Mission
A non-profit and a luxury resort collaborate for greater good
The Brando is singularly focused on one mission: zero carbon. Sustainability on the atoll is a partnership—if the Tetiaroa Society is the guardian of the atoll, then The Brando is the vehicle to showcase the work of the Society with the world. Everything we create, everything we do, everything we share is to showcase this incredible place. We promise, the impact of your visit will live on in your mind long after you leave, but it won’t be felt on the atoll.
TETIAROA SOCIETY
The pioneers of our sustainability efforts
The Tetiaroa Society operates the EcoStation on Onetahi motu where scientists from all over the world work to protect biodiversity on land and under the sea, and to ensure the rich culture of Polynesia thrives. These efforts and innovations have been recognized around the world and are a model for luxury tourism everywhere.
Take a look below for some of the Tetiaroa Society developments and how we use them in real-life operations to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of The Brando
Sustainability developments
Renewable Energy
We have two types of solar panels at the resort. Over 4,700 Photovoltaic panels are located on Tetiaroa’s airstrip and serve 60% of the resort’s energy needs.
Excess energy is stored across lithium batteries to power the island at night. Even the solar batteries are made primarily from recyclable materials and have a service life of thousands of deep discharge cycles.
Campus-wide LEED Platinum Certification
The Brando is the first resort in the world to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification, the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest accolade. Our certification is campus-wide, which means that every building, including energy plants and outbuildings, had to meet the same uncompromising requirements.
We carefully designed and crafted our accommodations to use fewer resources, reduce waste, negate environmental impacts, and decrease life cycle costs. These measures not only reduce our impact but also enhance the comfort of our guest experience. Some of the LEED Certification requirements include:
LEED platinum qualifications
Location and Transportation
- Sensitive Land Protection
- Bicycle Facilities
- Electric Vehicles
Sustainable Sites
- Protect or Restore Habitat
- Open Space Rainwater
- Management Light
- Pollution Reduction
Materials and Resources
- Storage and Collection of Recyclables
- Sourcing of Raw Materials
- Material Ingredients
- Construction and Demolition Waste Management
Energy and Atmosphere
- Optimize Energy Performance
- Renewable Energy
- Enhanced Refrigerant Management
Indoor Environmental Quality
- Thermal Comfort
- Interior Lighting
- Daylight
- Quality Views
- Acoustic Performance
Water Efficiency
- Outdoor Water Use Reduction
- Indoor Water Use Reduction
- Optimize Process Water Use
- Water Metering
Carbon Neutral
On Tetiaroa, our primary goal is to offer a carbon neutral experience for every guest. While we are getting very close with The Brando, we still have to undertake some efforts to achieve this ambitious goal. These mainly revolve around energy generation and reducing our carbon footprint via transportation to and from the island. You can learn more about all of our efforts by taking part in the Green Tour guided excursion.
Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC)
Developed in 2014, the Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) harnesses the cold of the ocean depths to provide low-energy, highly efficient cooling for all buildings. Water is naturally pumped on shore using the pressure of the deep open, before passing through a titanium exchange unit, and then released back into the ocean with no environmental impact.
This system allows us to reduce energy consumption for air conditioning by almost 90% compared to a conventional system.
Organic Garden
All food waste from The Brando is transformed into compost within 24 hours using high technology eco digesters to provide nutrients and enrich our sandy soil. This allows us to help grow fruits and vegetables on site. We use everything we grow daily in our restaurants and bars.
The garden showcases a large variety of produce, including vanilla, kumquat, papaya, bananas, limes, aromatic herbs, pomegranates, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, green onions, and much more, in a sun-drenched sand and coral island environment.
Water & Conservation
Water is a precious necessity, especially on an atoll in the middle of the South Pacific. We collect and desalinate, and then use water numerous ways across Tetiaroa.
We harness seawater and use reverse osmosis desalination to provide drinking water, we collect and store rainwater from the water table and the roofs of buildings then use it for swimming pools, toilets, and laundry, and we even store wastewater after it’s been processed by a sewage plant and use it for irrigation.
The Sorting Center
The Sorting Center is a collection point for many of the resort’s outlets that help turn waste into reusable products.
Food waste is placed in a food digester and turned into organic, nutrient-rich compost within 24 hours, and then used to fertilize our organic garden. Glass is crushed and delivered to a local company in Tahiti which reuses it by mixing it with concrete to give it added strength. Aluminum cans are sold to a company and turned into raw aluminum again. And cooking oils are redistributed to two companies to be turned into biofuel.
Wastewater Treatment
All wastewater is carried to our treatment plant where it is filtered and treated by aquatic tropical plants. Once purified, the water is stored and reused for irrigation.
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Accommodations
Spread across the Onetahi motu and set back just off the beach are 33 private villas, each a retreat within this sanctuary called Tetiaroa…
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The Atoll
The Tetiaroa Atoll is a place unlike any other. Built by volcanoes and preserved by coral, this is a place where nature, Polynesian people and their culture come together to peacefully coexist with a world-class resort…
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Experiences
This atoll, Tetiaroa, is literally brimming with life. It’s all here, just waiting to be explored. By you. From guided excursions in a kayak to the outer limits of the atoll…
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Tetiaroa Society
Inspired by the late Marlon Brando’s vision to preserve sanctuaries for future generations and raise awareness of the fragility of our environment…
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Stewardship
The Brando is singularly focused on one mission: zero carbon. Sustainability on the atoll is a partnership—if the Tetiaroa Society is the guardian of the atoll, then The Brando is the vehicle to showcase the work of the Society with the world…
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