Welcome to Millbrook Estate in North Devon, a place of natural beauty and rich history. We're committed to preserving this splendor for future generations by:
Protecting nature
Conserving energy and water
Minimising waste through recycling and composting
We encourage our guests to join us in these efforts to maintain the beauty of our surroundings.
🌱 OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT
Millbrook Cottages pledges to:
Train employees in eco-friendly practices
Educate guests on environmental impact reduction
Comply with environmental legislation
Regularly monitor and update our environmental action plan
Continuously seek improvement in all areas, such as reducing standby energy consumption
🔄 KEY AREAS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
We focus on:
Increasing energy efficiency to reduce consumption
Improving water usage and waste
Waste reduction and recycling
Enhancing our tree planting and land management plans
Prioritising high energy-rated electric products
🔌 EV CHARGERS
Type 2 Voltshare EV charger available for guests. See VOLTSHARE app for pricing.
♻️ REDUCE / REUSE / RECYCLE
Our practices:
Weekly benchmarking for electricity, water, and refuse
Sensor-installed lighting with low-wattage bulbs
Biodigester for sewage treatment
Recycling, composting, and reusing wherever possible
Village FreeCycle Facebook Group to promote sharing
Encouraging guests to donate unused food to local food banks
High-insulation hot tubs refilled with biomass-heated water
Utilising a well for garden watering
💚 MEET OUR GREEN TEAM
At the heart of our environmental commitment are Kate, Bob, Nicola, and Meg, the driving forces behind our green initiatives at Millbrook. This dedicated team convenes monthly to innovate and implement sustainable practices throughout the estate. Each team member personally embodies our eco-friendly ethos: Meg opts for walking to work, while Bob, Kate, and Nicola utilise electric vehicles (EVs) for commuting. In line with this, our on-site transportation, including estate maintenance vehicles like strimmers and leaf blowers, is predominantly electric, reflecting our commitment to reducing carbon emissions and nurturing a greener future.
🌐 WEB HOSTING
Partnered with Krystal for 100% green web hosting
More about Krystal's green hosting
🌬️ RENEWABLES
Our renewable energy sources:
Over 10KWs of PV panels, covering 80% of annual usage
Tesla Powerwall for energy storage
5kw wind turbine, nearing 100% renewable energy annually
100kw ETA wood pellet biomass boiler for heating
🛒 SUPPLIER / BUYING POLICY
We prioritise:
Local and British products
Environmentally friendly products
FSC approved toilet paper, SMOL, and Violets for washing
Green cleaning products, avoiding bleach
Partnering with Buckleigh Linen, a local family-run business since 1893
🏆 OUR AWARDS
Accolades for our sustainability efforts:
Gold for Sustainable Tourism, Devon Tourism Awards 2017
Enjoyed in Devon award, Devon Environmental Business Initiative
Nominations for South West Tourism and Visit England Awards