Hotel Owner Hotel Owner July 2017 digital

hotel owner ADVICE | HOW TO TURN YOUR HOTEL GREEN SUSTAINABILITY HOTSHOTS 2017 ADVICE: How to turn your hotel green As part of our sustainability special, TRISTAN SEYMOUR, director of hotel and B&B reservation site Lodging World, offers some advice on how to begin to ‘go green’ with your hotel and the benefits of doing so T he hospitality sector has historically in unoccupied rooms or employee- had a dramatic environmental only areas. Check for and respond to impact through energy and water leaking faucets and toilets. Help them consumption, use of consumable and understand the proper way to recycle durable goods, and solid and hazardous waste. Create a green committee at the ware creation. Hotels consume energy for hotel, who will take responsibility for all lighting, fuel and other power needs. Water sustainability effort and meet regularly is used for bathrooms, food, beverages, to discuss the hotel’s progress. Consider laundry and general operations such as working with other businesses local to cleaning, maintenance and irrigation. Waste you; combine food waste and recycling is generated by the disposal of paper, collections - it is way more efficient to batteries, bulbs, furniture, equipment, appliances, food, plastics, and more. TRISTAN SEYMOUR work together as part of a team. n C ontrol your water waste. Water can conducts food waste in a sustainable be aerated, reduced in pressure and sector more sustainable, many hotels manner. Food waste doesn’t just lie in recycled as a means to reduce water have ’gone green’. Hoteliers are turning customers not clearing their plates. Think waste. A good way hotels can ensure their attention to the importance of of all the out of date produce, peelings, they’re reducing water consumption is by sustainability in the hospitality industry trimmings and inedible products such replacing current appliances with water- as it relates to hotel development and as bones - this is where the largest efficient ones. operations and is a major issue being faced amount of food waste lies. It’s important in today’s world. to measure your food waste in all What factors are encouraging In an attempt to make the hospitality forms. Develop an achievable action sustainability in the hospitality How can to get the sustainability plan to reduce food waste. Set targets, sector? project started: timescales and responsibilities and n C ost savings: Cost reduction and n The first place to start is to reduce review your progress after every couple efficiency strategies can be achieved energy consumption. Introduce of months. Optimise your food recycle by investing in better operational environmentally friendly equipment; programme; make sure you and members procedures and emerging environmental operate all boilers, pumps, dishwashers, of staff are using the right bin for the technologies. Cost savings [in any form] is etc. effectively with the appropriate right type of waste - you don’t want a big incentive for hotelier to ‘go green’. setting and to the manufacturer’s recycling going into the waste bin and instructions. Get the right equipment you don’t want waste ending up in the environmental technology can have for the job and make sure equipment recycling!. a direct positive impact on guest is turned off when not in use and use n E ncourage staff members and work power saving technology where you can with other local businesses. Explain and use energy efficient light bulbs. the importance of sustainability to n G uest experience: Investments in experience and many hoteliers are beginning to realise this. n B rand image: Having sustainable staff members. Explain the importance business practices will lead to an in the world, approximately 1.3 billion of reducing energy consumption, for enhanced reputation and brand image, tonnes, gets lost or wasted each year. It’s example; tell staff to turn off lights which means the hotel can expect great very important that the hospitality sector and turn down heating/air conditioning profits in the long term. n Roughly one third of the food produced July 2017 www.hotelowner.co.uk 27

Hotel Owner Hotel Owner July 2017 digital | Page 27