Kasteelhoeve Wange wins Green Key Best Practice Competition 2016

To encourage Green Key awarded sites to share their best sustainable methods, technologies, practices, and learn from the experience of others, Green Key International organised the first annual best practice award. The main focus of this year’s competition was Water Management. We are very proud to introduce to you our first winner - Kasteelhoeve Wange from Belgium. Denmark Farm Conservation Centre in Wales and Zaton holiday resort in Croatia finished in second and third place, respectively. 

An international jury of sustainable tourism professionals assessed the national contributions based on different criteria such as level of deployment, innovation, best practice performance, long term perspective, return of investment and scope of the practice. The international jury named Kasteelhoeve Wange from Belgium the winner as they had the most integrated solution with good potential for adaption by others.

Kasteelhoeve Wange is located in the beautiful rolling Hageland, surrounded by hundreds of acres of orchards and fields in Flanders, Belgium. It is a guesthouse and meeting location. They have 25 beds available in single or double rooms and 4 meeting rooms hosting up to a 100 people.

The site breathes sustainability. Their “Water, Energy & Awareness raising integrated management” project is a great example of how to combine innovative natural techniques to reduce the environmental impact of a guest’s stay. 

All the ’polluted’ water that leaves the farm is cleaned in two underground water cleaning installations (60.000 liters). It’s an natural cleaning system, that works on bacteriological bases.  After passing this water cleaning installation, all the water that leaves the farm is clean and drinkable. It enters the Gete, a small river that passes the farm. All the people who stay, live and work at  Kasteelhoeve ( +/- 35 persons a day) do not impact  the quality of the water in a negative, polluting way.

The rainwater captured from the roof of one part of the farm (600 m²) is used for the natural swimming pond.  The water in the swimming pond is partly cleaned by special plants in the pond. It is clean enough to swim, but not clean enough for the use in toilets, because the colour is too brown. In March 2016 a system will be installed to clean this water to use it for the toilets, garden and animals together with an extra pond of 10.000 liters. These 10.000 liters will be cleaned through a small field of Japanese Iris. Japanese Iris are extremely skilled in cleaning water.  In 2017  another roof (600 m²) will be connected to the swimming pond. At that moment the water supply for toilets will be covered for 90 %.

All the sanitary water is heated by a system that works on biomass energy (the use of wood chips). The wood chips are provided by a local producer, located only 5 km from the Kasteelhoeve so there is almost no pollution because of transportation. Within 5 years the wood chips will be self-produced on a place nearby.The wood that is planted will take out the amount of CO2 that the site still produce, of the air. At that moment Kasteelhoeve Wange will be 100% CO² neutral .

The electricity needed for the pumps (heating sanitary water, pumping up the water for the toilets...) is produced by solar panels. The solar system provides 80 % of the electricity needs of the farm. All pumps are low energy pumps (50% less energy use than standard pumps).

Guests are informed about these practices through leaflets and information boards and a ecological tour is offered to those who want to learn more.

First runner –up is the Denmark Farm Conservation Centre in Wales. The centre has a very impressive holistic Water Management System in place featuring an innovative waste water treatment system called WET (Wetland Ecosystem Treatment). It uses natural processes (plants and microorganisms) to clean the water. The system requires a minimal import of resources which makes it interesting for other sites to take over.

Third place is for Zaton holiday resort in Croatia. The hotel engaged their animation staff in guest awarness activities concerning the use of water during their holidays. A simple and easy adaptable idea.

Green Key International is very proud of the achievements realised by these sites and hopes other Green Key establishments are as inspired as we are.

A publication featuring the good practices of the top 3 winners will be available soon under resources. 

First Landal holiday park awarded in Austria

On 10 February 2016 Landal Bad KleinKirchheim became the first Green Key awarded holiday park in Austria. The management and staff worked very hard to comply with the criteria and are very proud to get the international recognition.

Sustainability and responsible entrepreneurship are the back bone of Landal Bad Kleinkirchhheim. As a holiday park located in the middle of nature they felt the increasing need to work more sustainable. To comply with the criteria they had to undertake some changes to reduce the water and energy use, always keeping the guests’ comfort in mind.  

Next to technical adaptations such as water pressure reducing valves, the management also took a look at the ‘work processes’ in the establishment. Together with staff they set up an action plan to reduce water and energy use by several behavioral changes.

‘This process raised awareness in the different departments of the establishment,’ says Georg Makoru, General Manager Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim.

As Austria has no national organisation running the Green Key programme, Landal has made an agreement with FEE to certify the parks in Austria according to German criteria. The site will be managed by Green Key International.  

The Dutch company Landal Green Parks are planning to certify all their 76 holiday parks in 7 countries with Green Key.

More information about Landal Green Parks www.landal.nl

Green Key Netherlands and WearEver launch first 100% renewable suits at Green Key Award Ceremony 2016

On 4 February 2016 Green Key Netherlands welcomed 640 establishments at the annual Green Key award ceremony. At the ceremony the new label WearEver presented their collection of 100% recyclable suits for men and women. 

Green Key site owner receives certificate from Green Key Chairman Derk Jan Verstand surrounded by models from WearEver. 

Green Key site owners from all over the Netherlands gathered at the Green Key awarded animal park Apenheul in Appeldoorn to receive their award and celebrate their environmental  achievements. The grand finale of the day was a fashion show launching the new line of 100% recyclable  corporate clothes for men and women from the new label WearEver.

The founders of the circular corporate wear brands, Persu and Dutch Awearness, joined forces and designed a high quality collection of suits for men and women. The suits are made from Infinity, a 100% polyester fabric that feels like premium wool. Infinity is 100% renewable. Thanks to the use of a circular system there is no waste, 50% reduction of water and 20 % reduction of energy consumption to produce the suits. Through their own track and trace system for circular economy, Circula Content Management System, Dutch Awareness checks if the circle is really closed. Dutch Awareness is also responsble of making the recycled clothes into new cororate wear.

Erik van Dijk, Green Key national operator: ‘Green Key Netherlands is very happy with this innovation. We see that more and more participants of the programme are really focusing on ‘sustainability and are searching for products to help them with this.’

Starwood makes strong progress on sustainability goals

Green Key partner Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced its progress to date on its 30/20 by 20 environmental goals. Green Key is happy to assist Starwood in achieving these goals. 

Le Meridien Piccadilly, London. Green key awarded since 2012

The global hotel company says it has reduced energy use by 12.08%, carbon emissions by 16.07% and water use by 17.26% across all its owned, managed and franchised properties from 2008 through 2014.

Starwood’s environmental goals were launched in 2009 and pledge to cut energy use by 30% and water use by 20% by 2020 globally. In 2013 the company added a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 30% during the same timeframe.

Making the announcement Ken Siegel, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Head of Global Citizenship at Starwood said, “We’re pleased with the progress and are encouraged by the reductions we made while maintaining an aggressive global growth strategy. Our 30/20 by 20 goals challenge us to create short and long-term programs and partnerships that protect the environment, reduce operating costs, enhance the guest experience and make sustainable upgrades possible for properties.”

Starwood are using tools like the HCMI to measure and reduce their carbon emissions, as well as working with properties, to apply low-cost initiatives like switching to high-efficiency LED lighting and low-flow bathroom fixtures and taps as well as capital improvements that include improving or replacing various mechanical systems. In most properties, operational initiatives account for around one-third of the progress towards 30/20 by 20 goals and are projected to save US$1 billion across the company’s portfolio in less than 10 years. Capital improvements and partnerships that bring innovative, renewable, and efficient technologies like solar power, help reinforce the remaining reductions to-date.

The full article can be read here. 

Green Key present at the international tourism fair, FITUR

Ana Perez Montero, National Operator of Green Key in Spain attended Fitur 2016, one of the most famous tourism fairs worldwide held in Madrid in January.

The Spanish Hotel Technology Institute, together with UNWTO yearly organises conferences and roundtables for stakeholders under the name FiturGreen. This year the theme of FiturGreen was "Renewing Tourism" and the main issue was sustainable tourism. It is interesting to remember that 2017 will be the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

A very interesting European project for hotels was presented: “Nearly Zero Energy Hotels” with hotels participating all over Europe, from rural to urban hotels with different energy saving strategies. The project states that hotels may reduce up to 70% of their energy consumption. One of the actions that some hotels have taken to reduce energy consumption is removing minibars in rooms. More information about the project can be found at: www.nezeh.eu.

Future Green Key criteria might recommend such initiatives as well as further recognising awarded establishments using at least a percentage of renewable energy.

Some interesting examples on how hoteliers can collaborate with public entities in sustainability issues were shown during the event, especially those located near protected areas that also consider that a well protected environment is an attraction for visitors.

Green Key award to first Kenyan hotel: Radisson Blu Nairobi

Radisson Blu Hotel located in Upper Hill, Nairobi was recently launched and awarded the Green Key Certificate.

The East African flagship hotel is the latest hotel within the Radisson Hotel Group to be opened, out of the 31 properties spread across the African continent.  The grand opening event was held on 22 January 2016. 

Prior to the opening, the Radisson Blu hotel in Nairobi had been working hard to achieve the Green Key certification. Ronny Fuss, the Executive Assistant commented: “Being a new hotel, we had both the opportunity and responsibility to put in place an elaborate and detailed energy saving project encompassing the latest modern energy saving systems. Among other initiatives we have implemented is the lighting system which exclusively runs on energy-saving bulbs, as well as the installation of solar panels for water heating.”

Green Key’s partner, SGS, was in charge of conducting the onsite audit of the hotel prior to the award. Solomon Onyango from the SGS Affiliate office in Kenya, said: “I am impressed with the environmental initiatives implemented at Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi. I would especially like to commend them for the general design of the building to use natural lighting, plus the concept and establishment of the green wall.” 

Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Green Key Director, added: “We are really happy to be able to welcome the first hotel in Kenya with the Green Key. Knowing the outcome of the audit, it is our belief that the hotel will be a fantastic ambassador for other hotels in sub-Sahara Africa wishing to work with their environmental and sustainability standards.”  

Green Key hotels highlighted in the databases of Expedia, Inc.

The agreement between Expedia, Inc. and Green Key has taken effect by 1 January 2016. As part of the cooperation, Green Key will on a regular basis send the list of Green Key awarded properties to Expedia, Inc.

Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Green Key Director, says: “I am proud to announce the cooperation. When searching for accommodation via the websites of Expedia, Inc., everyone will now have the possibility to look for Green Key awarded establishments that have been working hard on lowering their environmental footprint.”

El Khorbat Hotel & Restaurant – Saving the heritage through Ecotourism

El Khorbat Hotel & Restaurant in Morocco is located in an ancient fortified ksar (castle) which was built in the nineteenth century. The manager and staff have worked very hard and still do to make their business as sustainable as possible by focusing on the environment, community and cultural heritage. 

The responsible tourism project was set up by three partners, Ahmed Ben Amar, Joan Castellana and Roger Mimó, in an attempt to improve the lives of the inhabitants of the village El Khorbat and to develop a sustainable oasis.

The castle was restored by a local organisation with financial help from the College for Architecture Techniques from Barcelona respecting old techniques and the authenticity of the building.

The management has an impressive set of environmental and social actions in place to ensure the protection of the rich cultural and historical heritage.

Environmental actions

-          Placing low energy consuming light bulbs

-          Using renewable energy (sun energy) to heat water

-          Recycling the waste

-          Planting indigenous plants

-          Encouraging guests to use a carriage or bike to visit touristic sites

-          Educating guests

Social actions

-          All 14 employees are from the local community

-          Encouraging women to participate in the project

-          Building a daycare center for preschool children

-          Repairing the irrigation canals in the village

-          Building a polyvalent center for the village

On top of an already very impressive list, El Khorbat Hotel organises different cultural activities to let their guests experience the rich folklore.

SGS represents Green Key at APAC Hotel Management summit in Shanghai

SGS, the world’s largest auditing company, and Green Key partner since 2014 promoted the Green Key programme at the APAC Management summit in Shangai on 19 November 2015. 

SGS was invited to attend the APAC Hotel Management & Technology Summit in Shanghai on November 19, 2015 to share its experience and expertise in this sector. The aim of the event was to share information about new technologies and how to enhance operations to drive growth in hospitality. More than 150 delegates joined the summit from travel and hospitality providers, including major hotel brands.

In his speech, Peter Hvidberg shared the latest trends in hospitality, introduced the risks that exist in the industry and ways for businesses to protect their brands. At the same time, he also shared case studies on how SGS has helped hotels to enhance their operations. Peter’s speech attracted participants’ attention and they were quite impressed with SGS’s one stop services for safety, service, sustainability and security.

At the SGS stand, SGS staff promoted the Green Key programme, providing information about the requirements and advantages of the eco-label.