Ainamalu - Waikoloa’s Evolution Continues

Sprouting from a jumble of jagged lava that once flowed from the summit of Mauna Loa is Waikoloa’s newest development. Ainamalu, which in the Hawaiian language means protected land, is setting new standards for using sustainable materials and environmentally integrated design. The resort residences and golf estates in this new luxury gated community represent the next step in the Waikoloa Beach Resort’s continuing commitment to the land, the environment and the Hawaiian culture that it shares.

Living with Nature on the Big Island

The Big Island is renowned for its rich ecological diversity and for the raw and sometimes destructive displays of the earths primordial power. The rich soil and range of climate zones are thanks to its two dormant and three active volcanoes. The climate ranges from Arctic to monsoon and includes almost every climatic zone found on the planet. The rain shadow of these massive volcanoes creates an arid desert microclimate along the Kohala Coast, something found nowhere else in the Hawaiian Islands.

Made by Man - Inspired by Nature

Here at Waikoloa Beach Resort the heat of the sun is softened and sustained by the vast Pacific Ocean that surrounds the islands. The near constant wind that is molded and channeled across the flanks of the towering twin peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea provides a natural cooling system for all but the hottest afternoons. Throughout the resort you will find many features designed and adapted to compliment this unique environment. 

A Precious Resource - Water Management in Waikoloa 

Before development could even begin at Waikoloa the problem of water needed to be addressed. With an annual rainfall of barely 10-inches per year there is no surface water on the lower leeward slopes of Mauna Kea. Thanks to abundant rainfall upslope of the resort and the porous nature of volcanic deposits however, an aquifer exists deep under the parched landscape. Fresh water for the Waikoloa Beach Resort and the Waikoloa Village comes from a 120-foot deep well located approximately 1,200 feet above sea level. 

Although the watershed that supplies the aquifer is large and as yet mostly undeveloped, the original planners of Waikoloa were already mindful of the future need for water. With the opening of the Waikoloa Beach Golf Course in 1981 a new and relatively untested system of wastewater recycling mixed with brackish well water for irrigation was already in place. Since that time the system has been expanded and upgraded multiple times. As part of the Waikoloa Beach Resort community, Ainamalu recycles 100% of its wastewater. 

Active and Open - Lifestyle by Design

While the lack of rainfall poses certain challenges to a community like Waikoloa, the abundance of sunshine that accompanies it provides several perks. Outdoor enthusiasts have plenty to smile about with year round opportunities to enjoy the beaches, hiking trails and golf courses. The almost constantly sunny warm weather is also perfect for the unique lifestyle that Kohala Coast residents enjoy. 

Open air recreation and living spaces are one of the distinctive features of the Kohala Coast luxury lifestyle. On that score Ainamalu hits the mark. The climate becomes part of the design with features like breezy vaulted ceilings, open entry courtyards and indoor spaces that open to and blend seamlessly into expansive outdoor covered lanais. Specially adapted elements like waterless xeriscape landscaping and optional outdoor shower gardens further elevate these homes as the new standard for environmentally responsible luxury on the Kohala Coast.     

Powered by the Sun - A Sustainable Future

Energy independence is an important issue, particularly when living on an island in the middle of the ocean. Using the abundant sunshine found on the Kohala Coast, Ainamalu is demonstrating the potential for small independent energy grids within a community. Each home comes with an installed photovoltaic panel system. Energy from the sun is either used for the home’s current energy needs, stored on site in a pair of Tesla Powerwall-2 Lithium-Ion battery systems or fed into the community energy grid. Excess energy is distributed to other homes in the community or stored in a large-capacity community battery.

Rugged and Beautiful - Looking to the Past 

Whenever possible, local materials have been used in the design of Ainamalu. Whether as part of the landscaping, community infrastructure, resort amenities or in the homes themselves, you will find many locally sourced materials. Many of the same raw materials that were important for survival to the ancient Hawaiians can now be found serving a new purpose in these modern luxury homes. Look closely and you might notice the lava rock walls are built almost completely without mortar. Dry stacking is a technique developed and mastered by the ancient Hawaiians and used extensively in their many impressive heiau.      

Those who value locally sourced and sustainable products will appreciate the gnarled and twisted ohia posts that grace the front of the grand lanai in Ainamalu’s Kaulana model. The ohia is endemic to Hawaii, found nowhere else in the world. It is often among the first to colonize new lava flows and is abundant on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. As a pioneer on newly hardened lava flows the ohia takes the form of a small shrub. Where the soil is deep and the rainfall plentiful a mature ohia tree can reach 60-80 feet tall. These tall slender specimens found on the rainy northwest side of the Big Island make beautiful peeled log posts that add a distinctly Hawaiian touch to many homes in Ainamalu. 

Another of the Hawaiian style options available to new owners is a lauhala mat ceiling treatment. Lau is the Hawaiian word meaning leaf while the hala tree, also known as the pandanus or walking tree, is found in coastal areas throughout the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific. Hala leaves have been used for centuries by Hawaiians to make woven mats, containers and even sails. Used as a ceiling treatment the woven leaves of the hala tree create a beautiful textured amber finish that both absorbs sound and insulates. 

The Good Life - Designed for the Next Generation

The tropical ambiance of each sumptuously appointed home at Ainamalu exudes calm and harmony. The single level designs combined with over 21-acres of parks and trails give the community an understated profile, blending with its surroundings. Each of the six expansive floor plans is designed to provide the same functional balance of utility and utopian that has come to define the Kohala Coast lifestyle. For those who dream of calling it home, Ainamalu offers the next generation of luxury resort living.