The Sustonica Criteria were created to offer a common understanding of “sustainable vacation rentals” and set the minimum bar for all vacation rental homes to strive towards.
Our approach addresses the fundamental drivers of climate change, rather than solely mitigating its impacts. Moreover, we incorporate a social responsibility component, underscoring our commitment to broader sustainability initiatives.
The criteria for City Apartments & Townhouses are focused on four key areas: energy conservation, promoting destination and community, waste reduction, and water conservation.
The criteria are based on the United Nations’ seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are taking into account the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Criteria, which offer guidance on international sustainability standards for the tourism industry. The criteria also takes into account the Travalyst framework for accommodation.
Criteria | Indicator | Verification | Score | SDG Target |
A.1. Do you acquire Green Energy from your electricity supplier? | Can you prove that you purchase 100% renewable energy from your electricity supplier? The energy you consume is from renewable sources:
|
Upload a recent electricity invoice or a Guaranteed of Origin Certificate (EU) / Renewable Energy Certificate (US). | 58.3% category / 14.57% total |
|
A.2. Is the fridge energy efficient? | Can you demonstrate that your fridge is energy efficient?
|
Take a photo of the label inside the fridge so we can see the model name and number. | 1.5% of category / 0.36% of total |
|
A.3. Is there a smart indoor thermostat? | Can you prove that the property has a Smart Indoor Thermostat? Smart thermostats:
|
Upload a recent invoice from the purchase of your smart thermostat or upload a screenshot of your dashboard. showing the name or address of the property | 10.9% of category / 2.73% of total |
|
A.4. Are 80% of all the bulbs LED? | Can you demonstrate that at least 80% of the bulbs in the vacation rental are LED?
|
Take photos of the lights in all the rooms. | 1.5% of category / 0.36% of total |
|
A.5. Is the cooktop an induction cooktop? | Can you prove that the cooktop is induction?
|
Take a photo of the cooktop showing the word "induction" or a photo of a magnet sticking to the bottom of your cookware. | 0.7% of category / 0.18% of total |
|
A.6. Are your windows high performance? | Can you demonstrate that all your windows are double or triple glazed?
|
Take photos of the windows opened so the glass panels are apparent. | 3.6% of category / 0.91% of total |
|
A.7. Have you installed a smart occupancy sensor? |
Can you prove that you have smart occupancy sensors installed?
|
Upload a recent invoice from your smart occupancy sensor company or upload a screenshot of your dashboard showing the name of the property. | 10.9% of category / 2.73% of total |
|
A.8. Do you provide fans or no air-conditioning? | Can you demonstrate that you have fans or no air-conditioning?
|
Take photos of the windows opened so the glass panels are apparent. If you state that you don't have air-conditioning, we will verify this information on your example listing page. | 2.2% of category / 0.55% of total |
|
A.9. Do you make a clothesline or drying rack available? | Can you prove that you have a clothesline or drying rack to dry guests clothes
|
Take a photo of your clothesline or drying rack. | 1.3% of category / 0.33% of total |
|
A.10. Do you offer an EV charging facility or a list of local EV charging stations? | Can you prove that you
have an EV charging
facility or list of local
EV charging stations?
|
Take a photo of your EV charging station or send us the link to the map that you give to guests of local EV charging stations. | 6.6% of category / 1.64% of total |
|
A.11. Can the sun coming through the windows be screened? | Can you demonstrate that you have sun screening in your windows?
|
Take a photo of your living room windows screening method. | 2.5% of category / 0.64% of total |
|
Total: 11 Criteria | Average CO2e reduction potential: 6,865 kg annually | » Submit your proofs | 100% (& 25% of total score) |
1 Goal (7) |
Criteria | Indicator | Verification | Score | SDG Target |
B.1. Is the property wheelchair accessible? | Can you prove that the
property is wheelchair
accessible?
|
Take a photo of the rental door and place the meter to show the measurement (it needs to be at least 75cm or 30 inches). If there is an elevator that stops at the floor height of the rental, enter the elevator measurement (minimum width 1 meter, minimum depth 1.3 meters). | 10.00% of category / 2.50% of total |
|
B.2. Is the property clearly labelled as a short-term rental in your building? | Can you demonstrate
the labelling of the
short-term rental for
guests and neighbours?
|
Take a photo of the building doorbell label or apartment door label. | 10.00% of category / 2.50% of total |
|
B.3. Are you monitoring the noise inside the vacation rental? | Can you prove that you have a noise monitoring device installed?
Real time noise monitoring devices prove that you are respectful of the community, that you are mindful of disturbance or nuisance to our neighbours. They prevent noise pollution, damages and neighbour complaints. |
Upload a recent invoice from your noise monitoring company or a screenshot of your dashboard showing the name or address of the property being monitored. | 10.00% of category / 2.50% of total |
|
B.4. Is there a printed sustainability chart? | Can you prove that you have a sustainability chart? Listing all the things that you do with regards to:
|
Take a photo of your printed sustainability chart. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.5. Is there a list of locally sourced food stores? | Can you demonstrate that you have a list of locally sourced food stores available? |
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.6. Is there a list of local vegetarian restaurants? | Can you demonstrate that you have a list of local vegetarian restaurants available? |
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.7. Is there a list of organic food restaurants? | Can you demonstrate that you have a list of organic food restaurants available? |
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.8. Is there a list of local volunteering work? | Can you demonstrate
that you have a list of
local volunteering work
available?
|
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.9. Is there a list of local heritage sites? | Can you demonstrate that you have a list of local heritage sites available? |
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.10. Is there a list of off-the-beaten-path sites? | Can you demonstrate that you have a list of off-the-beaten-path sites available? |
Link to digital guidebook. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
B.11. Do you showcase local artists? | Can you demonstrate that you showcase local artists' work?
|
Take a photo of the art and note showing that the artwork is local and how to contact the artist. | 8.75% of category / 2.19% of total |
|
Total: 11 Criteria | All criteria have equal weight | » Submit your proofs | 100% (& 25% of total score) |
5 Goals (2,8,10,11,13) |
Criteria | Indicator | Verification | Score | SDG Target |
C.1. Do you provide at least four recycling bins? | Can you prove that you
have at least four
recycling bins
available?
Encourage your guests (and staff) to sort out waste by making available and clearly labelling four waste types bins. Provide different waste bags based on the type of recycling. |
Take a photo of your recycling bins. | 11.00% of category / 2.75% of total |
|
C.2. Do you provide refillable shampoo and soap dispensers or biodegradable plastic toiletries? | Can you prove that
refillable dispensers or
biodegradable plastic
toiletries are available?
|
Take a photo of your refillable soap and shampoo dispensers in the bathrooms or upload an invoice of the biodegradable plastic toiletries you purchase. | 12.00% of category / 3.00% of total |
|
C.3. Do you have tap water filters or a list of nearby water stations? | Can you prove that you have tap water filters available or make a list of nearby water stations available?
Stop leaving plastic water bottles for your guests on arrival. Instead invest in a tap water filter or a filtering jug for the fridge. Water filters eliminate unpleasant tastes, odours and more than 100 substances. Alternatively list local water stations where guests can fill up their own bottles with filtered water, still or sparkling. |
Take a photo of your water filtering filter or jug or link to your digital guidebook list of nearby water stations. | 12.00% of category / 3.00% of total |
|
C.4. Do you offer recycled paper products? | Can you demonstrate that the paper you offer is made from recycled paper?
|
Take a photo of your paper products or upload an invoice of the recycled paper products you purchase. | 11.00% of category / 2.75% of total |
|
C.5. Are your bed linen and/or towels eco-friendly? | Can you prove that you offer eco-friendly bed linen and/or towels? Made from:
The bedding and towel industry is heavily reliant on cotton as part of its materials, and when it isn’t sourced sustainably it can wreak havoc on the environment & local communities. |
Upload an invoice from the purchase or renting of your eco-friendly linen and/or towels. | 14.00% of category / 3.50% of total |
|
C.6. Do you offer sustainable shopping bags? | Can you prove that sustainable shopping bags are made available?
Offer these for your guests to go shopping with so they won’t have to use single-use plastic bags. |
Take a photo of your re-usable shopping bag. |
12.00% of category / 3.00% of total |
|
C.7. Do you offer green cleaning products? | Can you prove that green cleaning products are offered?
Offer your guests green cleaning products and use them to clean your rentals. Green cleaning products are naturally derived, non-toxic, and biodegradable, meaning they have less impact on the environment. They can help lessen both water and air pollution, and effectively fight climate change and ozone depletion. |
Take a photo of the back label of a cleaning product showing its eco-label or upload an invoice of the purchase of green cleaning products. The product inside the bottle needs to be 100% biodegradable not just the container. | 14.00% of category / 3.50% of total |
|
C.8. Do you offer shampoo and shower gel free of microplastics? | Can you prove that the toilteries you offer do not contain microplastics?
The cosmetics industry uses microplastic ingredients to fill up products at a low cost. This is a major contributor to the plastic pollution of our oceans and is irreversible. Use the Beat the Microbead application to scan the ingredients of the toiletries you provide. |
Take a photo of the ingredients of the shampoo and shower gel you provide. | 14.00% of category / 3.50% of total |
|
Total: 8 Criteria | Ranking of potential impacts on the environment and human health: 1. reducing water pollution 2. reduce the need for single-use plastic items 3. the ability to recycle. | » Submit your proofs | 100% (& 25% of total score) |
2 Goals (12,14) |
Criteria | Indicator | Verification | Score | SDG Target |
D.1. Does the washing machine have an eco-setting? | Can you prove that the washing machine has an “Eco” Setting?
The eco setting typically uses lower water temperatures, reduced washing and rinsing times, and less energy-intensive heating methods to clean clothes. |
Take a photo of your washing machine eco-setting. | 9.00% of category / 2.26% of total |
|
D.2. Does the dishwasher have an eco-setting? | Can you prove that the dishwasher has an “Eco” Setting?
|
Take a photo of your dishwasher eco-setting. | 1.00% of category / 0.31% of total |
|
D.3. Do you have a leak detection system? | Can you prove that there is a leak detection system?
A leak detection system can prevent significant water loss by identifying issues early. The EPA estimates that fixing easily corrected household leaks can save an average household approximately 37,854 liters (10,000 gallons) of water per year. |
Upload an invoice from the purchase of your leak detection system or upload a screenshot of your smart leak detection system dashboard. | 48.00% of category / 11.93% of total |
|
D.4. Are the toilets water efficient? | Can you prove that the toilets are water efficient?
|
Take a photo of the flush mechanism of the toilet. | 29.00% of category / 7.22% of total |
|
D.5. Are the showers water efficient? | Can you prove that the showers are water efficient?
A standard showerhead uses about 9.5 liters (2.5 gallons) of water per minute, while a low-flow showerhead uses around 7.6 liters (2 gallons) per minute. If someone takes a 10-minute shower daily, the annual water savings could be around 6,935 liters (1,832 gallons) per person. |
Enter the brand and model name of your shower head and take a photo. In the US we're checking for shower heads which have the WaterSense label. In the EU for those classified green and yellow in the European Water Label. | 13.00% of category / 3.27% of total |
|
Total: 5 Criteria | Potential water saving: 79,600 liters annually | » Submit your proofs | 100% (& 25% of total score) |
1 Goal (6) |
©2022-2023 Sustonica S.L., All Rights Reserved.