Green Hotel Eco News

The Bali Hotels Association (BHA) has registered its 76 member hotels to take part in a community-led environmental campaign, Clean Up the World, joining 35 million volunteers in more than 120 countries that will take action to reduce the causes of climate change.

From national clean up campaigns to recycling and water reuse projects, volunteers across the globe conduct a variety of environmental projects throughout the year with activities culminating over the Clean Up the World Weekend, celebrated this year on Sept. 14-16 as the article in the Jakarta Post explains.

“In Bali we will be organizing clean-up activities in many of our members’ communities, beaches, rivers and scenic sites and attractions,” said Urs Klee, the BHA’s environmental committee chairman.

“With the support of Clean Up the World, we hope to bring together the tourism industry, banjar (traditional neighborhood associations), schools, tourists and local citizens to collect as much rubbish from their own communities in order for others to reconsider their waste management on the island of the gods.”

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LONDON, June 18, 2007 -- Park Plaza Hotels and contractor Gear Construction Project Management, have today announced the next phase in the development of their latest project, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London, their largest hotel management contract to date. The hotel company's aim is to create a destination that becomes the next venue of choice for international conferences and events.

Gear Construction Project Management, the contractor responsible for developing and building Park Plaza's stunning portfolio of UK hotels, has began construction of their newest property.

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, being built opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, is a major hotel development in the heart of London promising eco-friendly initiatives, urban regeneration and one of the largest hotel based conference spaces in central London.

The striking new hotel, designed by BUJ Architects and Uri Blumenthal Architects & Town Planners, will offer over 2,500 square metres of conference space with 1,000 bedrooms. The hotel will offer conference space for up to 1,250 delegates and will increase Park Plaza's London portfolio to 2,200 guest bedrooms.

In recent years, London's skyline has been redeveloped from Tower Bridge to Vauxhall Bridge, with Park Plaza Westminster Bridge representing the next stage in completing an ultra-modern South Bank cityscape.

Eli Papouchado, Chairman of Park Plaza Hotels, is delighted with the progress already being made at the site, commenting: "I am thrilled to be so closely involved with the development of this striking new hotel, and the significant impact it will have on the regeneration of the South Bank. The area is now one of the most visited in the city, and I am proud to be part of its rejuvenated success."

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London will be the eighth Park Plaza-managed hotel in the UK to be built by Gear Construction Project Management, following hotels in Leeds, Nottingham and areas of London now enjoying the rewards of extensive regeneration such as Vauxhall and Victoria. The combined partnership of developer and hotel management has proved a winning success across the company's UK estate and extends across to the Continent where Park Plaza Hotels manage, own and franchise some 26 hotels.

Boris Ivesha, President and Chief Executive Officer for Park Plaza Hotels, commented: "Demand for London continues to grow, fuelled by a buoyant business climate, emerging markets such as China and India, the impact of Heathrow Terminal 5 and the London 2012 Olympics. The opening of Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in 2010 and our 400-room Park Plaza County Hall -- due to open on London's South Bank this autumn -- will be welcome additions to London's luxury hotel offering."

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London will feature some of the latest eco-friendly technologies limiting its impact on the environment. The hotel will have an on-site filtered water bottling 'factory' (Carbon filter process) eliminating the need to transport and dispose of an estimated one million bottles of water per year. The hotel will utilize the latest building insulation technology with triple glazed, energy retaining cladding for heat and cold retention to maximize energy efficiency. Furthermore, the hotel will produce 15 per cent of its own energy using a biomass electric generator. The construction will also recycle 4,500 m3 of concrete from the demolished GLC building that was retained on site for use in the new build process.

Ivesha continues: "Tourism accounts for a significant and growing percentage of GDP in the UK and it is important for the industry to take the lead in finding ways of mitigating our environmental impact. We aim to set a new standard for hotels adopting environmentally friendly policies to give this exciting new development a five-star environ-friendly rating."

The popular South Bank area has enjoyed continued regeneration over the last few years with the latest £110 million refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall continuing the movement. The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel development will make its own contribution to the regeneration of the area with a total investment of £300 million, with £4.6 million allocated to local regeneration schemes including public transport, employment and the training of local people. A further £1.6 million is allocated towards the creation of a landscaped public space around the hotel. Westminster Bridge Roundabout will become part-pedestrian with a piazza that will limit traffic to taxis and public transport, making it a more scenic and enjoyable area.

"The piazza will create a direct connection between Waterloo and Westminster that will be much easier for tourists and residents to travel between by foot," continued Ivesha.

"Urban regeneration is extremely important if London is to make an impact at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This includes extending the support businesses provide to the city south of the river. This trail blazing scheme is a fantastic way to widen the horizons of Lambeth and create a future landmark for travel and tourism in South London."

The initial announcement was made in October 2005, when financial investment partners Galliard Homes and Frogmore Property Company Limited, together with Eurosea Hotels, declared the multi-million pound project on the south bank for the 14-storey apart-hotel development.

Today we are traveling to a luxurious location in the Caribbean, Antigua. If you need a vacation and are frazzled and stressed, what could be better than relaxing on the beach, drinking organic cocktails, and lessening your environmental footprint?

Today's Featured Radio Guests:

Rob Sherman and Peter Antifave - Managers at Curtain Bluff, located on the southern tip of Antigua encompassing 20 acres of lush tropical gardens on the Curtain Bluff peninsula, overlooking the Caribbean Sea. For over 40 years, Curtain Bluff's extraordinary service and amenities have set the standard for excellence throughout the Caribbean. They are Green Globe members meaning they have been certified as a sustainable resort and vacation destination.

Topics Discussed Today:

Eco-Handbags - Specializing in chic, unique and fashionable handbags created from recycled or eco-friendly materials.

Responsible Travel - "Holidays that give the world a break" (enough said)

Environmentally Friendly Hotels - Go beyond ecotourism and sustainable tourism: find hotels - bed and breakfasts, resorts, motels, lodges, and inns - worldwide that are committed to the environment and greening of the hospitality industry.

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Many, if not most, of you did not guess that so many LAC hotels are already GG21 certified or benchmarked, right? As mentioned in Part I, for the moment the Mexico-Caribbean nexus has more GG21 properties than any other region. That in itself is commendable. It's clear that many parties — notably Jamaica and the Sandals and Viva Wyndham hotel chains — are sold on the benefits of being GG21 certified.

That said, there are many curious gaps.

Let's start in the Caribbean Basin, where GG21 certification is doing well. Why, for example, are there no hotels entering the GG21 process in Cuba, St. Maartens, Trinidad, the Virgin Islands (British or US) or the Central American nations?

It has been suggested to me that in Central America this absence might be explained by competition from competiting eco-certification schemes, Ecotel, the Green Deal, Costa Rica's CST or STI's STEP (all of which I'll cover in future Temas blog entries).

I do not find that argument entirely persuasive. Ecotel, which was launched in the 1990s, has never gone beyond four Central American countries (Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras) and a couple of Mexican resorts in its LAC coverage, and some of the properties certified (such as Belize's Chaa Creek) are now seeking or considering GG21 certification. The Green Deal has, so far, been limited to Guatemala, although indications are that the Rainforest Alliance would like to see it or something like it be promoted elsewhere. STEP is too new — it may be a brake to GG21's hotel certification program in the coming years, but does not explain past GG21 acceptance or lack thereof.

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A scheme to promote energy efficiency in hotels has been launched by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to give recognition to energy efficient hotels and promote energy efficiency by the better use of resources.

At the launch of the Energy Smart Hotel Label scheme, four hotels - The Regent, Shangri-la, Intercontinental and Changi Village - made it to the inaugural list.

Noting that recognition given to the four hotels, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources who was at the launch said, "I’m sure we will be able to get more on board, because they will be able to see there are really direct, tangible benefits that can be reaped with not very significant investments really, and the payback period because of the improvement in technology is getting shorter."

Studies conducted in Singapore and other parts of the world have identified hotels as one of the more energy-intensive buildings in a city.

And having acceded to the Kyoto Protocol in April 2006, the NEA’s Chief Executive Officer Lee Yuen Hee pointed out that Singapore’s commitment to combat climate change will require support from all sectors, especially the energy and carbon-intensive ones such as the hotel industry.

Speaking at the launch of the Energy Smart Hotel Label scheme, Mr Lee stressed that energy efficiency is important to maintain Singapore’s competitiveness.

"The productive use of energy, which is what energy efficiency is about, is one additional tool that Singapore businesses can make use of to stay ahead of global competition," added Mr Lee.

Hotels currently account for almost two percent of Singapore’s total greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to electricity consumption. In the next few years, the emissions are likely to rise with higher hotel occupancy rates and the addition of more hotel rooms.

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Shaza Hotels, the regional lifestyle hotel brand, has announced that all of its upcoming hotel developments will be certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards - the internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of eco-friendly buildings.

The certification - the first of its kind across an entire hotel brand in the region - demonstrates the hotelier's commitment to environmentally sustainable projects that embody a 'green' lifestyle and embrace the values and traditions of its discerning clientele.

The progressive move will ensure that Shaza's first seven properties - Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Cairo, Bahrain, Jeddah and Marrakech - are designed to follow the internationally-recognized guidelines of LEED.

'There is a great synergy between the cultural traditions of the region and a deep respect for the environment. Shaza has therefore taken the initiative to obtain this globally-respected certification, as part of a conscientious shift towards environmentally sustainable hotels,' said Christopher Hartley, CEO, Shaza Hotels.

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Eight hotels from Shanghai have been awarded "Golden Leaf" and "Silver Leaf" nameplates, symbols that they have become eco-friendly hotels.

According to local media, the eight hotels are Xingguo Hotel, Hotel Zhongyou International Shanghai, Golden Jade Sunshine Hotel Shanghai, Holiday Inn Vista Shanghai, Ying Yuan Hotel, Shanghai Jianke Hotel, Jiading Hotel, Kai Hao Hotel Shanghai. They are the first batch of hotels that have been awarded the honor in the city.

Shanghai Municipal Tourism Commission says that by the end of this year, there must be green hotels in each district and county of the city and by 2010 World Expo, more than 60 percent of the hotels of the city have to meet the China National Tourism Administration's Green Hotel standard.

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The agenda for the Caribbean Small Hotel Retreat was developed by the small hotel property owners to come together and discuss topics on public relations, budget redecorating, niche marketing, advantages of "green" practices, management issues, food and beverage, insurance, hidden potential revenue streams, and new technology trends.

Having been in the online travel business for over eight years, I feel many of the smaller properties could benefit from forming additional relationships with worldwide travel suppliers, online travel partners, travel agents and industry associations. In this business, the properties and corporations with the larger ad dollars get their messages delivered first to the travel industry and online consumers.

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The Green Tourism Business Scheme was founded in partnership with VisitScotland ten years ago and has more than 1,400 members across the UK.

Britain's 50 'Greenest' Hotels:

Ambassador Hotel, Brighton., East Sussex.

Apex City Hotel, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, Dundee, Angus.

Apex European Hotel, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Apex International Hotel, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Argyll Hotel, Isle of Iona, Argyll.

Bedruthan Steps Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall.

Blueseas Hotel, Penzance, Cornwall.

Budock Vean Hotel, Falmouth, Cornwall.

Careys Manor Hotel & Senspa, Brockenhurst, Hampshire.

Castle Campbell Hotel, Dollar, Clackmannanshire.

Cleaton House, Westray, Orkney.

Crown and Cushion Hotel, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

Dartmouth Golf and Country Club, Dartmouth, Devon.

Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, Melrose, Roxburghshire.

Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel, Alnwick, Northumberland.

Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland St Andrews, Fife.

Glazebrook House Hotel, Ivybridge, Devon.

Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire.

Greenbanks Country Hotel, Wendling, Norfolk.

Herrislea House, Tingwall, Shetland.

Hilton Colyumbridge Hotel, Aviemore, Inversness-shire.

Isles of Glencoe Hotel & Leisure Centre, Fort William, Inverness-shire.

Jurys Inn, Glasgow, Glasgow, Strathclyde.

Kings Manor Hotel, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Langass Lodge, Locheport, Isle of North Uist.

Loch Torridon Hotel, Achnasheen, Ross-shire.

New Hall, St Andrews, Fife.

New Lanark Mill Hotel, Lanark, Lanarkshire.

Park Hotel, Thurso, Caithness.

Paskins Town House, Brighton, East Sussex.

Pennyghael Hotel, Pennyghael, Isle of Mull.

Pool House Hotel, Poolewe, Ross-shire

Primrose Valley Hotel, St Ives, Cornwall.

Radison SAS Glasgow, Glasgow, Renfrewshire.

Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Rufflets Country House & Garden Restaurant, St Andrews, Fife.

Station Hotel, Dumfries, Dumfriesh

Stein Inn Waternish, Isle of Skye

Strattons Hotel, Swafham, Norfolk.

Sunny Brae Hotel, Nairn, Inverness-shire.

Tables Hotel, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye.

The Ballachulish Hotel, Fort William, Inverness-shire

The Bonham, Edinburgh, Midlothian

The Foveran Hotel, Kirkwall, Orkney

The Howard, Edinburgh, Midlothian

The Silverdale Hotel, Brighton, East Sussex.

The White Horse Inn, Chichester, West Sussex.

The Winnock Hotel (Drymen), Loch Lomond, Stirlingshire.

Willowburn Hotel, Oban, Argyll.

Fifty of the most environmentally friendly places to stay and use for conferences and events in Britain have been identified by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

A range of independently owned and corporate establishments from the south coast of England to the Highlands of Scotland share the honours in the first register of its kind.

The establishments are all holders of the coveted Gold Award as presented by the Green Tourism Business Scheme to those companies across the country that have demonstrated a firm commitment to safeguarding the environment and promoting sustainable tourism.

The Gold List was compiled by a team of independent assessors, who individually verified each establishment’s green credentials before granting it the highest possible grading.

Recipients of the award have to achieve a minimum standard from more than 120 separate measures, ranging from best management practice and energy saving to buying local produce and caring for wildlife and the landscape.

“This is more than just a list; it is a sign of the future as more people are demanding that hotels have to be environmentally aware,” said Andrea Nicholas, director of The Green Tourism Business Scheme. “Our assessors visited every hotel on the list and verified their claims to be green. We are delighted that so many places want to win the highest accolade – a Gold Award. Many others have achieved Bronze or Silver. These hotels are pioneering the way.”

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TORONTO—As an environmental ambassador and industry pioneer in responsible tourism practices and sustainable hotel management, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced it has launched the third edition of its acclaimed Green Partnership Guide, a comprehensive how-to text for companies looking to “green” their operations.

The ultimate source for companies looking to introduce or expand their green policies, the latest edition of Fairmont’s authoritative manual once again opens the vault on the brand’s environmental best practices. Forwarded by world-renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki, the Green Partnership Guide focuses on key areas such as energy management, water conservation, and innovative community outreach programs, while also providing detailed insights on how to start, maintain and grow an environmental program, including case studies on reducing operating costs, keeping employees motivated and tracking cost savings.

With fundamental issues such as climate change and other environmental concerns top-of-mind with businesses and consumers alike, Chris Cahill, Fairmont’s President and COO, believes the book’s launch is a timely and significant event.

“It is my firm belief that hotels, or all companies for that matter, need to be aware of how their activity is impacting our planet and ways in which they can minimize their footprint,” Cahill says. “For close to two decades now, Fairmont has actively supported environmentally sound business practices. With heightened awareness and responsible tourism now a mainstream topic, we encourage others to learn from our experience in this area and proactively move to green their operations.”

Providing support for Fairmont’s industry leading efforts is Hadley Archer, Director, Business Engagement for WWF-Canada.

“Corporations have an environmental footprint, and so they have the responsibility to take action to lower that footprint,” Archer says. “Fairmont’s Green Partnership Guide is an excellent example of a practical and meaningful solution to help companies lower their impact on the environment, and at the same time, generate cost savings and boost employee morale. By preparing this guide, Fairmont is showing corporate leadership in taking steps to address issues such as waste reduction and global warming.”

Two environmentally conscious Kerry hotels this week showed off their green credentials as part of a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiative called Greening Irish Hotels.

The Derrynane Hotel and the Dingle Skellig Hotel were among 56 nationwide to engage in the unique program which aims to reduce the environmental impact of the businesses.

Speaking at the launch of the final report of the programme, EPA director, Larry Stapleton, said the project had resulted in reduced costs for hotels, giving a win-win outcome for business and the environment.

“The Irish hotels industry has been environmentally benchmarked for the first time in this pilot program which has delivered the blueprint for better, greener business for Irish hotels,” he said.

“What we would like to see happen now is that the momentum from this programme will be carried forward,” Mr Stapleton added.

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Hotels, guesthouses, attractions and event venues in London, England are being invited to have their green credentials tested by independent auditors through a pilot scheme that has been enthusiastically endorsed by London Mayor, Ken Livingstone.

The London Development Agency are responsible for the scheme entitled “Green Tourism for London”, which will see hotels graded according to their environmental practices and policies. Each establishment signing up to be tested will receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze grading depending upon the results of 150 separate tests, referred to as ‘measures of sustainability’. The tests will rate how efficiently the hotel uses water, energy and gets rid of its waste, and also how environmentally friendly their purchasing procedures are.

The scheme has been launched following research by the LDA that found that 31% of individuals consider green issues when planning their holidays. That’s already almost one in three people and that percentage is expected to rise significantly in the next few years as more adopt the green agenda. Corporations that extensively use hotel accommodation are also expected to push green issues towards the top of their list when considering where to book a stay for their employees and managers.

The LDA is hoping to persuade 150 hotels to join up to the scheme over the next two years, and as an incentive is offering to pay the £60 joining fee as well as offering a 50% reduction in annual fees to the first 150 establishments to sign-up to the GTL. Annual fees range from £50 for a bed & breakfast sized establishment and up to £250 for a large business or attraction. But, only hotels that are graded members of the VisitBritain or AA rating schemes are eligible to sign up for the GTL initiative.

In addition, there will be financial benefits for hotels participating in the scheme; each hotel taking part that reaches at least bronze standard should expect to save somewhere in the region of 20% of its current energy costs. Indeed, it is the triple benefit of cost cutting, helping the environment and the receipt of an official grading that will appeal to tourists interested in green issues that London Mayor Ken Livingstone hopes will encourage hotels in London to sign up to the scheme. He said: “Consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and Green Tourism for London will enable visitors to choose the greenest possible options during their stay in the capital.”