The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Practices in Hotels
For the first time in history, time stands witness to the fact that the COVID pandemic forced close to 90% of the world’s living population experience the perils and hardships of life under restrictions. The task of ensuring safety and well-being of everyone while managing sales, realigning revenues and restoring market confidence was indeed a long journey that will not perish in a hurry. Now there are clear indications that climate related risks will intensify and before long, mother earth will sing her ferocious melody. Before she burns and spews rage it is my belief that through continued innovation, data-driven decision-making, and scalable eco-best practices we can correct the way we build, manage, operate and consume. Now is the time for us to script the next story and usher in an era of honest sustainable hospitality. It is my belief that as years go by, sustainability and minimalism will no longer remain buzz words and lifestyle trends but it will become the bedrock for way of life. It will be an imperative which will bind economic viability, environmental stewardship and our collective social responsibility.
Through a combination of following, we can make a difference
Adoption of Energy Efficiency in Design and Construction
Energy efficiency and decarbonization can be achieved by adopting a reduced energy consumption design (MEP, HVAC etc.) Practical solutions can also include usage of high-performance insulation, usage of triple-glazed windows and an efficient envelope design that minimize the buildings heat loss/gain function. Other features that are critical while adoption of energy efficiency in design and construction include energy-efficient lighting (LEDs), smart lighting controls and daylight harvesting. When it relates to the overall heating, cooling, and ventilation it is advisable to use best-in-class heat pumps, high-efficiency boilers, and variable flow systems that optimize the overall thermal energy footprint of the building. It is advisable for engineering department to insist on automated Building management systems (BMS) housekeeping PM scheduling and occupancy sensing as it play a pivotal role in controlling wasteful operation throughout the life of the asset. A higher level of equipment efficiency can also be achieved through adoption of energy-rated appliances, energy-efficient elevators and an overall HVAC system that assists energy-reduction. When it comes to on-site and off-site power generation, usage of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations pursuing solar thermal energy for hot water, on-site solar microgrids or power purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy providers can help.
Water Stewardship and Waste Reduction in Operations
To encourage water stewardship, hotels can pursue usage of low-flow faucets, smart showerheads, dual-flush toilets, and waterless urinals in all washrooms. It is critical to champion water efficiency and manage water scarcity especially in ecologically water-stressed regions. Water-smart laundry and dishwashing cycles should be mandatory. For promoting reuse and recycling of water; greywater systems and rainwater harvesting can significantly supplement non-potable needs for the establishment. For Laundry optimization it is highly recommended to make use of high-efficiency washing machines, practice load optimization, promote linen/ towel reuse programs and on-demand laundering. For Landscaping and outdoor water conservation drought-tolerant native plants could cut outdoor water demand.
Responsible Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Promoting and sourcing local, seasonal food as part of its cuisine culture can assist an establishment in reducing packaging and transport waste generation. Chefs at the hotel should encourage hyper-local sourcing for their kitchens. Usage of digital menus and portion control can assist to minimize food waste. As an integral part of a kitchen’s food waste management programs such as Food donation to poor, composting, and anaerobic digestion that can be explored. Further, procuring produce, alcoholic beverages and services locally reduces transportation emissions and while supporting communities. Hotels can and should, through their supplier engagement, insist on contractual requirements for environmental performance and audits. Overall, hotels can encourage usage of reusable items, durable goods, and buy-back or take-back schemes to minimize waste and extend product lifecycles.
Enhanced Guest and Staff Awareness
Smart occupancy-based room allocation, compulsory use of responsive thermostats, occupancy/movement-based lighting, and real-time energy dashboards that empower staff and guests to reduce consumption should be used. It is also a smart idea for hotels to exhibit energy performance data with guests and encourage their participation. Comprehensive recycling programs (paper, plastic, metal, glass) and refillable packaging for amenities, minimize single-use items such as throw away plastic straws must be explored. Sustainable sourcing policy must favor usage of bulk dispensers wherever possible, recycled-content paper products, and FSC-certified paper must be used for packaging across departments. Also, efficient laundering SOPs, linen reuse programs for guests, and durable textiles with extended lifecycle thereby reducing resource use.
Planned Build Environment and Efficient Project Management
Sustainability certifications, governance standards and reporting structures can help hotels benchmark performance and communicate progress in the long-term. Hotels can make use of certifications such as LEED, IGBC, Green Globe, EarthCheck, and ISO 14001 that are popular frameworks and can guide design, operations, and continuous improvement through the entire planned build environment and promote efficient project management. Also, sustainability goals should be tied to leadership incentives. Finally, sustainable practices should be accessible to all guests, thereby encouraging training and culture of eco-friendly service, from housekeeping to food and beverage to front desk operations.
Conclusion
Through this essay I have outline a few key practices that can be adopted by hotels. Overall, I hope it will enable the industry to cut resource use, lower operating costs, and enhance their brand value. It is my opinion that going forward, the most successful players will be the ones that will treat sustainability as an integrated value system—one that involves leadership commitment, employee empowerment and stakeholder collaboration.