Sustaining the Beauty of Our Mountain
Cranmore’s commitment to being green
Cranmore Mountain Resort’s Management and Employees are committed to being a leader of sustainability in the industry, instilling a culture of environmental sustainability in all aspects of our operation, to build a sustainable resort for years to come.
What we’re doing to be sustainable:
Snowmaking Technology
The quality of skiing today is better and more consistent than any time in history. We focus on energy management, bringing in more efficient equipment, and investing in and utilizing progressive snowmaking technology and management practices.
Since 2010, we have invested over $1 million into on mountain snowmaking improvements, adding over 500 energy efficient snow guns to our snow gun inventory and replacing and upgrading water pipes to increase water capacity on mountain. This investment coupled with a strategic snowmaking phase plan ensures that our snowmaking system is always being maximized.
These improvements have allowed us to reduce snowmaking hours by 25%, make snow faster utilizing smaller periods of cold weather, and reducing electric use by half.
Grooming Investments
In 2016, Cranmore was among the first resorts east of the Mississippi, and the first in New England to add an electric diesel snow cat to their grooming fleet; a Pisten Bully 600E+. The E-Cat has a 30% longer life and a 30% savings in diesel fuel.
By investing in new machines, today’s groomers not only do the work of 2 machines, but allow operators to push snow uphill more efficiently, taking farming snow to a new level.
Electric Charge Stations
In 2016, Cranmore was one of the first tourist destinations to partner with Tesla, bringing two charging stations to the resort. Cranmore’s Master Plan includes bringing more charging stations to the resort, both generic and Tesla.
Electric Heat Pumps
With construction of the Kearsarge Brook Condominiums at Cranmore, the first two buildings of Cranmore’s multi-year base area redevelopment, the resort was one of the first to install electric heat pumps in the building, and the first condominium building in New Hampshire to use this progressive system for heat and air conditioning. This same system will be used in the new Fairbank Lodge.
LED Lighting
Cranmore is working to install LED lighting resort-wide to reduce annual kWh useage.
Fairbank Group
Brian Fairbank, Chairman of the Fairbank Group, whose portfolio of ski resorts include Cranmore Mountain Resort, Jiminy Peak Resort, and Bromley, has been recognized as a ski industry pioneer in enhancing snowmaking technology, green energy, and sustainability.
In 2007, he installed a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. In 2008 Jiminy received the National Ski Area Association’s Golden Eagle Award for sustainability. In 2016, the Fairbank Group constructed a 2.3-megawatt solar facility, allowing Jiminy Peak to be 100% off grid with the use of renewable energy. In 2019, Jiminy Peak was awarded the Climate Change Impact Award from the National Ski Areas Association at the 2019 NSAA National Convention and Trade Show in recognition of their sustainability efforts.
To read more about Jiminy’s sustainability efforts, click here.
In early 2020, Bromley Mountain, located in Southern Vermont, partnered with Encore Renewable Energy to install 1.632 solar panels that produce 1,127kW of energy annually. The farm is located across the street from the resort in an area of land that was underutilized. The panels produce enough energy to power 70 average Vermont homes.
In 2017, Bromley was the recipient of Efficiency Vermont’s Energy Leadership Award, for adopting nearly every energy efficiency technology in snowmaking.
To read more about Bromley’s sustainability efforts, click here.
The Fairbank Group portfolio also includes EOS Ventures, LLC. EOS Ventures, LLC is a renewable energy company focusing on wind, solar and cogeneration projects. Located in Hancock, MA, EOS is in its eight year of developing renewable energy in the Northeast. EOS provides a one-stop link for project expertise, management and ownership of a renewable energy program for its customers.
To learn more about EOS Ventures, LLC, click here.