Wavegarden UK Sustainability Policy | Waves for Social Good

The team at Wavegarden UK have set the bar high with their wave pool project and plan to deliver more than just world class waves at the planned site in Bristol. With co-founder’s Nick Hounsfeld and Tobin Coles leading the development of the project it certainly seems that the 13 acre site in the Avon Gorge will be in good hands.

The Staying Aboveboard: Sustainability Policy 2012 released by the company paints an incredible picture of the Wavegarden UK design and clearly explains the positive impact that the overall facility will make.. With a strong focus upon sustainability, financial wellbeing, and corporate social responsibility the Wavegarden UK team has taken the Triple Bottom Line as their measurement for success.

The Wavegarden UK Sustainability Statement clearly conveys the company’s overall intentions: 

“Wavegarden UK will endeavour to run its operations in a sustainable manner. We will aim to deliver a project that provides social benefits, whilst minimising our environmental impacts and being financially robust / sustainable in the long term. We will ensure that we maximise the beneficial outcomes whilst minimising the inputs. Being efficient. We will also work with our supply chain and networks to help develop and spread this thinking.”

Wavegarden UK Values:

• Selflessness
• Integrity
• Objectivity
• Accountability
• Openness
• Leadership

Wavegarden UK Ethos

 Within the Wavegarden UK Sustainability Policy there are Three Key Factors:

1. Environmental Wave – Issues addressed include sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, water management, waste management, construction, transportation, light, sound/noise pollution, biodiversity, food sourcing, and product sourcing.
2. Social Wave – This aspect of the overall policy addresses the accessibility of the site, the local community engagement, communication to all stakeholders, social equality, staff/employment overview, social purchasing indicators, health and safety.
3. Financial Wave – The final and perhaps most important part of the policy to investors encompasses detailed explanations of the financial sustainability of the project, controlled ownership, maintained upkeep, investors, the Wave Forecast Team, supply chain management, wave pool pricing, and the Wavegarden UK philanthropy plan.

5 Cool Components of the Wavegarden UK’s Sustainability Plan:

1. All energy used at the Wavegarden UK site will be purchased from a supplier of renewable energy. Up to 140 sustainable waves per hour!
2. The Wavegarden in Bristol plans to be ‘Waste Neutral’ – A concept first pioneered by the Eden Project located in Cornwall, UK.
3. The site will be fully DDA (Disabled and Disabilities Act) compliant. There will be opportunities for disabled individuals and groups to experience surfing in a safe and controlled environment. Surfer’s Healing has been named as a potential advisor for these programs.
4. Botanical Gardens and Sensory Gardens will surround the wave pool lake area and will be expertly designed to take visitors through a journey of British horticulture, entomology, and wildlife.
5. The philanthropic endeavors of the Wavegarden UK project will set a prime example for the wave pools and surf parks of the future. Ten percent of all profits will be allocated to philanthropic causes with 9% of the profits being donated to local Bristol based charities and an additional 1% going to 1% for the Planet.

You can read the Wavegarden UK Sustainability Policy in it’s entirety online and learn more about the project by visiting the Wavegarden UK website.