responsible, resilient, and environmentally conscious destination. As custodians of a unique natural landscape within the Slieve Gullion region, we are dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing our environment while delivering meaningful social and economic benefits to the local community.

Our approach to sustainability is rooted in the globally recognised principles of Sustainable Tourism: tourism that balances economic viability, environmental protection, and social wellbeing, while meeting the needs of visitors, partners, host communities, and future generations.

This policy articulates our commitments, current actions, and ongoing initiatives designed to ensure our operations preserve the natural integrity of the estate, strengthen the local economy, and create a legacy of responsible stewardship.

2. Our Sustainability Vision and Guiding Framework

Killeavy Castle Estate strives to be a model of sustainable hospitality defined by:

• Regenerative land management
• Localised, ethical, and seasonal food systems
• Energy and water efficiency
• Circular waste practices
• Biodiversity conservation
• Community engagement and responsible guest experiences

Our sustainability programme is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), providing a strategic framework for setting objectives, monitoring progress, and continuously improving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) outcomes.

3. Sustainable Food Systems and Local Sourcing

Food provenance and seasonality underpin the Estate’s culinary philosophy. Our award-winning restaurant and kitchens are driven by an integrated farm-to-fork approach that reduces carbon emissions, supports the local economy, and ensures exceptional freshness and quality.

Key commitments include:

• Sourcing all beef and lamb from our own estate farm and raising cattle and sheep on-site for hotel and Farm Store supply.
• Growing seasonal vegetables, herbs, and forgeable ingredients in our Estate Garden and Walled Garden.
• Maximising seasonal produce, with restaurant menus tailored to estate-grown and locally grown ingredients.
• Preserving surplus garden produce for winter consumption to ensure year-round supply.
• Procuring all external suppliers within a 20-mile radius wherever possible to reduce transportation emissions.
• Selling estate vegetables, preserves, honey, meats, and locally produced goods through the Estate Farm Store.
• Using foraged ingredients such as nettles, heather, and seaweed both in culinary applications and as natural pest control within garden operations.

This integrated food system strengthens local supply chains, preserves agricultural traditions, and ensures guests enjoy a sustainable and authentic dining experience.

4. Sustainable Estate Operations

Killeavy Castle Estate has completed extensive environmental management initiatives, demand-reduction measures, and daily operational practices to minimise environmental impact. These include:

4.1 Waste and Circular Economy

• Zero waste to landfill: all general waste is sent to Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities.
• All food waste is repurposed for feeding estate farm animals.
• Composting of grass, branch chippings, and garden waste in designated compost bays for use in vegetable and herb beds.
• Large on-site recycling centre, with segregated recycling streams for cardboard, plastic, and glass.
• Cardboard baled to minimise collections; plastic fully recycled.
• Office paper shredding repurposed as animal bedding.
• Repurposing naturally felled trees into garden beds and using chipped branches for pathway surfacing.
• Eliminating single-use plastics wherever operationally feasible, including fully compostable takeaway cups, wooden room cards.
• Nespresso pods fully recycled.

4.2 Water and Energy Efficiency

• Building Management System (BMS) regulating heating, ventilation, and water use across the hotel, spa, pool, and events spaces.
• Solar PV panels installed on all flat roofs supplying over 20% of total estate electricity consumption.
• High-performance insulation exceeding building regulations to reduce heat loss across the estate.
• Use of 100% Bio Liquid Petroleum Gas (BioLPG) with an estimated annual saving of 160 tonnes of CO₂.
• Automated exterior doors, interlocks, and air curtains to reduce heat loss and limit uncontrolled air exchange.
• LED lighting throughout the estate with PIR sensors in appropriate areas.
• South-facing window design and building orientation to maximise natural daylight and reduce lighting demand.
• In-house water filtration and bottling to eliminate single-use bottled water available for everyone.

4.3 Transport and Mobility

• Provision of e-bikes and mountain bikes for guests to reduce private vehicle use on the estate.
• Fully electric estate buggies for guest transport between hotel, castle, and pavilion.
• Two electric guest vehicles available for on-estate use.
• Two EV charging stations available for guest vehicles

4.4 Operational Innovations

• First-of-its-kind wooden room keys, sourced and chipped directly from estate timber.
• Estate botanicals used in spa treatments to minimise transport and support holistic natural wellbeing.
• Walking maps, nature experiences, and outdoor recreation offered to encourage low-impact, nature-connected stays.

5. Environment, Biodiversity, and Landscape Stewardship

The Estate takes an active, long-term role in biodiversity protection, reforestation, and natural habitat enhancement. Our initiatives include:

• A multi-year £1.5 million Landscape Restoration Plan commenced in 2022 to enhance biodiversity, strengthen ecological resilience, and create a forest legacy for future generations.
• Conservation and restoration efforts to protect estate woodlands and improve carbon sequestration.
• Installation and maintenance of 12 estate beehives to support pollinator populations and produce estate honey.
• Sustainable horticultural practices including natural pest control (e.g., using seaweed mulch) and closed-loop organic composting.
• Expansion of natural walking routes and interpretation areas to deepen guest understanding of the local ecosystem.

6. Sustainable Building and Design

Environmental responsibility is embedded throughout our built environment:

• All construction and restoration works used sustainably sourced woods and finishes.
• Building orientation and window placement maximise passive solar gain.
• LED lighting, high-grade insulation, and advanced control systems significantly reduce energy consumption.
• Combined architectural and interior design strategies minimise the need for artificial light, heating, and cooling.

7. Responsible Guest Experience

Killeavy Castle Estate is committed to fostering a sustainable guest culture by:

• Encouraging exploration of the estate through mapped walking trails and nature experiences.
• Providing low-impact transport options such as bicycles and electric buggies.
• Offering estate-grown, seasonal produce and sustainable products in the restaurant, spa, and Farm Store.
• Communicating our sustainability efforts transparently to inspire responsible behaviour and shared stewardship.

8. Future Commitments

Our sustainability journey continues to evolve as we pursue ambitious targets, including:

• Installation of a hydro-powered Water Wheel at the Mill Pond to generate renewable electricity for the hotel.
• Installation of additional solar panels to achieve 100% self-sustained electricity generation.
• Continued expansion of estate farming to increase the supply of estate-raised meat, vegetables, fruit, and herbs.
• Ongoing biodiversity and woodland restoration under the Landscape Restoration Plan.
• Continued advancement toward full carbon neutrality and zero waste to landfill.
• Continued development of Killeavy Castle Estates “Green Team” and “ Friends of Killeavy”volunteers.

9. Governance and Continuous Improvement

Sustainability is overseen by the Directors and executed through management and staff who receive regular training in environmental best practices. This policy is reviewed annually to ensure ongoing relevance, alignment with best practice, and continual improvement.

Killeavy Castle Estate remains committed to innovation, transparency, and leadership in sustainable tourism. By embedding sustainability into every aspect of our operations, we aim to safeguard our landscape, enrich our community, and offer guests a restorative and responsible hospitality experience.