Online Press Kit

Local Resort Developer Releases Annual Recycling Report

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.—June 4, 2009— Breckenridge Grand Vacations, development company of the new Grand Lodge on Peak 7, recently published their annual Recycling Program Report. The company has been actively practicing environmentally friendly ways of doing business for the past several years, largely in part to the beliefs of its founder, Mike Millisor. Millisor, who is President of Breckenridge Grand Vacations said, "Our company is committed to creating a culture that supports green initiatives."

This ongoing commitment is evident in the 2008/2009 report, which showed that Breckenridge Grand Vacations recycled 88,200 pounds (or 44 tons) of newspaper and 31,500 pounds (or 16 tons) of aluminum and steel cans. In addition, 190,500 pounds (or 100 tons) of glass and over 57,750 pounds (or 29 tons) of plastic were recycled. A 5% increase over last year’s results.

New initiatives by the company include the use of fluorescent light bulbs at all properties, saving 84% in electricity usage. Breckenridge Grand Vacations also implemented a first-time-ever recycling program at The Breck Inn, a 33 room hotel in Breckenridge. The company has also been purchasing wind source credits for the past years, in an effort to replace energy produced by conventional electrical power plants for their corporate offices.

Breckenridge Grand Vacations continues its green initiatives with numerous energy saving measures. Automatic shut-off appliances, such as coffee makers and irons are featured in all resorts. Guest bathroom amenities such as shampoo and lotion are biodegradable. Housekeeping and Maintenance Departments make use of biodegradable cleaning and laundry products. To cut down on emissions, guests of Grand Timber Lodge and the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 enjoy complimentary in-town shuttle service. Recycling containers are located in all common areas. Millisor says, "I believe in the philosophy that if recycling is made easy, people will gladly do it."

Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ third resort, the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 is the culmination of the company’s green efforts. Even during construction, there have been massive efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible. A vast recycling program at the construction site resulted in recycling and reusing on-site boulders, all steel scraps, most plastic, cardboard, wood and drywall. HVAC systems were upgraded to control contaminants during construction. Environmentally sensitive groundwater mitigation measures have been strictly followed. Lastly, Millisor and his partners chose to use a "scientific building envelope," a sophisticated building science to create a more energy efficient structure with a super-insulated roof and a high efficiency wall sheathing system.

Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ third resort, the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 is the culmination of the company’s green efforts. Even during construction, there are massive efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible. A massive recycling program at the construction site has resulted in recycling and reusing on-site boulders, all steel scraps, most plastic, cardboard, wood and drywall. The actual resort will be constructed from materials that have a maximum 10 year harvest cycle. Building materials will be brought in from within a 500 mile radius whenever possible. HVAC systems have been upgraded to control contaminants during construction. Environmentally sensitive groundwater mitigation measures are being strictly followed. Lastly, Millisor and his partners chose to use a “scientific building envelope,” a sophisticated building science to create a more energy efficient building with a super-insulated roof and high efficiency wall sheathing system.

The Grand Lodge on Peak 7 opened its first phase with 14 residences on May 29, 2009. All residences at the resort feature green paper products. Every unit is equipped with recycling containers and there are plans to build a separate recycling trash chute. Some appliances are made of recycled stainless steel and low flow toilets and showers have been installed. Individual heating controls in each residence, with "eco-mode" allow for increased efficiency. Residences are wired to a monitoring system that automatically turns off lights and reduces the heat in rooms that have not shown movement for a specific amount of time. Installation of auto-off gas fireplace controls, air movement systems (instead of air conditioning) and dark sky compliant fixtures contribute to a cleaner environment. The grounds are equipped with moisture sensors for snow melt. Many sidewalks and walkways will be plowed and shoveled, rather than implementing the use of energy-wasting snowmelt. And, the indoor/outdoor aquatics area employs an eco-friendly salt chlorination system.

The company also encourages its employees to practice green initiatives. Upon learning of the 2009 Colorado Association of Ski Towns Reusable Bag Challenge that kicked off in March, Breckenridge Grand Vacations decided to distribute reusable shopping bags to every employee at the annual company picnic in May. The company purchased 500 of these bags to promote the challenge. The grand prize for the challenge is $10,000 toward a solar-panel installation for a local school, donated by Alpine Bank and PCL Construction. It’s up to the community to determine which school will get the solar panel should Summit County win the challenge. Millisor says, "It’s our civic responsibility to implement green practices and we truly want to help the Summit County school system win this challenge. Our employees were very excited to receive their reusable shopping bags."

Millisor adds, "The United States is 5% of the world’s population, but uses 25% of the world’s natural resources. We, as a company, can feel good knowing we are doing our part to reduce this number."

For more about Breckenridge Grand Vacations or their ongoing efforts to help the environment, please call (888) 783-8883 or visit www.breckenridgegrandvacations.com.

________________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to learn more about the value that Breckenridge Grand Vacations offers, please contact the resort directly at:

Breckenridge Grand Vacations
Post Office Box 6879
Breckenridge, CO 80424
Toll free: 888-783-8883
Email: customerservice@breckenridgegrandvacations.com
www.breckenridgegrandvacations.com

Media Contacts:
Kimberly Johnston, (970) 547-4036, kjohnston@breckenridgegrandvacations.com