The term Ecotourism has become very popular in Thailand over the past decade. Unfortunately, its popularity has lead to misuse as travel agents and tour operators, not fully knowing or caring about its definition, splash the term around as a marketing tool. The fundimental goal of ecotourism is to provide opportunities for people to enjoy and learn about nature’s beauty without having a negative affect on the environment that they are visiting. When we decided to build our vacation house we were very conscious of the fact that our presence would have an effect on the island that we have come to love. For us, the goal was simple: to reduce as much as possible the impact of our house on the environment of Koh Phangan.
Several “green features” have been included in the design of the house which assist with the ecotourism goals of the Kingdom of Thailand. Much of the existing vegitation was maintained during construction, and disturbed areas were re-planted with grass after construction, in order to control soil erosion and reduce sediment damage to local waterways. The house was designed with deep overhangs, shade devices and reflective roof coatings to reduce unwanted heat from the sun, while operable windows carefully located throughout the house allow for cross ventilation, further reducing the need for air conditioning. Rainwater is collected and stored for use in large tanks under the house and on the roof. Rooftop solar panels charge a deep cell battery array which supplies power to the refrigerator and a set of emergency lights which can be used during power outages. Low flow bathroom fixtures and a solar assisted hot water heater help to minimize our use of water and energy, further reducing the impact of the house.
For more about the designer of the house, please visit www.gpdm.org
For information about ecotourism in Thailand please visit:
http://www.apo-tokyo.org/gp/e_publi/gplinkeco/30chapter28.pdf http://iluvthailand.wordpress.com/tag/koh-phangan/ http://conservation.forest.ku.ac.th/ecotourdb/english/About_us/About_us.htm