Dreaming of sustainable camping is one thing - making it happen quite another. Tracey Roxburgh looks at how that dream is being realised.
For many of the contractors working on the development of the "Glenorchy Marketplace" project it’s a rare opportunity to work with some groundbreaking technology internationally.
For the owners, Debbi and Paul Brainerd, it’s a labour of love.
The United States philanthropists, who have a home at the exclusive Wyuna subdivision in Glenorchy, bought the 1.6ha Glenorchy Holiday Park in March, 2014.
They then bought four surrounding properties so their vision of creating the most sustainable camping ground in the southern hemisphere — if not the world — could come to life.
On January 1, 2015 they opened the Glenorchy general store, now known as Mrs Woolly’s.
A year ago, a pop-up camping ground was established beside the store, which featured, initially, 36 unpowered sites for tenting and camper vans, as well as two "glamping" tents.
A third glamping tent was added to the offering when the camping ground reopened in October for this summer season.
And, by October this year, the first phase of Camp Glenorchy will be operational.
The site is a hive of activity, as about 45 people work to turn the Brainerd’s vision into a reality.
The couple, who split their time between the US and Glenorchy, intend to create a camping ground which will meet Net Zero energy certification criteria, the world’s highest standard for environmental sustainability.
Put simply, it will produce more energy than it uses.
In time, the couple hope the project will turn a profit, which will be put into a community trust.
Cabins are taking shape and the first is nearing completion.
Each features two bedrooms — able to sleep three people — separated by a bunk room, with ensuite bathrooms.
Guests can either hire the entire cabin, or it can be hired in different configurations.
The interior of the cabins — insulated to about three or four times the minimum required in the building code — features corrugated iron, copper fixtures, stone bench tops and light fittings which use mirrors to reflect the sun.
Glenorchy Marketplace Project general manager Steve Hewland said the design was intended to hark back to the days when a farm building was added to over time, using a combination of different materials.
Internal bedroom walls are made from oriented strand board, made from recycled wood.
As many materials as possible have been recycled or reused.
A September snowfall brought down trees in Paradise and wood from those trees is being made into coat hooks.
Small tables in the rooms have been made from remnants of a woolshed which was demolished in Winton, while retro school chairs — which have been given a face-lift — were given to the Brainerds by a United States resident.
User interfaces within the cabins have been designed to make it as simple as possible for guests, Mrs Brainerd said.
"At many hotels or motels it’s like, how do the lights work? How does the fan work? Where is the fan switch?"
Further, a tablet on the wall will show guests how much energy they’re using and how much energy is being generated on the site.
The idea is to encourage guests to be as energy-efficient as possible.
There will be an option to check in as an "eco warrior", meaning the rooms will be set at a slightly lower temperature and shower times will be slightly shorter.
Large composting toilets have arrived from the United States and will be commissioned next month.
All waste will be collected in units in basement areas of the cabins and the main ablutions block. Fans will remove odour from the waterless systems by drawing air down.
The first compost, treated to the highest grade, will be ready within 12 to 18 months.
Underground in the main ablutions block is a complicated pipe network which, at first glance, looks like a piece of art. For Steve Jarvis, of HDS Ltd, it nearly is.
Mr Jarvis has been working on the project for two years, tasked with creating an energy-efficient water-heating system.
Massive water tanks, imported from Germany, feature a special internal "cone" which keeps hot and cold water separate.
A heat exchanger is used to take water from the tank for showers and hand basins, while the water in the tank is used for underfloor heating. The technology, Mr Jarvis said, meant for every $1 spent on electricity, about $4.50 of energy was created.
The German tank manufacturer, which also supplied to the Antarctic, had also changed the design after the Glenorchy team "found ways ... to improve it".
"They don’t use ground-source heating [in Germany].
"We do a lot of ground-source heating systems but this really would be 100 times what we would normally do in the area.
"We feel really privileged really to be given the opportunity to do all of this. There’s not many places you get the opportunity."
Another key feature of the site is a massive camp fire shelter, featuring the work of Glenorchy artist Dan Kelly.
The fireplace and surrounds are taking shape. On completion, two electric barbecues will be installed and it will be covered.
The roof is being constructed behind Mrs Woolly’s store, made primarily from repurposed wooden power poles, and earthquake remnants from Christchurch.
Hidden metal brackets give the structure additional strength.
Once finished, it will be lifted in pieces by crane to the shelter, where Mr Kelly will add the finishing scheelite touches, while stone artist Jeffrey Bales will create a braided river stone mosaic walking path, leading people through the site to the shelter.Mrs Brainerd said it was exciting see the couple’s vision starting to come to life.
"It’s definitely a labour of love.
"We’re fortunate that the project is in a place where we have been visiting for over 20 years and we love being here.
"I would say that working here makes it even more meaningful to us because of the relationships that we get to form with the people."
While managing the project from the other side of the world meant there was "certainly some complexity to it", the Brainerds were grateful to the expertise available to them, both locally and nationally.
"We have a team of people who are focused on the sustainable design details that really have that level of expertise that we don’t have.
"We’ve worked in and around green architecture for years but because it’s constantly changing and the technology is constantly improving you really need to have the experts continuing to develop whatever it is you’re working on."
They included Matt Fordham and Shay Brazier, of Auckland-based company Evident, who were breaking new ground for sustainable design in New Zealand, and Tricia Love, a "high-level Living Building Challenge consultant" who they had been working with since the project’s inception.
The goal for the Brainerds was to upgrade the site in a sustainable way, provide year-round employment for Glenorchy residents and provide an income stream.
"The last few owners [of the camping ground] ended up in bankruptcy.
"They couldn’t make a business work and so we really hope that this new construction will ... at least break even.
"I think the tourism industry is tough because you primarily make your income four months out of the year, in those really busy months, and then I think the rest of the year is always a little bit difficult.
"So you’re focused on those four months and we’re hoping that the design of this particular camp ground will be able to operate year-round.
"The goal is to put a profit into the community trust and that’s why we’re working on it — we really believe that we’re here to do something more for than ourselves."
