The hotel sector accounts for 1 percent of global emission, which might seem small, but considering the rate at which the hospitality sector is growing, we expect the harmful impact to only increase in near future. A hotel operates for 24 hours and 365 days a year, and when guests pay for the stay, they expect the property to have luxury, swimming pool, fitness center, restaurant and other amenities. Going green is the only way to reduce carbon footprint without compromising on the luxury and comfort aspect. The blog post lists vital measures to consider in the hotel facility planning stage to make the property eco-friendly while meeting the expectations of guests.
Use Sustainable Building Material
Choosing the right building material is the first step in the initiative to go green. As most environmental damage is done in the construction phase, opt for renewable raw materials. Wool bricks, solar tiles, sustainable concrete and paper insulation are some of the eco-friendly building materials that are getting extremely popular in the construction industry. Practice sustainability by being aware of where the material comes from, its manufacturing process and impact on the environment.
Install More Efficient HVAC System
Installing highly efficient HVAC system is the most sustainable strategy among all. You can have digital thermostats in guest rooms and fix a temperature range to avoid any extreme temperature change. Apart from this, use occupancy sensors that detect occupancy in the room and automatically adjust the temperature when the room is unoccupied. The guest cards can also be used to send a signal to the HVAC system about occupancy status of the room.
Pay Attention to Water Conservation
Hotels can conserve water by installing water saving devices such as:
- Low flow shower heads that also reduce cost of heating water
- Aerator in sinks to restrict the flow of water without reducing the pressure
- Dual flush and 1.6-gallon toilets
Plan Waste Management
The hotel industry produces approximately 1.9 billion pounds of waste each year. The easiest way to manage waste is by practicing reduce, reuse and recycle strategy. The hotel staff must conduct a waste audit to determine the amount of waste produced and the amount paid for disposal. After the audit, the hotel must work on the ways to reduce waste production. Waste reduction strategies such as reusing cloth laundry bags, fitting soap and shampoo dispensers and using rechargeable batteries must be implemented to efficiently manage waste.
Wrapping Up
Reducing carbon footprint not only helps the environment, it can also boost your bottom line. The wide range of hotels such as resorts, boutique, and economy that have come up in the recent years are making survival difficult for the existing and upcoming properties. Going green could be a great way to make yourself stand out in the competition. The “Eco-friendly” mantra can also be used for branding and increasing profit in the long run.
HPG Consulting will be happy to help you in creating sustainable strategies for green hotel design. We are a reputable facilities management company with in-depth training and hands-on experience in design, operation and management aspects of hotel and food service industry. For details, call us at +91-11-43505228/29 or fill out the contact form.