Green Key

In 2015, an opportunity arose to purchase the property where Family Fun apartments are now located. The building (in the heart of our beautiful small town) had been empty for 20 years. The purchased property was in an extremely poor state of repair, with no water or plumbing, so only four external walls were preserved during the renovation, and everything else had to be rebuilt. We believe that buildings need to be renovated and given a new content/program. We cannot keep building new things and spending natural resources, which are not unlimited.

We spent a lot of time thinking about how to fill these spaces. For us, social responsibility is about the knowledge and free time that we can or should share with our environment to help develop the place where we live. My family and I have never been bored in and around our town. We have always had a long list of activities to do together, exploring and spending beautiful moments in the great outdoors. This is how the idea was born to design the property for families looking for an active vacation where they can experience nature and the environment as something that cannot be taken for granted. This is how the first holiday apartments in Ruše were born and our sustainability story started.

When designing the apartments, we wanted guests to feel the local story. We clad the walls in sunny, century-old boards from Pohorje, which would otherwise be used as firewood. The ceramic tiles in the bathrooms mimic the Pohorje tonalite, the furniture is made of wood (since we live in an environment where we are surrounded by it), and we decorated the walls with various objects found in antique shops. This way we made sure from the start that our apartments tell a local story and are environmentally friendly.

We installed a card system to keep the energy consumption in the apartments as low as possible. Guests have to take the card with them when they leave, which turns off the electricity in the apartment. Sensor lights are installed in the corridor. Dual mode faucet aerators and dual flush toilets reduce water consumption.

Guests are left a note in the apartment reminding them to conserve electricity and water. Upon arrival guests are greeted with a message encouraging them to drink tap water. This way we raise awareness about resource consumption issues.

Compliance with the commitment to circular economy starts in the apartment itself with waste separation.

Ecolabel-certified ecological cleaning products are used in the apartment.

We prepared a document for guests on how to behave in nature to preserve biodiversity. Guests can find local herbs on the terrace to use in their cooking. We work with local beverage suppliers (guests are welcomed in the apartment with local organic apple juice and two cans of local beer).

The company employs one person. A safe and stress-free working environment is provided, along with risk and crisis management. The employee is continuously trained, educated and informed about sustainable development.

The company works in partnership with the local community, co-managing sustainable tourism at the local level and supporting each other in various ways.

The company will continue to act in a sustainable manner and comply with all environmental and social requirements and legislation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The company therefore commits and pledges to continue to work in the following areas:

• commitment to environmental protection,
• Continuous monitoring and improving our environmental efficiency.
• limiting our environmental footprint,
• supporting local and organic products,
• education and training of our employees,
• guest involvement,
• transparency,
• working with local communities.

To view the certificate, click here..