Hotels Have a Huge Opportunity to Improve the Efficiency of Existing Buildings by Retrofitting, Says Green Hotelier
(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) November 10, 2011 - The International Tourism Partnership has launched issue 58 of Green Hotelier, a free online magazine that highlights best practice in sustainability in the hospitality industry. According to a 2009 report by the UK’s Investment Property Forum, new buildings represent only between 1 and 2% of total UK commercial building stock, therefore retrofitting existing buildings offers real potential to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency. The commercial and environmental imperatives for retrofitting are clear given that the building sector accounts for between 30 and 40% of global energy use.
The main feature highlights how to approach a retrofit, including assessing where the hotel’s biggest impacts are, and the best technologies to install to guarantee an improved environmental performance with the quickest return on investment. Full of practical case studies, the article shows that the key challenges of retrofitting hotels such as engineering, maintaining the brand values and ensuring the quality of the guest experience can be met successfully. Retrofitting historic buildings can present particular challenges. Some solutions to improving the efficiency of period buildings are straightforward, such as upgrading appliances and using more energy-efficient lighting. Other options such as insulation and the incorporation of technologies including wind turbines and solar panels can be more problematic. The article also explores the barriers to green retrofits faced by hoteliers in emerging markets such as China and India. For example, in China there is a shortage of skilled staff to install and operate low-carbon retrofits. Other features in issue 58 include: exploring opportunities for hoteliers to alleviate poverty and exclusion in the countries where they operate - focussing on Peru, a practical Know-how guide to designing sustainable hotel interiors, and an interview with the longest-serving CEO in the industry, Kurt Ritter, of The Rezidor Hotel Group, which delves into his approach to sustainability and embedding the Responsible Business programme into all levels of the business. Readers can contribute to the debate by taking part in topical discussions and voting in the latest poll: 'Have hotels' corporate responsibility efforts focused too much on environmental issues at the expense of social programmes?' Notes to Editors-
Green Hotelier sets the agenda for responsible business in hotels and tourism. It highlights best practice among the hotel industry, and provides latest trends and insight into sustainable tourism. It is the leading source for inspirational, practical and technical information on green issues for the hotel sector. www.greenhotelier.org
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The International Tourism Partnership (ITP), founded in 1992 and part of the International Business Leaders Forum, brings together the world’s leading international hotel companies to provide a voice for environmental and social responsibility in the industry. It works todemonstrate in a very practical way that environmental and social responsibility makes good business sense. ITP does this by highlighting best practice, offering a range of practical products and programmes and tackling emerging sustainability issues through its collaborative working groups. ITP’s programmes and products include, among others, the Youth Career Initiative, the Green Hotelier online magazine, the Environmental Management for Hotels handbook, and Sustainable Hotel Siting, Design and Construction. The combined reach of the membership extends to over 22,000 properties, over 3.2 million rooms and over 1.5 million employees in over 100 countries worldwide.
Email: francesca.leadlay@iblf.org. Tel: 020 7467 3646. IBLF18637
