Smartavillas Sustainability Statement

At Smartavillas.com we recognise that as a holiday rental company we have a responsibility to promote sustainable and responsible tourism. In accordance with local holiday rental laws, (AL Portaria No 262/2020, 6/11/2020), we encourage our property owners to:

• Promote efficient use of water usage
• Promote efficient use of energy
• Provide information to guests regarding sustainable tourism
• Use biodegradable cleaning products
• Provide recycling bins

As a business we are working to achieve recognised environmental certification in addition to providing continual sustainability best practice training for our staff. We also encourage our guests to think ‘Green’ whilst on holiday. Consider our tips below to help promote and support the local community and economy, while reducing the environmental impact.

Water & Energy Use

• Ensure dishwashers and washing machines have full loads before using them.
• Reduce water wastage when showering, brushing teeth or shaving.
• Switch off lights when not in use.
• Switch off appliances when not in use.

Rubbish & Recycle

Please place rubbish in sacks and take them to the public containers; the large metal or plastic bins that you will see on the sides of the roads. It is advisable to dispose of your rubbish daily to deter insects and we ask that you depose of your rubbish on the day of your departure. There are separate bins for recycling (Ecopontos), usually located near the domestic containers. They are colour coded as follows: Yellow = plastics/metal/cartons; Blue = paper/newspapers/magazines and Green = Glass. We encourage our property owners to provide recycling bins at the property which follow the same colour scheme as above.

Air Conditioning

• When using air conditioning keep all doors and windows closed.
• Turn a unit off when you are no longer using that room, and check all units are off before leaving the house.
• Cool bedrooms down for a while before going to bed, then switch units off, rather than leaving them running all night.
• The optimal temperature for an air conditioning unit is 22°C.

Shop Local

We encourage guests to buy from local shops to support the community. Independent, often family run businesses are common and need your support as do the local markets where locally grown seasonal produce can be found.

Walking & Cycling

Take a hike or get on your bike! So many hidden holiday gems can be discovered on foot or by bicycle, and you’ll be aiding your health along with the environment.
And finally, we encourage all our guests to respect the local culture, its traditions, religion and heritage.