Turning the lights on seems so easy, just the flick of a switch. If only that was the case - Heyscape knows better and delves deeply into the complex field where giant government utilities, major corporations and a wide range of innovative smaller businesses try to give Western Australians the energy they need.
Sustainable tourism is no longer a niche industry, it’s an expectation that was published in Tourism Western Australia’s WAVES 2023, detailing the future strategy to attract more visitors to this world-class destination that we call home.
The demand is not just coming from our tourism bodies, more travellers are seeking low-carbon footprint travel experiences that touch the earth and its communities lightly.
Heyscape’s sustainability journey began with our inception. The goal was to enable people without a four-wheel drive or the camping gear to experience the bright, unpolluted skies at night, and sunsets with no one around except for chuckling kookaburras and curious kangaroos bouncing through the fields.
We wanted people who were accustomed to the comforts of home to experience nature without having to ‘rough it’.
Our founder, Pierre Sauvingon was left with many logistical questions on how we would generate electricity and potable water for our tiny cabins that are essentially situated in the middle of nowhere.
For the idea to become a reality we needed support, alignment and perseverance from many stakeholders across the public and private sector.
It all began over a coffee with Mike O’Hanlon from WA owned and operated business Switch Technologies. The first cabin Joey had an energy system put together using batteries salvaged from a wrecked Tesla Model S.
Eventually as our fleet grew, it was apparent that Heyscape needed an energy solution. We built a dashboard that provided an at-a-glance summary of the energy at each cabin. Each time a new cabin was built, we would investigate the electrical load to provide the correct solar panels, inverters and battery sizing.
Sizing an off-grid power system isn’t an exact science - you’re at the mercy of the weather conditions, so all systems are compatible with a back-up generator. At our 15th cabin we put some automation in place to minimise the reliance on the backup generator. The new system would disable HVAC but leave the lights on when the battery would go below a certain state of charge. This system would give it time to recharge without needing to rely on backup generators.
The energy solution we have now, has allowed us to provide guests with a premium off-grid experience including features like air-conditioning and heating, outdoor baths with hot water and even an outdoor cinema at cabin Tim in Toodyay.
Our off-grid energy supply generates an average of 2620 kWh of clean electricity per cabin, stored in lithium ion batteries that are designed and manufactured in WA.
Heyscape now has 25 premium off-grid cabins located throughout WA in remote and rural settings, from Chittering and Avon Valley in the north-east, Serpentine in the south, Esperance in the South East coastal region and Yallingup & Busselton in the South West. Our plan is to collaborate with more landowners to expand our fleet of cabins in unique locations.
Over 25 cabins, our power self-sufficiency saves over 65,500 kWh per annum compared to similar self-contained cabin experiences accessing the regular power grid.
All of our cabins have safe, drinkable water available from rainwater (or water that is delivered during a harsh summer). The water pump needs power to run, so the power system is also responsible for keeping the taps running.
None of our cabins have a plumbed sewage system, instead we use a composting toilet system that is completely odourless. The system still allows you to put toilet paper in and looks just like your regular toilet at home, but with no flush.
Over the last 4 years Heyscape and our partners have been at the forefront of developing energy and wastewater solutions. We have been pioneers in working with local shires to address and influence local planning policies to consider the benefits of remote, off-grid accommodation.
The hope is to inspire local shires to back sustainable initiatives that will not only be great for attracting more travellers to an area, but will aid in propelling a statewide standard of sustainability throughout the tourism industry.
Recently we were fortunate to work with the Botanical Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) to deliver an overnight immersive experience in Kings Park which coincided with Lightscape.
Heyscape was the perfect candidate for this trial, as we were literally able to pick up our cabins and move them to the Kings Park location without having to consider power or water implications.
It is the first time accommodation has been provided in Kings Park, which demonstrates the willingness of the government and multiple agencies to activate national parks in collaboration with sustainable accommodation providers.
It’s evident that a modern, innovative approach is needed to drive tourism to Western Australia, and we intend to continue moving forward with inventive and immersive projects that align to the 2023 WAVE strategy to grow the visitor economy.
