Kungsgården Långvind has a strong focus on ecology and sustainability. Since 2012, Kungsgården Långvind is a certified accommodation and conference venue, first through Green Key and later by the STF organization.
In January 2017, Kungsgården Långvind became one of Sweden’s first hotels and hostels to recieve the Swedish Tourist Association’s (STF’s) “Sustainability Promise” for ecological, economic and social sustainability. Read more (in Swedish) about the Sustainability Promise here!
In November 2018, Kungsgården Långvind was rated the third most sustainable accommodation in Sweden by the STF organization: “Jörgen and Agneta Bengtson, who are responsible for this gem of Hälsingland, in an ironworks when Sweden was a great power, produce their own electricity from wind and solar power, work with energy-efficient lighting and have their own destination chargers for electric cars. A great commitment to the local community, including the village association, the chapel association and arranging local excursions and events ”, the jury writes in its motivation.
Kungsgården Långvind is part of the Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska Turistföreningen, STF), the most prominent organizer of eco-tourism in Sweden. The picture shows Agneta and Jörgen Bengtson receiving on of the prizes.
Kungsgården Långvind is an active member of Nature Tourism Companies (Naturturismföretagen, formerly Ekoturismföreningen).
The environmental work and sustainability work permeate the operations of Kungsgården Långvind.
By adopting STF’s Sustainability Promise, we sharpen our environmental profile and sustainability profile every year by setting new goals for the business.
The basis for the work is a holistic perspective on the business based on ecological, economic and social sustainability.
This work started with the planning of Kungsgården Långvind as a accomodation in 2008, continued with the renovation of Kungsgården 2009–2010, took new steps with the construction of Österhuset 2018, preparation of Telestation Långvind (telecommunications exchange house) 2019, conference facility and additional guest rooms in Österhuset 2020, and will continue in the future.
Sustainability is a process constantly developing us and the business, in collaboration with our guests, the Swedish Tourist Association and the Ecotourism Association.
For Kungsgården Långvind sustainability is more than the environment.
Key to sustainability
Kungsgården Långvind aims to increase the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods of operation and technology in the establishments and thereby reducing the overall use of resources. We also focus on raising awareness to create behavioural changes in the hospitality and tourism industry in overall.
Kungsgården Långvind was the first to be Green Key certified on the coast of Hälsingland, and later by the STF organization.
Environmental efforts and sustainability penetrate all activities on Kungsgården Långvind – and never ends.
We sharpen our environmental performance each year by setting new environmental targets for operations.
Ecological sustainability
Here are examples of what environmental profiling means in practice at Kungsgården Långvind:
• Eco-certification according to STF’s Sustainability Promise
• Electric vehicle for transport and company needs in general
• Integrated solar cell roof at Österhuset (first in Norrland)
• 100 percent green electricity from own solar cell electricity, and otherwise renewable electricity
• organic sewage treatment plant for Österhuset (first in northern Sweden)
• destination chargers (two)/charging station for Tesla vehicles (first in Hälsingland)
• destination chargers (two)/charging station for all electric vehicles (Type 2)
• environmental management with environmental policy, environmental goals and action plan
• natural materials in the renovation of Kungsgården and new construction of Österhuset
• triple glazed windows
• rock heating in both houses
• exhaust air heat recovery (Kungsgården)
• efficient energy consumption
• all rooms and spaces are non-smoking
• energy-efficient LED lighting
• outdoor lighting with motion detector and twilight sensor
• source sorting of waste in plastic, colorless glass, colored glass, metal, paper, cardboard, batteries, and electronics
• beverage packaging with deposit: glass, aluminum and pet bottles
• ”reusable towels” in fabric instead of disposable towels in WC’s
• eco-labeled toilet paper and kitchen paper
• eco-labeled cleaning and cleaning agents
• eco-labeled detergents and dishwashing detergents
• housekeeping with water through, among other things, flush toilets and showers
• no disposable material for serving and excursions
• contributes to living countryside and sustainable agriculture through locally produced and organic products
• breakfast with more than 40 locally produced, organic and/or fair trade products
• electric lawn mower
• rental of bicycles, kayaks, SUP’s, kick-sledges and snowshoes
• work to get public transport to Långvind, which is now available with line 857 (“local traffic”), which must be ordered (telephone 0771-49 79 39) at least two hours before departure.
Social sustainability
• information that helps guests become sustainable guests
• active CSR work with support for, among other things, local NGO’s
• support for cooperative development aid
• responsible employer
• involvement in the local community through, among others things, Långvind’s village community (Långvinds byalag), which Jörgen Bengtson has started, and Långvind‘s chapel association (Långvinds kapellförening), where Jörgen Bengtson is vice chairman and Agneta Bengtson treasurer
• involvement in municipal community development through, among other things, the Village Council in Hudiksvall (Bygderådet i Hudiksvalls kommun), which Jörgen Bengtson has started, and County Council Gävleborg X-ing, whose work Jörgen Bengtson participates in
• involvement in the hospitality industry through the association Destination Glada Hudik (DGH), of which Jörgen Bengtson is one of the founders
• involvement in the hospitality industry at regional level, for many years through the company Visit Hälsingland Gästrikland AB (VHG), of which Jörgen Bengtson has been vice chairman
• involvement in the Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska Turistföreningen, STF), where Jörgen Bengtson is a former member of the STF’s Franchise Council and as representative 2019–2020 to STF‘s Annual General Meeting (AGM)
• local events that support and develop the local community as hikes in Långvindsbruk, which Jörgen Bengtson has every Sunday during the summer and for groups all year round
• local archaeological walks in summer with two archaeologists, Ola Nilsson and Lena Berg Nilsson
• local mushroom excursions every autumn with mushroom expert Monica Svensson
• pilgrimages on Saint Olav trails.
Economic sustainability
• high self-financing of all investments
• local capital build-up through local savings bank.
Text and photo:
Jörgen Bengtson
Updated April 17, 2024
