sustainability
On nature's terms
At ICEHOTEL the nature is an inherent part of our business, and the clean water of the Torne river is a prerequisite for creating ICEHOTEL. Every year, when the ice is at its thickest, we harvest around 5000 tons of ice from the river, that we use to build the hotel in winter. When the hotel melts in the spring, everything goes back to the river, completing a natural circle.
ICEHOTEL is built only with natural ice, and when the ice melts back into the river in the spring, the water is as clean as when we harvested it. In this way, we preserve the purity of the nature surrounding us for future generations.
renewable energy
The ice we harvest from the river is stored in our ice storage warehouse, located right next to the Torne River. The natural winter conditions also help to preserve the cold. To further improve the efficiency of cooling, we use solar panels during the summer months. In 2016, we installed 800 square meters of solar cells on the roof of ice storage warehouse, and the excess energy from the solar panels is used to power our buildings, including restaurants and hotel rooms. We also have cooling systems that reuse energy within the hotel and have installed energy-saving systems in all buildings since 2008. To further reduce our environmental impact, we use 100% renewable energy.
transporting the ice
For our transportation - both locally and globally for events and ice bars - we collaborate with environmentally certified subcontractors and coordinate transportation to minimize emissions. By choosing local suppliers, we also reduce our transportation footprint.
sustainable activities
Our range of activities includes several sustainable experiences that are completely without impact on nature for our guests to choose from, such as cross-country skiing, canoeing, SUP and fishing. As a complement to our regular snowmobile tours, we has been collaborating with Vidde Mobility since 2024 to offer electric, circular snowmobile tours, which gives our guests the opportunity to experience nature in a quiet and environmentally friendly way. We also work closely with local landowners and Sami villages to ensure sustainable land use.
Arctic Sustainable Destination
Since 2018, ICEHOTEL has been certified with the Sustainable Arctic Destination quality label, developed by Kiruna in Swedish Lapland. The certification is part of our long-term work to make Kiruna a sustainable destination. Our goal is to find a balance where tourism strengthens social and economic conditions while preserving our unique natural and cultural values.
Social sustainability
We are also proud to support local and national organizations that work for a better future. By giving parts of our surplus to organizations and associations, we contribute to important community initiatives. Some of the organizations we support include:
- Älvräddarna
- Jukkasjärvi Hembygdsförening
- Kiruna IF
- Mustaschkampen
- Zelmerlöw Björkman Foundation
- Project Playground
- Barncancerfonden
- Börje Salmings Stiftelse
- Hand in Hand
- Min Stora Dag
- Längdspår i Jukkasjärvi
- Musikhjälpen
- Kiruna Kvinnojour
In this way, we contribute to a sustainable future for both nature and the people who live here.
