The Cayman Islands Government recently announced yet another good reason to buy property in the Cayman Islands and to buy it now.  While Cayman does not have any property taxes, there is a one time ‘Stamp Duty’ that is paid by the purchasor on closing – for years it was 6%, and now has been reduced to 5% -which is a saving of approx US$4000 on a CDL condo!   In addition to this, import duty on construction materials was reduced from 20% to 15%.   This incentive was put in place for 6 months-  So if you are interested in buying a beach front condo for your new vacation home – Cayman is the place and the timing is right.  Any new contracted buyer will receive a 5% discount on the purchase price.

You have all heard of Hybrid cars- but the next step for water heaters are this new Hybrid model, creating the best of both worlds.  Electric Tankless Water Heaters are brilliantly green ‘in principle’ – but if you have ever used one, and be using one at the same time someone else is taking a shower… there is simply not enough flow.  The old fix to this problem was to install heavier wiring, a bigger circuit breaker, and an even bigger tankless hotwater heater- all this extra work starts to defeat the whole purpose. 

 The New Ariston Model essentially has a 2.5 gallon mini ‘header tank’ that is super insulated and always ‘thermos’  hot – this 2.5 gallon acts as a buffer, allowing it to deliver high flow hot water while the heating element plays catch up.  

The other big saving is in actual water use - you should never have to wait more than 3 seconds for hot water. These Ariston Units will be installed right under the sink and next to the shower at CDL.  As all potable water in Cayman is produced by a De-salination Plant which runs on diesel generated electricity – every gallon of water saved significantly reduces the Carbon Footprint of your hot shower!

The Cayman Islands Government passed an new incentive to encourage the adaptation of renewable energy in these islands.  This is a first in the Caribbean and offers a 100% duty waiver on the equipment imported. Normally a levy of 20% of the value of the hardware would be payable to the C.I. Customs.  This is especially helpful to the Cayman Diving Lodge Project, as we will have over 100 solar panels on our new roof.

Environmentally friendly elevator!

Otis’ environmentally friendly Gen2 elevator system sets the standard for elevator performance, efficiency and comfort. The Gen2 system does not require any additional polluting lubrication, eliminating the need for storage, cleanup and disposal of hazardous waste. The Gen2 system also reduces energy usage by up to 50 percent compared to conventional systems.

The Gen2 system becomes even more energy efficient when combined with Otis regenerative drives. As the product of choice for green building initiatives, Otis regenerative drives reduce overall elevator energy usage by up to 75 percent compared to systems with non-regenerative drives.

Regenerative drives feed energy usually lost during braking back into the building’s internal electrical grid, where it can be used by other loads or users connected to the same network. Otis regenerative drives are ideal for low- and mid-rise residential and commercial buildings. They lower overall building operating costs, delivering significant annual savings to building owners and tenants year after year during the life of the elevator.

We struggled with the concept of including elevators in a ‘green’ resort, especially with their energy consumption and noise pollution.  However- just when we about to give up on the idea, we discovered the Otis Gen2.  This will be the first to be installed in the Cayman Islands and we are finally happy to have found an elevator to meet our environmental standards.

This rendering shows the natural beauty and environmental design of the new Cayman Diving Lodge.  Perched on stretch of white sand beach and only minutes away from some of the worlds best scuba diving – We certainly have it all.

This small boutique dive resort is just the right size.  Not so big that you feel like just another hurried guest- but not too small where you don’t have the comforts and conveniences you expect from a full service resort.   We have the perfect balance of privacy and services to help you relax and thoroughly enjoy your vacation.  

Cayman Diving Lodge is what is know as a ‘Condotel’, part hotel rooms, part condo suites.  A limited number of the condos are available for sale at pre-construction prices.  For more information on Vacation Home Ownership, please email us at: info@divelodge.com

We are proud to announce that we have moved our server hosting solution over to Acorn Hosting.   Partnering with Acorn, our website is now fully powered by Green energy.  Cayman Diving Lodge purchases Green Certificates monthly for the amount of energy that we use at the hosting service to run the servers, office equipment, lights, etc.

Green Certificates lets the Cayman Diving Lodge support green energy going into the grid without having the infrastructure yet to generate green power ourselves.

Once built, Cayman Diving Lodge will utilize green energy to supplement our business operations. Until then, we continue to operate with partners, like our hosting company, that promote just and sustainable practices.

CDL will be using a MODI Green Roof System produced by Green Innovations from Canada.

 Vegitated roof spaces provide many advantages, including improvements in storm water management, building insulation, reduction of solar heat gain and reduction of the ‘heat island’ effect.  The total Green Space for the site, including the green roof will exceed local code by 25% as per US Green Building Council Stanadrds.

 In addition, the MODI CE 80 System will be used for driveways to add even more green space to the resort.

For more information on their products: www.greeninnovations.ca

“Going Green” is quickly becoming an overused, misunderstood catch phrase in the media and our advertisement driven society.  

Here at the Cayman Diving Lodge we take our commitment to the environment and our dedication to a sustainable ecotourism operation seriously.   This is not a fad for us - it is our way of life.    We are ambassadors to the remarkable underwater reefs and wall dives of Grand Cayman, and we hope to help preserve and protect this fragile ecosystem for decades to come.

There are many ways you too can help lessen your impact on the environment right from your home.   One of our favorite resources is the Green Guide, by the National Geographic Society.   You can read it online at:  http://www.thegreenguide.com/articles/

This week was a sad, and powerful, reminder of the beauty and strength of Mother Nature.   Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims of the cyclone that hit Myanmar (Burma), and the massive earthquake in western China.

The new Cayman Diving Lodge is being built with new standards of construction excellence.  Hurricane proof construction, capable of withstanding severe storms, along with sustainable energy solutions, like solar, wind, and water reclaimation capabilities, will be utilized across the property.  The resort will be built to not only lessen our impact on the environment, but also provide a safe, sturdy, and self sufficient base in the event of a natural disaster.

If you are interested in donating to the the disaster relief effort for Burma, we encourage you to use the matching donation program offered by Google.com.   You can find more information on their $1M matching donation program here:  http://www.google.com/myanmarcyclone/

Ecoluxury meets World Class Diving.   A week…  two weeks.  Maybe a month?

Your private beachfront vacation residence on the clearest blue waters of the Caribbeans most majastic underwater diving environment awaits.

Ready to join us?  We are ready to dive with you! 

Please contact us at any time with questions regarding your ownership and vacation opportunities with Cayman Diving Lodge & Residence.

1.800.TLC.DIVE or 1.345.926.1972