ENERGY CONSERVATION IN HOTELS: A GREEN APPROACH
3.8 A GREEN APPROACH
The varied nature of the hotels and the facilities they provide onsite to the guests makes it difficult to devise a standard energy management systems for all types of hotels whether they are business hotels, part of an international chain or a small independent property.
Guests comfort and satisfaction should be in the forefront while making provision for any improvements. Thermal comfort has a huge bearing on the satisfaction level of the guest. So responsive heating, ventilation, air-condi- tioning and cooling system needs to be put in place to meet the guest’s needs and at the same time being energy efficient. There should be sufficient but not excessive lighting in the corridors and staircases and exterior portions of the hotel to make the guest feel secure. Efficient light sources, occupancy controls and timers can achieve this objective. Indoor air quality should be monitored so that it is free of any molds and cleaning agent odors, so as to provide a healthy stay for the guest.
FIGURE 1 A green approach.
The decision to choose the location to develop a new property, the build- ing materials used and the operational decisions made are going to have an important impact on the world we live in today. The fact that hotel has a sus- tainable approach towards doing its business is fast becoming a differentiator with the environmentally conscious consumers in the competitive hospitality industry today.
As the hospitality and tourism industry is growing at a fast past pace and the fact that it consumes large amount of energy it becomes imperative for the hotel owners to adopt measures that would lead to a sustainable future.
Whether it is a large hotel chain or a small operator the green initiatives are bound to be implemented sooner or later to differentiate the brand. The
design of the hotel, use of renewable sources of energy, use of energy efficient fixtures and equipment, training staff to adopt energy efficient procedures and periodic maintenance of the installed equipment will go a long way in not only preserving the environment but also in the much needed financial sav- ings. This chapter summarizes how the stakeholders can be made aware of and partners in this drive towards sustainability. The policymakers guidelines and encouragement towards sustainable use of resources would hasten the changes required. The case studies incorporated illustrate the ways and means through which various organizations are trying to make this world a better place to live in.
KEYWORDS
• energy conservation
• energy efficiency
• environment protection
• green hotels
• green tourism
• hospitality
• sustainability
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