An almost self-sufficient hotel: water, energy, and assumed limits

Total autonomy is a seductive idea. It is also, in most cases, a simplification.

At Gandum, self-sufficiency was never discussed as an absolute goal. Instead, the focus was on reducing dependencies, accepting limitations, and building a system that continues to function when conditions are not ideal. Almost autonomous is not a slogan. It is a conscious position.

Autonomy begins with knowing what you depend on

Before producing energy or treating water, it was necessary to answer a basic question: what does this place really need to function well?

Not the maximum possible. Not the ideal scenario. But what is necessary—on a daily basis, throughout the year, with different occupations. This exercise reduced expectations and excesses right from the start. Autonomy does not come from abundance, it comes from clarity.

Energy: producing a lot is not enough

Gandum produces a significant portion of the energy it consumes, but this has never been treated as a trophy. Producing energy is not synonymous with using it well.

Production only makes sense when accompanied by: buildings that need less, systems that do not work in permanent correction, operational choices that avoid unnecessary peaks.

Without this, energy independence becomes merely a displacement of the problem.

Water: managing it is more important than capturing it

In a region such as Alentejo, talking about water requires caution. More collection is not the solution. More efficient use is.

At Gandum, water is viewed as a cycle: use, treatment, reuse. Wastewater is treated locally and returned to the land in the form of irrigation, closing a loop that reduces waste and pressure on the system.

Autonomy here does not mean total independence. It means local responsibility.

Fail-safe systems

One of the least discussed ideas when talking about autonomy is this: autonomous systems also fail. And when they fail, they fail alone.

That is why, at Gandum, autonomy was never designed as isolation. It was designed as resilience. Systems capable of functioning well most of the time, but also capable of relying on external networks when necessary.

Accepting this does not diminish the project. It makes it more honest.

Autonomy without dogma

There are decisions that could make Gandum "more autonomous" on paper. Some were consciously rejected.

Not for lack of ambition, but because: they would add unnecessary complexity, require constant maintenance, and shift problems rather than solve them.

The autonomy that matters is the one that lasts over time, not the one that impresses during a technical visit.

The role of boundaries

Perhaps the most important aspect of Gandum's near autonomy is this: limits are acknowledged, not hidden. Not all energy can be produced locally. Not all water can be reused indefinitely. Not all dependence can be eliminated. And that is acceptable. Real sustainability does not thrive on denying limits, but on the ability to work well within them.

Autonomy as a tool, not as an identity

At Gandum, quasi-autonomy does not define the identity of the place. It supports it. It allows for greater control. It reduces vulnerabilities. It creates room for decision-making. But it has never become an end in itself. Because, in the end, a hotel does not exist to be autonomous. It exists to function well, to take care of the place where it is located, and to remain relevant for many years to come.