Luxury Hotelier - September 2007 - (Page 49)

Protocols | 49 become a part of a global green solution, hotel operators need to go beyond placing an “optional towel change” card in their bathrooms. The real movers and shakers in this field are investing money and time in substantial changes that include new equipment, infrastructure and staff training. Hotel leaders such as Gilles Pélisson, chief executive officer of Paris-based Accor, are taking the lead by implementing green programs such as this group’s Earth Guest Program. The 65 priority actions include energy, water, waste, ozone layer, biodiversity and green purchases which, when completed, will lead to ISO 14001 certification. Accor Hotels, which includes the luxury Sofitel brand, spans six continents with about 3,800 properties. Initiatives have prompted Accor hotels in Australia trialing a four-minute shower timer, planting trees, replacing inefficient hot water systems and introducing dualflush toilets and water-efficient shower heads. Others use treated irrigation systems to reduce the use of fresh water for irrigation by 70 percent, run vehicles on renewable energy sources, put food waste into worm farms and achieve 50percent reductions in use of potable water achieved through dual piping systems. A switch to 100-percent green energy saves 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, while operable windows and cross-flow ventilation replace 100-percent reliance on air conditioning. In addition, corporate-wide, Accor uses natural fibers and fabrics, and minimizes the use of glues and PVC. According to Mr. Pélisson, “Priorities change throughout Accor’s hotels depending on location. In North America, Accor is focusing on the rejuvenation of plants and trees. In Europe, it is the reduction of carbon emissions.” Guy Challis, general manager of Stamford Plaza Melbourne in Australia, tallies up the results of Stamford’s Go Green Program: “[We] have managed to reduce our energy cost per guestroom by 12 percent over the last year. This is a reduction of 16 percent in electricity and water reduction of 9.2 percent.” Maintenance department initiatives include replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, which reduces energy costs but also increases the lighting in the guestrooms—an area of complaint in the past. Changes in other hotels include replacing halogen downlights with light emitting diode bulbs, installing key-tag systems to control guestroom airconditioning and water flow restrictors. In the northern tropics, one hotel installed water tanks to harvest rainwater. A Sydney property has timers on external lighting and motion-sensitive lighting in low-traffic areas. It hand-waters gardens and recycles throughout all departments. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, based in Hong Kong, is undergoing a two-year corporate social responsibility development, which will address water use, waste disposal management and indoor air quality, as well as reduce groupwide energy consumption, all in the quest for ISO 14001 certification. In some areas, the hotel group is changing from diesel to gas, harvesting rainwater, producing hot water from solar or heat pumps and improving building design to reduce heat loss or gain as well as air infiltration. The Singapore-based Banyan Tree hotel group is building on a reputation for natural settings in and around its luxury resorts. Banyan Tree Bintan (Indonesia) follows a waste-management plan ranging from reed bed treatment of wastewater to specific sorting of all solid wastes. The hotel also recycles wastewater for irrigating its landscapes and golf course and uses nonchlorinated water in swimming pools and Jacuzzis. The resort is built amid a lush rainforest where many trees are 50 to 100 years old, so to protect the jungle, designers avoided cutting into the steep slopes of the hills. To prevent soil erosion, villas were built on platforms and supported by columns. Involving people Luxury consumers generally are highly educated and globally aware, so when they walk in the door, they bring increasing concerns about the environmental footprints of business and luxury travel. A recent international market research survey by Synovate conducted across 21 countries showed two-thirds of people surveyed were concerned about climate change. The picture is clear: If your hotel is not undertaking or planning to green its operation, then it is not meeting consumer expectations. Mr. Baffsky argues: “Fortunately, in our industry, consumers are being far more discerning about the hotels or tourism products they support. The rise of eco-tourism reflects this, and while there is a danger of hotels jumping on the bandwagon without making sufficient and systemic changes in their operating procedures, many owners are beginning to realize there is a dollar value in the equation. If a customer’s choice comes down to two hotels and one hotel loses the business because the other Island Shangri-la, Hong Kong SHANGRI-LA HOTELSAND RESORTS www.LuxuryHotelier.com | September 2007 | Luxury Hotelier http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

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Luxury Hotelier - September 2007

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