Construction of LEED-designed Lodge at Edgewood progresses at Lake Tahoe’s South Shore

STATELINE — The latest milestone in the construction of Edgewood Tahoe’s new lodge includes the extension of the company’s water intake pipe in order to access deeper, colder water for cooling the building.

“What we call it is lake-source cooling,” said Bryan Davis, marketing director at Edgewood Tahoe.

We had to extend the line out quite a ways to get down to where the water temperature is right around 40 degrees, so that’s the water that will go through for the cooling system.”

Previously water was pulled from roughly 35-40 feet down, said Davis, and now with the extended intake pipe, water will be pulled from over 100 feet down.

“Instead of cooling the water on site for the cooling system, the water is already cool. Any of those gases or energy that is required to cool the water doesn’t exist here now,” said Davis.

The existing pipe pulled water for the golf course’s own water company, Edgewood Water Company, which services some customers in the Stateline area. The extended pipe will do the same.

“It’s the same water that we were pulling out anyway — we are not pulling out additional water, just cooler water,” explained Davis. “The water comes through the lodge before it heads up for treatment and up to our water towers.”

This energy-saving measure is one step in Edgewood’s quest for a greener building.

“It’s going to help quite a bit with our LEED certification. We are going after the silver version of that,” said Davis.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certification is a designation from the U.S. Green Building Council that recognizes buildings for a more sustainable approach to design, construction and operation.

Other efforts to create a more sustainable culture and building at Edgewood include hiring a LEED-accredited architect, sourcing material locally (like granite from Markleville), creating an employee locker room so people can bike to work, offering shuttle transportation for employees and guests, and creating storm water treatment systems.

Customized thermostat controls, water efficient landscaping, and high-performance insulation and exterior walls will also contribute to less water and energy consumption.

The development of the lodge has included significant water quality improvements for the Edgewood Creek watershed as well.

Wetlands were expanded on the golf course ponds, and environmental restoration efforts were completed in the Friday Station meadow, also owned by Edgewood, across the street.

The 154-room luxury lodge is set to open on June 17, 2017. Construction will continue through the winter on the space that will ultimately house a ballroom, a bistro style restaurant and bar, a spa, fitness room and conference room.

Though the grand opening is eight months away, guests can start booking rooms for the summer at the end of October. The room rates have not yet been released.

“A lot of our golfers and wedding guests have been asking for lodging for a long time. By having this here, it gives them another option to stay,” explained Davis.

It’s a project that’s been a long time coming.

“I think the first time they tried to build it was probably 20 years ago, and this current project has been in the works for at least 10 years,” said Davis.

Hiring for the new lodge has slowly started, but will pick up in the early spring.

“We figure it will at least double our staff from 250 when we’re at the high season to about 500,” noted Davis.

Though Edgewood Tahoe has “some” workforce housing in place, they do not have any plans for additional accommodations.

Phase two of Edgewood’s project — the creation of 10 cabins consisting of up to four residences — will begin two or three years after the lodge is completed, said Davis.

Edgewood Tahoe’s original clubhouse was built in 1972 and remodeled in 1993.