Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine

In many cases one can use building materials that will save energy and be more eco-friendly. Some wineries have taken this as far as building out of rectangular hay bales and then sealing the surfaces with a stucco type material. Others use recycled materials such as old bricks reclaimed from buildings that have been torn down. Some reclaim timbers, also. Research by way of Google or other methods some of the ways wineries are adapting to this new idea of green.

Building underground can reduce cooling maintenance cost. Using ground temperature will give a uniform cooler starting point for your winery space. In many areas, additional cooling is needed but less tonnage is needed because of the constant cooling effect of the earth.

Many caves, depending on the area of the globe you are located, have temperatures that hover near 62 and 65 degrees F. Building orientation, window placement and window tinting are just a few of the many examples an energy knowledgeable person can suggest to incorporate into a winery structure.

R-factors are a sure way to lower the energy needs of the winery and using building materials that insulate well go without question. Do keep in mind humidity factors when choosing certain materials to help reduce mold and moisture issues.

Solar energy is rapidly being used in the winery business and it's associated buildings. Large surface roofs make for easy applications for the energy adaptation source.

Hydro power for those located next to flowing water may be worth review and keep in mind most power companies must purchase excess power from your over-supply and place it into their grid system.

Wind power may soon be more commonly used in wineries but, little data is found on this source at this time.

These systems are showing great support and promise. Some systems will use ground water as their heat transfer sources for both cooling and heating. The ground water temperature is very constant in many cases, and this offers efficiencies. Do be aware of "scaling" or the build-up of minerals inside these units and understand how the ground water quality will greatly affect the long-term maintenance.

Other systems create a closed loop underground and recycle the same water through the earth's surface creating a large earth radiator. These systems must be engineered and installed properly to be effective. Planning the space around the winery (a site plan) is essential

Recapturing energy is perhaps the best source of recycling because a winery's need for cooling is great mostly year-round, depending on the varieties produced. In many cases the cooling system for the wine gives off large quantities of heat.

This heat can be used and transferred into pre-heating hot water for the hot water system or used as an exchange for the HVAC equipment used to heat other areas of the building kept at more uniform "room temperature" -settings.

Like homes, we all have leaky valves, toilets, hose bibs, and other areas in need of some maintenance. Fixing these can save thousands of gallons of water. Being conscious of how much water is being used for certain tasks is another way to trim water use.

An example may be with cleaning tanks. Perhaps too much water has been used in the past. Even something like having white tires on your forklift may reduce the look of dirt on the floor and greatly reduce the amount of times the floor needs rinsing down. Try it! I have witnessed this difference. Don't skimp so far, also, that sanitation is compromised. A wine's quality reduced by spoilage microbes will get the winery nowhere. Use common sense not to take things too far.

Capturing water off of a roof may be a great way to use less ground water for certain applications. This water may be settled and used in sprayers for certain irrigation applications. Be certain to monitor the pH of this water for certain applications as the effectiveness of certain sprays and chemicals are greatly affected by the pH of the water used with certain spray materials.

Composting of pomace has been used for years as a way to remove the solids from the winemaking process. This could be expanded to remove lees and other solids from the winery and having less go down the drains, if this is not already done. Reapplying these solids on the fields will lower the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) values of the rinse water and most likely lower the volume of total rinse water used.

Less spoken about and mostly experimental could be the collection of carbon dioxide gases from fermentation vessels while they are in the fermentation process. This could be compressed and collected into cylinders to be used later as a topping gas. Some benefits could be the aromatics that may be in the gas. Keep in mind a reductive aromatic component in the gas captured could work against a wine. This will need refinement and monitoring to be successful, but it makes sense to lower the amount of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere and then the amount of the inert gas used later and the energy needed to make that gas.

Twenty years ago a winery looked into recycling its waste (cardboard, paper and glass) only to find it was going to cost about $500.00 per month. The management scrapped the program back at that time. Hopefully values have changed for the better today. Keep at it and find the right program for your winery. It can be done.

Perhaps the most important part of this subject can be keeping track of the reduced energy needs, recycled components and lowering of the overall carbon footprint and then generating loyalty from the localities and customers. Wine makes people feel good about themselves as a beverage, and they will feel even better if they see the winery is doing all it can to be environmentally friendly.

Cork is a natural product with a minimal carbon footprint. This may fit well into a marketing program for those that continue to use natural cork. There are also recyclable programs now that are shredding corks and putting them into other products.

Barrels and barrel alternatives are made of wood and are recyclable and biodegradable. The household garden industry is a very happy recipient of used barrels, which when cut in half, act as useful planters. The growing of the raw material, as with cork, consumes carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen.

Return Customer: Start a return deposit program. This could apply to case shippers and glass bottles. (Please do not try to reuse these bottles unless one has the proper equipment to clean, inspect and sterilize each bottle before reuse). The deposit program could be initiated so one can make sure the bottles get to the appropriate recycling centers. Perhaps expand this to customers bringing in any producer's wine bottles-not just your own. This may get them to switch their brand loyalty toward your wines. This will reinforce the fact that glass bottles are recyclable as well as the cardboard from the boxes.

There are now loans for those that use green practices. Certain building requirements may be eligible for low interest loans from funding agencies and groups. This is worth serious review for those just starting to build their winery.

People are using less paper when advertising their products by using electronic ways of marketing and information sharing may help reduce cost for the winery and lower the consumables associated with the many printed materials.

Soy-based inks have become part of the mainstream and are another great way to help the environment. If you use earth-friendly inks, make sure the printed material recognizes that fact.

This can help greatly and save when performed well. When possible, place orders for goods along with neighboring wineries to receive better pricing and to reduce having multiple trucks delivering at the same time. New Zealand wineries have been in the forefront of doing this, for example, when they started their changeover to screwcaps.

Does shipping wine to certain retail distribution points make better sense than running a delivery vehicle and person to that location? Run the numbers-you might be surprised.

Are the shipping containers used for shipping the wines earth-friendly? Does the package recognize that fact on the exterior for the "feel good value"? Does the winery consider a deposit or return policy for these shippers? This will keep them in circulation and out of the landfills.

Do electric vehicles make sense? This could be a winery car or truck and most likely the forklift. Electric forklifts generally cost more but are great to work with in the cellar and are more earth-friendly. Golf carts for vineyard and winery transport could reduce emissions on the immediate property.

In the quest for using less energy, resist letting the wines get too warm in the summer. Wines having Brett and/or other bacterial flaws that taste bad won't impress the consumers regardless of how green the winery is. I like to use less heat in the winter for more cooling in the summer. Overall the wines stay cooler and the energy consumption is less. Go green to the extent possible that it does not affect the green dollars coming into your winery through sales.

As the reader can see, this just touches on the many ways wineries can do more to help the environment. Applying practices specific to your winery and adjusting one's mindset can greatly impact the carbon footprint of the winery and the energy bills associated to support the winery. Review your winery and make adjustments when possible. You will ultimately see what you can do at home to help also.

Go green to help reinforce the naturalness of wine and let the consumers know on a marketing level what your business is doing. Wine gives consumers the "warm and fuzzies." Reinforce that "warm and fuzzy" feeling by doing something that you know is right for your world. It could greatly help the bottom line if done properly.

Tom Payette consults with established -wineries to improve their products and systems and assists in new winery start-ups.