How Green Will We Go?

The Club of the Future — Self Sustaining

In addition to the feel good or even community responsibility aspects of pursuing green building and operational practices, there are a few very compelling reasons we expect to see private clubs making major strides toward greater sustainability in the coming decade.  Namely:

• Sheer acreage. Country and golf clubs cover a lot of ground.  Which means their impact on the environment — good or bad — is significant
• Long-term value. “Generations of members buy into the long-term value clubs provide,” says Chambers Director of Architecture Ken Hart.  Sustainability is a long-term commitment to the environment, the community and a club’s members.  Hart anticipates a move toward a fully self-sustainable club
• A holistic approach to wellness.  Clubs have become increasingly focused on overall member health and wellness.  From efforts to reduce negative impacts on local air and water supplies to the selection of whole and locally grown foods, clubs will continue to find ways to marry their operational efforts to their philosophical approaches to personal health
• An evolution of the definition of “luxury.” “We expect the club community will experience a mental shift on the idea of luxury in the future,” says Chambers Managing Director Patricia Sampson.  Though responsible environmental practices aren’t relegated strictly to a notion of “luxury,” certainly those who seek (and can afford) luxury should expect — if not demand — them as a benefit of their commitment to their club as a primary fixture in their personal lives