Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key.
In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.
On this page, you will learn more about Goal 7: "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all".
What is Goal 7 about?
According to the UN, "Energy is crucial for achieving almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals, from its role in the eradication of poverty through advancements in health, education, water supply and industrialisation, to combating climate change.” In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 7.
The tourism and hospitality industry is an energy-intensive sector, requiring electricity for its facilities and the provision of tourism-related services such as accommodation, catering, and tourism experiences.
According to UNEP and UNWTO, tourism is responsible of about 5% of global CO2 emissions. The accommodation sector alone accounts for approximately 20% of emissions from tourism.*
How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 7?
Green Key has a whole section of criteria (see section 7 here) dealing with energy efficiency and savings (SDG target 7.3), renewable sources (SDG target 7.2), green technologies (SDG target 7.a and 7.b), encompassing 29 requirements and guidelines in the 2022-2025 updated criteria set. As it is the case for water management, sustainability in energy consumption is a principle that should contribute to shaping the whole activity structure of Green Key certified establishments, as it is deeply connected to their environmental and emission footprint.
It is worth mentioning that Green Key has built a network of partners operating at the frontier of green technologies and smart solutions, to promote sustainable consumption patterns.
Green Key criteria help tourism establishment both monitor and reduce their energy consumption. More specifically:
MONITORING OF THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION– Green Key makes it mandatory for certified establishments to register their energy consumption monthly, as well as to differentiate between the sources of energy used to provide electricity, heating and cooling within the establishments’ premises (criterion 7.1). For this reason, Green Key uses ECO-OS as a sustainability accounting database, where the establishments’ energy consumption data are registered periodically to evaluate the consumption and find opportunities for improvement. Certified establishments are encouraged to install separated meters at strategic energy hubs within their premises (criterion 7.23), to further breakdown consumption and identify viable ways to reduce their overall energy demand. Finally, Green Key suggests that certified establishments undergo independent and external energy audits every 5 years (criterion 7.19). Green Key also offers a free calculation tool on its website to help tourism establishments measure their carbon footprint, based on their Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY – As technology moves forward, so do establishments to increase their energy efficiency in daily operations. Green Key establishments must make an effort to purchase appliances and electronics with a low energy consumption, such as light bulbs (criterion 7.3), mini bars (7.8, 7.16), and other electronic devices (7.11, 7.18). Furthermore, Green Key recommends its certified establishments to perform continuous maintenance on appliances so that efficiency is always maximised, e.g. grease filters (criterion 7.4), heating and cooling systems (7.5), door seals of refrigeration appliances (7.6), freezing equipment (7.7). An increase in energy efficiency that goes hand in hand with the adoption of responsible and sustainable consumption patterns can contribute significantly to the reduction of GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions caused by the establishment’s activities, with the hospitality sector moving one step closer to the Net Zero goal by 2050;
SMART CONSUMPTION - Certified establishments are required to reduce their energy consumption by applying smart energy management systems and solutions such as:
Adjusting heating and air-conditioning control (HVAC) systems according to seasonal changes or when the establishment’s facilities are not in use (criterion 7.2), as well as kitchen hood fan speeds with automated infrared technologies (7.27);
Implementing procedures to switch off electric devices in empty meeting rooms and bedrooms, as well as installing motion detectors, automatic switch-offs, or daylight sensors in common indoor (criteria 7.9, 7.21) and outdoor (7.12) areas;
Having air-conditioning and heating systems automatically switch off when windows are opened (criterion 7.24);
Defining standard temperatures for cooling and heating in guest and meeting rooms (criterion 7.10);
Implementing a heat recovery system for e.g. refrigeration, ventilators, and swimming pools (criterion 7.25);
BUILDING EFFICIENCY – Heating, cooling and temperature management performed within the establishments’ premises are only as effective as the building is insulated to prevent heat loss. This is why Green Key pushes certified establishments to improve their infrastructure, e.g. by meeting requirements for higher national or international building ratings (criterion 7.20), but also by exceeding local/national standards for window efficiency to achieve better results and lead the transition (7.17);
RENEWABLE ENERGY – In order to further lower their ecological footprint and emission levels, establishments taking part in the Green Key journey towards sustainability are strongly encouraged to source their energy responsibly, picking renewable energy providers or producing renewable energy themselves more and more, to cover up to 100% of their total energy consumption (criteria 7.13, 7.14). In case they are disconnected from the electrical grid altogether, establishments should install efficient energy generators to prevent energy loss (7.29);
ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION – Green Key certified establishments are also expected to promote sustainable energy consumption among guests, staff, and other relevant stakeholders. Establishments should support sustainable transportation either by recommending bike rentals and other eco-friendly means to guests (criteria 3.6, 12.2), or by providing bike rental services themselves (criterion 12.3), by banning vehicle idling within their premises (criterion 13.11), by providing and encouraging the use of environmentally friendly motorised vehicles to staff (criteria 13.10, 13.12), and by granting electric vehicles access to charging stations (criterion 7.26);
GUEST AND STAFF INVOLVEMENT – Green Key certified establishments inform and engage guests in their energy saving initiatives, thus promoting responsible behaviour among tourists, and encouraging them to reduce their energy consumption during their stay (criteria 3.4, 3.6). At the same time, staff actively takes part in the collective effort to implement sustainability as a fundamental part of daily operations, e.g. by training them periodically (criterion 2.3), by nudging sustainable practices with clear signage in the staff areas (criterion 2.5), and by promoting sustainable transportation practices, such as car-sharing and the use of eco-friendly vehicles (criterion 13.12).
A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.
