Proudly located in Taos, New Mexico, El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa™ is as unique as the philosophy that guides it. Renowned for its commitments to ecological preservation and sustainability, the lush sanctuary of El Monte Sagrado is where guests can nurture mind, body and soul, naturally. The resort offers 36 suites and casitas with décor reflecting an array of global influences inspired by Native American culture, local artists and foreign lands.

El Monte Sagrado elegantly demonstrates the philosophy supporting the development of ecosystems as infrastructure. Water and organic matter generated on site are reclaimed, reused, and celebrated as a part of a complete living mechanism with built-in redundancies and is capable of learning from itself to evolve over time.

In Spring 2008, LDG, Inc. completed a second phase of expansion for El Monte Sagrado. Adhering  to the practiced philosophy of the existing resort, the expansion includes a 10,000 sq.ft. banquet center, 48 hotel units, an open green space, parking and a spa addition. As the exisitng resort is visually oriented toward the Sacred Circle, the addition focuses concetrically upon the new green space. Guests leave their cars behind and circulate throughout the resort by crossing  this open space on foot. Private guest balconies overlook the green and the main entrance of the banquet center opens to outdoor dining along the edge of this expansive lawn.

Stormwater Reclamation  On-site storm water is collected through an extensive system of roof gutters and an underground drainage network. Coarse gravel filters remove sediment before the  pipes beneath resort paths carry the water to a lift station that keeps pace with peak rain events. Collected water offsets evaporative losses in a series of four cascading trout ponds and small waterfalls that utilize physical and biological filtration. Additional rainwater is circulated in the historic acequia to support traditional agricultural practices downstream.

Wastewater Reclamation  Water Reclamation at El Monte Sagrado is accomplished via a Living Machine® System  designed to reclaim 4,000 gallons of water per day. Wastewater from El Monte’s kitchens and bathrooms is channeled to a series of collection and equalization tanks where organisms decompose the pollutants in the water. The water then passes through constructed wetlands to naturally filter the water and finally into the Biolarium™ pond and waterfall. The Living Machine® System is monitored and controlled by dedicated computers and software that maximize treatment performance.

Ground Loop Heat Exchage  Rather than burning fossil fuels to heat and cool interior resort spaces, 100 wells circulate water 250 feet below the parking lot - where earth temperatures remain a constant 50F - and back to a network of heat exchangers and heat pumps, using the ground as a heat sink in summer and heat source in winter. This dramatically reduces the energy required to regulate the temperature within the resort. The electricity required to circulate the water is offset by photovoltaic panel arrays on the shade structures in the parking lot.