Radisson Blu Frankfurt trials low carbon energy tech

The Green Key awarded Radisson Blu Frankfurt is becoming a low carbon hotel that will generate its own energy.

In partnership with the energy company E.ON, the hotel is setting new standards for sustainability in the industry via a recently installed fuel cell.

The fuel cell offers a huge advantage over conventional power generation systems as they generate electricity and heat in a non-combustion process which is virtually absent of pollutants such as nitrous oxide or fine dust particles. The use of fuel cell technology allows the Radisson Blu Frankfurt to generate a large share of the energy needed to run the hotel free of emissions.

With more than 400 rooms and suites the hotel has enormous energy needs which had previously been supplied entirely by the power grid. Starting in late summer 2017, the fuel cells will supply about three gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity and two GWh of heat to the hotel. The highly efficient technology also allows the Radisson Blu to reduce CO2 emissions by about 600 tons a year. This amount is equal to the CO2 emissions from 50,000 cars driving 100 kilometers.

Inge Huijbrechts, Vice President of Responsible Business at the Radisson Hotel Group said, “We are proud to help carry out such a pioneering project - the first of its kind in Europe. The project will help expand our innovative sustainability work and bring us an important step closer to achieving our ambitious Think Planet goal of reducing the CO2 consumption in our hotels by another 10 percent by 2020.”

E.ON believes there is enormous potential energy savings in the hotel industry: energy intensive processes such as heating water, lighting and cooling mean that a hotel requires substantial amounts of electricity and heat throughout the entire year. Compared to office buildings, the hotel industry has relatively high energy costs – on average between 5 and 10 percent of total operating revenue.

It’s estimated the German hotel industry alone emits about five million tons of CO2 annually. It’s an issue the world’s leading hotel groups including Radisson Hotel Grup are taking seriously and tackling together through collaborative work with the International Tourism Partnership.

At the same time, sustainability is becoming ever more important for hotel guests. Karsten Wildberger, member of the Executive Board at E.ON SE said, “The continuous growth in the hotel industry makes it an important market for E.ON's energy solutions business. Innovative energy solutions such as fuel cells can supply added value for hotels, as they significantly lower energy costs and dramatically increase environmental friendliness – up to the point of being climate neutral.”

The project is also receiving additional support of in total 800,541 Euros through the “National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Program” from the Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. The National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW) GmbH is sponsoring the project with the goal of developing and marketing internationally competitive hydrogen and fuel cell technology products. FuelCell Energy Solutions will supply the fuel cells for the project and monitor the project remotely together with E.ON, to help make sure the system runs as efficiently as possible.

You can find more energy and low carbon solutions for hotels on the website of Green Hotelier.

Source and acknowledgement: Green Hotelier

Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Sofia is using 100% green energy

Since July 2016, Green Key awarded Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Sofia (Bulgaria) is using only electricity, produced entirely by renewable, environmentally friendly energy sources.

The Agency of Sustainable Energy Development issued a certificate on the basis of guarantees of origin which was recently presented to the general manager of the hotel - Andrea Kaiser, by a representative of EnergoPro, the electricity supplier. EnergoPro is the only company in Bulgaria which could issue such certificate. 

Besides using only energy, produced entirely from renewable sources, Park Inn Sofia is using LED lighting almost everywhere in the property. The hotel has installed motion sensors in corridors and at the back of house areas. Recently the solar-thermal installation on the roof of the hotel was renewed and upgraded so that it can function also in a winter mode.

Talking Point: Hotels can help people reconnect with food

People need to reconnect with their food and hotels can play a part via sustainable purchasing according to Professor Chris Elliott, professor of food safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast.

When thinking about sustainable purchasing for food, I would urge hoteliers to consider these three questions:

• Does it matter where in the world our food is grown/produced?
• Does it matter what type of agriculture systems are employed to produce the food?
• Does it matter that there is a disconnect between citizens and where their food comes from?

We source our food from the four corners of the world. In many cases we do not know the production cost implications or indeed the security implications of our purchasing decisions. How willing are you to pay for ethical cocoa? Fairtrade costs more therefore it is less competitive, but can we afford not to factor moral and sustainable considerations into our supply chain?

There’s a need for a new approach to food production and an urgent need for people to reconnect with their food. Catering and the wider hospitality industry is affected by the complex global food supply system. For consumers this has had a massive negative impact on their ability to understand and indeed care where our food comes from.

Many countries battle a growing dependency on imported food. In the UK our agriculture and food industries are being sacrificed to keep food prices low, provide consumer choice and maintain political stability. Our agriculture industry does not always compete on a level playing field.

Compare a map of the bread baskets of the world; the places where we currently source much of our food with a map of global slavery. Sadly the concurrence of these areas with food leads to the inescapable conclusion that there is major potential for organised crime in food and our supply chains. As responsible businesses, hotels need to consider this.

Having strict regulations is important to protect many attributes of a high integrity food system such as workers’ rights, animal welfare and to ensure our food is safe. But in the highly complex global food supply system, to be able to say these standards are met by all exporting countries, is not really possible. Putting it simply, working to lower standards means a lower cost base, and results in products which are much more competitively priced. Those in charge are not considering the UK’s – or many other countries’ - long-term food security needs.

We are importing large amounts of food ingredients and commodities. These are often from complex supply chains. This leaves us highly vulnerable to the growing menace of food fraud, which is being orchestrated more and more frequently by organised criminal networks.

Using modern computing technologies will allow us to build libraries of ‘food fingerprints’ enabling testing for fraud to be conducted within a few seconds, to help defend the integrity of the world’s food supply system, but there are simpler, shorter-term solutions.

Meanwhile there is a growing ‘disconnect’ between people and their knowledge of where their food comes from. The causes are complex and government, the food industry and educators have responsibilities to address this major societal problem. Hoteliers can also play a part by examining their supply chains and making purchasing decisions with sustainability in mind. Promoting local produce and locally sourced products becomes a selling point for the responsible hotelier.

We should seek to get back to basics, to grow more of our own food – supporting local producers and even growing within the hotel grounds - and to remove the multiple steps from food production to consumption. But at the same time aiming to keep food available and affordable.

These seemingly simple and obvious statements are hugely difficult to achieve but nonetheless hugely important to work towards. We must inspire the next generation to tackle these challenges, and we can do that by leading by example.

This Talking Point was part of a presentation at The City Food Lecture 2017.

Source and acknowledgement: Green Hotelier

First Green Key awarded hotel in Ireland

The Sandymount Hotel in Dublin is the first Green Key awarded establishment in Ireland, raising the number of participating countries to 55!

Green Key is pleased to announce that the Sandymount Hotel in Dublin, Ireland received the Green Key awarded for its environmental and social performance. The family run hotel is located just 10 minutes from Dublin city centre, 5 minutes from the 3 Arena and 14km from the airport. The Sandymount Hotel especially scored with its recycling system, its rainwater collection and its in-house Green Team which consist of representatives from each staff department to ensure a holistic approach towards sustainability in the establishment. Green Key also welcomed the initiative of the hotel to offer guests a voucher for the bar if they choose to opt out of the bed linen exchange. 

Green Key awarded manors in Estonia offer guests a unique sustainability experience

Sagadi Manor and Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa are located in Lahemaa National Park in the northern part of Estonia, and both establishments have sustainability as a natural and integrated part of the offers for their guests.

Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa, photo: Finn Bolding Thomsen

Besides accommodation, both manors offer a variety of possibilities. At Sagadi Manor there is both a hotel and a hostel, and the main building is offered as conference facility. The complex also has Estonian Forest Museum and a nature school. At Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa, there is besides the accommodation as well facilities for conferences, various leisure activities (including eco-farm) and a spa area.

Both manors have sustainability well integrated into their business. Rooms have energy efficient light bulbs, water saving devices in taps and showers, well organised recycling facilities, etc. The restaurants in the two establishments use locally produced herbs and vegetables, and they offer berries, mushrooms and meat from the local forests.  On the menu card, you can therefore order white wine made from locally produced apples and eat wild boar sustainably hunted from the forests.

The guests are offered many possibilities for experiencing the nature surrounding the manors. Vihula Manor have the possibility for families to sail on the small lakes by the manor, while Sagadi Manor offers guided night walks into the forests. From both establishments it is possible to rent bicycles to reach the nearby coastline through the national park. 

Sagadi Manor, photo: Toomas Tuul

Green Key present at ITB in Berlin

From 8-11 March Green Key visited the annual tourism fair ITB in Berlin to meet with partners and to follow the latest trends and developments in tourism. 

Green Key attended the ITB to meet new and existing partners and to promote the programme among interested tourism establishments from all around the world. Green Key also took place in the annual Responsible Tourism Networking Event at the ITB where practitioners and sustainable tourism enthusiasts gather to present best practices and exchange ideas. 

As The United Nations General Assembly has declared this year as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, many activities and presentations at the ITB were dedicated to this topic. 

El Gran Sueño, first B&B awarded with Green Key in Asturias, Spain

El Gran Sueño is a 5 room small accommodation for adults surrounded by mountains and green fields. They are committed to UN's Sustainable Development Goals, especially to the goals concerning "responsible consumption & production" and "climate action"

Some of the actions they are taking include:

Waste Management

They have been lobbying towards the local council to ensure more local recycling points so that the neighbours to the B&B can also recycle their waste.

Sensible and sustainable use of land

El Gran Sueño is planning to increase the number of fruit trees and add a vegetable garden with fruits and vegetables. By doing so the B&B aims at making better use of the land and increase the sustainability by reducing the need to purchase fruits and vegetables from suppliers.

Continue to buy energy for a 100% renewable energy company

The B&B buys electricity from Gesternova, a company that is committed to produce electricity from 100% renewable energy.

Long-term development of new self-production of energy

The future development plan includes the expansion of their own self-generating electricity capability by installing solar panels and a back-up Tesla battery system.

Research  supply chain

The establishment has an active environmental policy choosing suppliers carefully after researching their commitment to sustainable activities. Where possible, El Gran Sueño aims to educate its supply chain about the policies and commitments of the establishment. 

"Know How Guides" on sustainability on the Green Hotelier website

The International Tourism Partnership has prepared a range of "Know How Guides" within the field of sustainability. The guides can be found on the Green Hotelier website as free resources

As part of the International Tourism Partnership, a charitable membership organisation working with leading hotel groups for increased sustainability in the industry, it is part of their remit to help all hoteliers around the world improve their social and environmental programmes as responsible businesses.

To that end, the industry leading manuals Environmental Management for Hotels and Sustainable Siting, Construction and Design remain completely free to download, and hoteliers can frequently find great tips and advice from their peers via the Industry Leader interviews and our Best Practice Case Studies.

But the "Know How Guides" are consistently the most visited pages, so here is an overview of the top ten most popular "Know How Guides" on the Green Hotelier website.

10. Environmental Awareness and Training
A company can have the most ambitious environmental policy, but unless staff understand the philosophy behind it, the goals they are aiming for and how to achieve them, it will not be successful. Good intentions are undermined through poor training. This guide offers simple steps to raising staff awareness of sustainability issues and how to incorporate it into the training regime.

9. Addressing Human Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry
The sector is becoming increasingly aware of the risk of human trafficking and the responsibilities to reduce it. The Know How Guide was updated this year and it offers a comprehensive run down of the issue and how to tackle it.

8. Sourcing Sustainable Food in Hotels
Guests are increasingly aware of food provenance and often have a desire to consume more responsibly so the supply chains are under more scrutiny than ever. This guide examines why more hotels are switching to sustainable food policies and walks you through how to create a policy of your own.

7. Sustainable Interior Design
“As consumers become more environmentally and socially aware about the choices they make so hoteliers are responding by creating eco-aware hotel interiors that they hope will attract a new generation of responsible guests.” When Green Hotelier originally posted this Guide back in 2011, guests making responsible travel choices was a pretty new thing. Nowadays whole brands are built around the idea that tourists want to reduce their negative impact when travelling. Want to understand the guiding principles to sustainable interior design? This one’s for you.

6. Environmental Management for Hotels
Not actually one of the "Know How Guides", but this industry-leading manual still stands out for its practical advice. Ten downloadable chapters provide hotels and related businesses with the knowledge and means to develop practical solutions to 'green' their operations both inside and out. Everything you ever needed to know at your fingertips.

5. Furniture, Fixtures and Fittings
All furniture, fixtures and fittings have socio-economic and environmental impacts associated with their manufacture, use and disposal. By considering these issues as part of the purchasing process, the overall environmental impact can be readily used and make a positive contribution to sustainability. This Guide outlines the issue and all the reasons why a hotel might seek to source sustainable furniture, fixtures and fittings.

4. Energy Efficiency in the Kitchen
Aside from HVAC, the kitchen is probably a hotel’s most energy hungry utility, so striving for greater efficiency is not only good for the environment, it makes good business sense too. Start off by measuring the energy use (Green Hotelier built a tool for that – it’s also free!) and then use this guide to find all the ways you can drive that carbon footprint down in the kitchen.

3. Simple steps to reducing energy
Everyone talks about ‘low-hanging fruit’ when it comes to making energy savings, but if you are just setting out on your sustainability journey, it can be hard to know where to start. This short article is not actually a "Know How Guide" but its popularity with the readers shows that when people need help getting started, it sometimes pays to start small. To better understand how the hotel’s energy use checks out compared with the average for the destination, why not do a quick benchmark comparison using the Hotel Footprints website?

2. Water Management and Responsibility in Hotels
Increasingly, water stewardship is being seen as the number one issue hotels need to tackle, particularly in water stressed areas where guests may be using up to ten times the daily amount of water that is typical for local people. It is really essential that hotels understand their water use, measure it (Green Hotelier built a free tool for that too!) and then work to reduce it. ITP worked with SIWI to better understand the water risk issues for hotels and you can read the Water Risk Assessment report here. Then use this Guide to take steps to manage consumption in the property.

1. Reducing and Managing Food Waste in Hotels
And – drumroll please – the most popular "Know How Guide" in 2016 was this look at the issue of food waste and how to cut back on those bins going off to landfill. In an unequal world where many do not have enough to eat, food waste is a hot topic for hoteliers to grapple with. Plus it just makes no business sense to pay to throw away food due to poor stock management or that could be put to better use in a new dish. If a hotel needs a better handle on its food waste, the Guide gives you a handy action plan for tackling this meaty problem.

Do not forget this is not the complete list of the many useful Know How Guides in Green Hotelier, so do check out other pages and other handy free resources.

Source and acknowledgement: Green Hotelier

Orbital Systems and Green Key enter a collaboration agreement

With Orbital Systems being a producer of innovative water saving solutions for showers and other water using devices, and Green Key has water saving as central component in its criteria, both entities are very excited about the new partnership.

Orbital Systems is the global leader in domestic water savings, distributing water recirculating systems that filter mineral and biological impurities out of lightly-used water to dramatically cut energy and water consumption.

Orbital Systems has implemented its own developed and patented real-time water recycling technology in the company’s first product, the shower. In the shower, the water from the drain is collected, purified and looped back to be re-used, enabling radical water- and energy savings; up to 90% of the water and 80% of the heating energy is saved, compared to conventional showers.

Orbital Systems’ vision is to create a new paradigm in daily water usage with the goal to solve the number one global risk to our current home planet being lacking access to fresh water.

Inspired by a design project at NASA focused on Mars Missions in collaboration with Lund’s University, Mehrdad Mahdjoubi founded Orbital Systems with this vision in mind; to change the way we see and use water in our daily lives and by default decrease the excessive waste today’s consumption generates, ensuring long-term access to fresh water on earth.

Henrik Ehlers, European Sales Director from Orbital Systems, says: ”Orbital Systems’ showers are a natural fit with Green Key goals. Our technology only needs a few litres, compared to the many litres wasted in regular showers. And it’s perfect for hotels, gyms, swimming pools and the like because those few litres are delivered at a steady flow, pressure and temperature—a high-comfort shower guests can enjoy as long as they like without all the environmental and financial costs of a legacy shower. We’re excited about this partnership, and look forward to working with Green Key on improving the environmental footprint of the world’s hotels.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Green Key Director, adds: “I am really impressed with the new innovative techniques developed by Orbital Systems allowing a significant recycling of water in the showers. Orbital Systems’ shower systems lead to a clear reduction in the use of water and energy which fits very well with the requirements in the Green Key criteria.”

For more information about Orbital Systems, please visit https://www.orbital-systems.com.