Green Hotelier Issue 57 - Sustainable Design

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) - September 27, 2011 - Growth in hotel sector offers opportunities to improve the industry’s environmental impact, says Green Hotelier.

The International Tourism Partnership has launched issue 57 of Green Hotelier, a free online magazine that highlights best practice in sustainability in the hospitality industry. Focusing on the challenges and opportunities of embedding the latest innovation in sustainable design into new-build properties, issue 57 explores how the hotel industry can incorporate the latest technologies and designs to ensure improved environmental performance.

Green buildings use on average 26% less energy, emit 33% less carbon dioxide, use 30% less indoor water and send 50-75% less solid waste to landfills and incinerators, according to the US Green Building Council. According to the UN World Tourism Organisation, the tourism sector as a whole contributed an estimated 5% of total global CO2 emissions in 2005, with accommodation contributing a fifth of those emissions. With huge growth forecast for many markets, especially in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), these new developments offer a great opportunity to avoid the mistakes of the past and to create sustainable, energy-efficient hotels. As Martin Townsend, director of the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), points out: “There is a direct correlation between environmental benefits and economic benefits. Sustainability is basically best practice.”

Other features in issue 57 include: addressing the challenges of water scarcity in Bali, a practical Know-how guide with tips for creating a “greener” bathroom, and an interview with Mr P.R.S. Oberoi, Chairman and CEO, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, which explores his views on the industry and the sustainability agenda. Readers can contribute to the debate by taking part in topical discussions and voting in the latest poll: ‘Should hotels be doing more to educate guests about using water wisely during their stay?’

 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

•    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 to demonstrate 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.

To suggest new content for future editions, contact: greenhoteliercontent@iln.co.uk

For further information, please contact: Francesca Leadlay, Programme Manager Sustainability
Email: francesca.leadlay@iblf.org. Tel: 020 7467 3646.

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