El Chorro’s Green Efforts
Posted on April 22, 2015
In restoring the lodge’s rustic charm, 21st century ideals were embraced through the reuse of existing resources and sustainable practices. The renovation team was diligent in maintaining the original building and worked within the original footprint to increase sustainability in the building design and operations.
As part of the renovation of the historic facilities, El Chorro incorporated a number of green-building features, including a solar-energy water heating system and solar electric panels that reduces the restaurant’s energy use by more than 50 percent. It also features eco-friendly insulation made of recycled blue jeans. More than 75 percent of the materials used in the redesign were salvaged from the original restaurant, including 80+ of the original plants.
El Chorro became the first restaurant in Arizona to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Gold Certification. The designation is the only universally recognized green-building pedigree, with the Gold Certification being the second-highest level attainable.