By Andy Anderson
Changing weather patterns and climate change pose existential threats to a slew of industries. While many lines of business will see the impacts of climate change in the coming years, one of the most currently affected areas is winter sports and recreation facilities.
A recent study found that from 2000 to 2019, ski seasons have shortened between 5 and 7 days on average, resulting in nearly $252 million in direct economic losses annually from fewer overall ski visitors and increased snowmaking costs. These threats pose challenges to winter sports ecosystems and the economies dependent on them, including resort tourism and equipment suppliers. Industry leaders in winter sports facilities have a vested interest in becoming part of the solution.
The team at Taos Ski Valley, the world’s first and only Certified B Corporation ski resort, understands the need to lead with innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability as they combat these challenges. They created meaningful and measurable sustainability goals in alignment with their mission to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Taos Ski Valley is a certified CarbonNeutral® company since 2021.
To accomplish these goals, Taos Ski Valley understood the importance of measuring and monitoring their ongoing progress. Managing utility and sustainability data points across many sources is complex, so Taos Ski Valley sought the expertise of energy and sustainability technology provider Tango in pursuit of its goals and reporting requirements.
Tango’s energy and sustainability platform, WatchWire, has been instrumental in transforming how Taos Ski Valley manages its environmental impact. With improved data quality and management, WatchWire empowered the Taos Ski Valley team to focus on three core areas of progress:
- Reducing resource consumption
- Enhancing operational efficiency
- Streamlining sustainability reporting
Achieving Significant Energy Savings
Energy and sustainability management software solutions like WatchWire by Tango generate robust data analytics and proactive management strategies, allowing for precise, real-time energy usage adjustments. By leveraging this automated software, Taos Ski Valley reported an 18% reduction in natural gas usage in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The platform’s ability to automate utility data ingestion continually enables Taos Ski Valley to focus on broader strategic initiatives. By avoiding the meticulous and time-consuming process of manual data handling, the business can accomplish greater operational efficiency and significant energy savings.
Enabling Cost Savings Through Automated Alerts
Beyond energy management, the WatchWire platform provided additional financial benefits by identifying billing discrepancies and metering issues through automated alerts — saving Taos Ski Valley thousands in the past year alone. In addition to preventing financial losses, these alerts have fostered a deeper understanding of the ski resorts’ utility consumption patterns, enabling the business to further refine their cost-saving strategies.
Taos Ski Valley recently became the first ski resort in North America to deploy a fully-electric snow groomer. The Prinoth HUSKY eMOTION snow groomer began making its first runs on January 26.
“Our goal is to reduce our carbon emissions to the greatest extent possible, which requires measurable, achievable investments and business changes – one of which is electrifying our fleet,” said Dawn Boulware, Taos Ski Valley’s Vice President of Social and Environmental Responsibility. “We continue to seek and introduce innovative technologies that may help us meet our aggressive environmental goals, which are ultimately aimed at protecting our incredible mountain environment for generations to come.”
Snow groomers, also known as snowcats, groom trails for skiing and snowboarding. Taos Ski Valley’s fully electric snow groomer joined the resort’s fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles, including a PistenBully 600 E+hybrid snowcat, nine Taiga electric snowmobiles, a Hisun electric UTV, and four Toro electric snowblowers.
Streamlining Carbon Accounting
One of the most time-consuming tasks for any environmentally conscious organization is conducting an annual carbon inventory as the need for precision is particularly important for regulatory compliance. With automated platforms, organizations can conquer this task in stride. By streamlining data collection and management, the Taos Ski Valley team has a pulse on their emissions data — providing the resort with the agility to make informed decisions and adapt to regulatory changes swiftly.
Sustainability’s Impact On Tomorrow’s Winter Sports
As businesses continue to navigate the challenges posed by climate change, the path forward requires collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability.
The success at Taos Ski Valley is not only about enhancing the resort’s sustainability practices, but also sets an ambitious benchmark for the industry at large. Taos Ski Valley exemplifies how environmental responsibility and business success are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, complementary. Their ongoing success is a testament to how businesses can leverage data analytic technology and automation to achieve significant environmental and economic benefits.
The journey of Taos Ski Valley’s sustainability transformation is a beacon of hope, and a blueprint for other businesses to study. By adopting advanced technologies to give real-time insight into an organization’s sustainability goals, businesses can ensure the longevity and prosperity of winter sports and other at-risk industries — all while protecting our planet for future generations.
Andy Anderson is EVP, Energy & Sustainability Solutions, Tango.
