Our Commitment To Sustainable Development

« There is no favourable wind for someone who does not know where he is heading »

It takes some travelling to reach the desired port! Addressing sustainability and inclusion is a daunting challenge.

More than just a dream, moving to Bel Ombre must be a social and environmental commitment, enabling us to pour our whole passion into serving our clients and giving them a taste of this place where time seems to stand still and where they can get away, let go and look up at the countless stars.

We have built our dreams, our hopes, our expectations and our new ambitions on this land.

We have turned it into the stage for an exceptional lifestyle. It symbolises our pledge to serve our clients by embracing the climate change agenda through sustainable practices.

As key, long-standing players in Mauritius, it is our responsibility to always steer our island and neighbouring communities towards a safer environment and a prosperous future.

HERITAGE VILLAS VALRICHE

the ART OF MANAGING WATER

At Heritage Villas Valriche, we recognise the importance of the availability and reuse of water. We have therefore decided to develop the key infrastructure required to reclaim and manage our water resources. We are among the few real estate developments in Mauritius to:

  • Reuse our wastewater :

Each villa has a septic tank where natural bacteria break down the solids. The wastewater is then sent to a central treatment plant where the wastewater from all the villas is treated. It is reused for golf course irrigation.

  • Rainwater harvesting and 100% drinking water availability :

We collect and send rainwater from the hard surfaces of our villas (roofs and paving) to a pond situated between plots 101 and 141. It is then pumped to our own 300m³ irrigation water storage tank and sent back to the villas through dedicated irrigation water pipes. We do not rely on the national water distribution system for drinking water either. Instead we pump groundwater just before it flows into the sea. We filter and chlorinate it before pumping it to our 1,000m³ drinking water storage tank located on the upper part of the estate. This allows us to ensure 99% drinking water availability 24/7 to each plot through a supply pipe, thus avoiding to store water in each individual tank.

ZERO-PLASTIC GOAL

The amount of plastic used in 2015 was estimated to 4-5 million bottles or 3.4 tonnes per year. Today, you will hardly find any plastic waste lying around in Bel Ombre. Packaging of water in glass bottles was launched in 2016 to curb the use of plastic bottles. Some 30,000 glass bottles are currently produced for the entire domaine. For example, during the last edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, water bottles were provided for the 250 international golfers who refilled them from dispensers that were available on the course.

CLIMATE

Towards zero carbon

As islanders, we are on the front line of the global warming battle. Hence our commitment to contribute to energy transition in Mauritius. Measuring our carbon footprint will help us reduce and offset it.

The development of the second golf course in Bel Ombre, La Réserve Golf Course, reflects this aspiration. It has been designed to minimise its environmental footprint on the landscape. It is the only golf course in Mauritius to have achieved Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) certified status since the commencement of construction.

The GEO is an independent international body that supports sustainable development in the golf industry through respecting nature, resources and the community.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Recycling more than 75% of the waste

Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed. We seek to turn this axiom into reality and turn Mauritius into a circular economy by supporting the emergence of ecosystems, embracing smart farming practices and advocating for systemic change with government institutions. Our majority shareholder, Agrïa is fully committed to combining the circular economy with fine dining by offering the freshest produce ranging from Queen Victoria pineapples to deer thighs to residents of Bel Ombre.

INTEGRATION

Promoting the proactive integration of local communities

Our goal is to cocreate a safe and vibrant haven with and for our community through ongoing dialogue with local stakeholders. That is why we want to deepen our support to various areas :

  • The establishment of vibrant public spaces to celebrate local history, culture and art while promoting the well-being of our community.
  • Job creation in the area – over 20% of our existing staff come from the villages around Bel Ombre.

PRESERVING AND PROTECTING LAND AND SEA BIODIVERSITY

On land and on the sea

At Heritage Villas Valriche, we are committed to preserving the unique aspects of our beautiful island and protecting this natural haven for future generations, our community and visitors through raising awareness about biodiversity, promoting conservation efforts and careful integration of future developments, especially in real estate. The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere project, which recognises the joint conversation efforts undertaken within Heritage Nature Park, is a perfect example. The adjoining Black River Gorges National Park is home to more than 150 different species, including endemic birds like the echo parakeet, the kestrel, the pink pigeon and the Mauritius paradise flycatcher. This intermediate forest consists mainly of canopy species like ‘bois de natte’ (Labourdonnaisia calophylloides), ebony and colophane trees.