A Unique Green Hotel in Buenos Aires
Palo Santo is the first urban green hotel in Argentina
We believe that modern luxury must commit to preserving the environment. The hotel has been built following LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the highest sustainable construction standards from the United States. Palo Santo’s operations are environmentally friendly. We have carefully selected materials, equipment and suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the hotel’s construction and operations.
Vertical Gardens: Beauty with Purpose
Palo Santo Hotel’s building is characterized by its green structure. Its facades, courtyards, gardens, balconies, and terraces are all green. The facades feature specially designed iron structures to guide the growth of two 28-meter high vertical gardens. In total, more than 900 plants make up the hotel’s vertical gardens.
Besides their wonderful aesthetic presence, the plant curtains have an ecological purpose. On one hand, vertical gardens provide the building with natural insulation. On the other hand, the continuously growing plants absorb our CO₂ emissions, improving urban air quality and creating a cooler microclimate.
Green Hotel: Our Sustainability Program
Operations
Our day to day operations are designed to preserve resources and recycle and reuse whenever possible
- We work with a cooperative for waste separation and recycling
- We donate our used linens so they can be revalued and reused
- We provide complimentary bicycles to guests to encourage sustainable mobility
- We select certified, low-impact laundry services
- Our cleaning products are low-impact and eco-friendly
- We invite our guests to reuse sheets and towels if they wish
- We provide guests with a refillable water bottle in the room
- We limit the use of printed materials. We use recycled, non-bleached paper
- We select eco-certified servers for hosting
Energy
Rationalizing energy use is one of the pillars of our sustainability program. From the building’s construction, it was a central axis for designing efficient rooms and selecting equipment
- Use of led and energy-efficient light bulbs and fixtures
- Use of movement detectors to avoid waste
- VRV Inverter Air Conditioning System
- Use of high-performance insulations
- Energy-efficient elevators
- Use of lights out cards to save energy
Water
At Palo Santo, we care for every drop:
- We recover rainwater
- We use efficient toilets with dual flush systems
- We have rainwater absorption systems to minimize the load on the city’s storm system
- We use drip irrigation
Materials
We focus on using durable materials to avoid wasting resources:
- We use FSC-certified woods
- We use marble and porcelain tiles because they are highly durable materials
- We employ noble materials: iron, stone, concrete, wood
- We use natural cotton linen
Insulation
Besides providing acoustic comfort, maximizing insulation is a very efficient way to reduce energy consumption:
- Double-glazed windows with internal air chamber
- Insulated and soundproof floors
- Insulated and soundproof walls (using Fiberglass and multiple wall layers)
- Plants insulate the building roof
- Vine plants insulate the building sides
Air
We care for the hotel’s indoor air, reducing pollution:
- Air in rooms is filtered
- Airflow in rooms is measured in order to avoid unnecessary conditioning
- By using wallpapers when possible, we reduce the polluting effects of paint solvents
CO2
We control our CO₂ emissions:
- Over 900 ever-growing plants ensure CO2 absorption
- Ecological pruning to avoid CO2 emissions
- Ozone safe air conditioning equipment
Certifications and Awards
LEED Standards
We meticulously follow the green building standards defined by the US Green Building Council for LEED certification.
Hoteles Más Verdes (Greener Hotel)
We received the Greenest Hotels award ( Hoteles Más Verdes) as the best sustainable hotel project in 2013.