Sun Peaks is located in a narrow valley. This local geography tends to limit the air movement in and around the village. As such, the resort has taken numerous steps to minimize local air pollution.

Infrastructure

•  The village has been laid out to minimize the need for vehicle travel within the Resort. Provision of extensive walkways within the resort area encourages guests to walk instead of drive.
• Commercial accommodation and services have been clustered in the resort core, so that guests have no need to drive their vehicles within the resort.
• In 1996, Sun Peaks Resort banned the installation of wood burning fireplaces in all new construction projects to protect valley air quality. To provide an alternative, the Resort constructed a piped distribution system for clean burning propane gas. This system also reduces the number of heavy truck movements in the village that would have been required to deliver gas to individual storage tanks.

Snowmobile Fleet

• Complete phase out of snowmobiles with two stroke engines. A complete fleet of four stroke snowmobiles will be in place by the end of 2007.
• Benefits of four stroke engines:
  • No oil burned;
  • No smell;
  • Decreased noise;
  • More efficient fuel consumption; and
  • Decreased air pollution.

Waste Wood

• Waste wood slash piles from mountain activities, such as run clearing and bug kill removal, are chipped on site instead of being burnt. The chips are then used by Sun Peaks Utilities in an experimental sludge composting trial. 

Pisten Bully Snow Cats

• Sun Peaks Resort has made the decision to switch the entire grooming fleet to Pisten Bully Snow Cats.
• Pisten Bully Snow Cats burn an average of 3 to 5 litres of fuel less per hour than the competition. This decrease in fuel consumption equals a savings of 6,400 litres per snow cat.
  • 6400 litres X 8 snow cats = 51,200 litres of fuel savings per year for the fleet
  • The average person uses 3185 litres of fuel per year.
  • 51,200 litres of fuel savings ÷ 3,185 litres = 16 automobiles.

• In 2007, integration of a 20% bio-diesel fuel was used in all golf course equipment.
• The benefit of using bio diesel is that it emits less particulates into the air. Learn more about the benefits of using bio-diesel by clicking here.
• The current gelling temperature of bio diesel inhibits its use during the winter months.  Additives are being researched to improve its usage in cold environments. To learn more about this challenge click here.