Excellent customer service culture in the hotel industry and maintaining friendly cost along with sustainable eco-friendly ideas is the key to success in the hospitality industry. This article details six eco-friendly hotel ideas that will not only reduce operational costs, but provide other benefits as well.
Reduce Plastic Waste
Plastic waste is the most visible environmental problem of our times, with about eight million metric tons of plastic in the oceans each year. There are several ways to reduce plastic waste and make your establishment more eco-friendly by:
- Reducing the use of plastics in your hotel such as water bottles, straws, and coffee lids
- Encouraging your guests to bring their own reusable plastics
- Providing filtered water dispensers throughout your hotel
- Replacing plastic packaging for amenities with biodegradable options such as soap bars, shampoo bars, and other toiletries
- Looking for sustainable products that are packaged in glass or aluminum cans materials that can be recycled
Automation for Conservation of Water and Energy
By automating systems such as lights, air conditioning, water usage, and waste management, you can reduce operational costs by saving energy and reducing water consumption. Automated lighting systems can be used to turn off lights in rooms and corridors to ensure that the lights are not on when they’re not needed, thus saving energy and money.
Nowadays, installation of automated faucets are found in every public restroom such as malls, theaters, and airports. These automated faucets have built-in sensors that produce out water automatically only in the sense of a user’s hands. This is a convenient way of saving water especially when you have inconsistent guests.
Automated air conditioning systems can be set to maintain a certain temperature in rooms and public areas, and to shut off when not in use. Automatic shut-off valves can be installed in showers to ensure the water does not run for too long. Sensors can be installed in toilets to detect when there is a leak to save water and money.
Use Solar Power
By utilizing solar power, you can significantly reduce the amount of electricity you are using from traditional sources and save on monthly utility bills. Hotels can utilize solar power to benefit their operations such as installing solar panels on the roof of the building or integrating solar thermal systems for heating and cooling.
Solar energy is a great way to make your hotel more attractive to eco-friendly travelers. Many travelers are looking for hotels that offer green features such as solar energy to improve the hotel’s reputation and bring in more guests. Installing solar power is a long-term investment with great returns. While the initial cost may seem high, it will be offset over time by savings on utility bills. Consider hiring Chariot Energy to save on electricity bills by utilizing solar power energy.
Invest in Green Energy
Installing green energy sources also helps hotels earn extra income through the sale of surplus energy. One way to invest in green energy is to install photovoltaic systems. PV systems use the sun’s energy to generate electricity, which can be used to power the hotel’s lights, air-conditioning, and other devices that reduce electricity bills as well as carbon emissions.
Solar water heaters are powered by the sun’s energy that is used to heat water for various purposes. Hotels can use this hot water for their showers, laundry, and swimming pools to reduce the hotel’s energy bills since the water is heated without electricity. Other green energy sources such as geothermal energy is produced from the earth’s heat and can be used to heat a hotel’s interior.
Use Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting systems can help reduce the amount of water you need to purchase from the city. Rainwater harvesting involves collecting and storing rainwater from rooftops, and other catchment surfaces. The collected water can be used for various purposes such as watering gardens, flushing toilets, and car washing.
Rainwater harvesting not only helps in reducing water consumption but also helps to reduce runoff and flooding risks in the area. Hotels should invest in setting up a rainwater harvesting system to take advantage of this cost-saving technique. For instance, installing rainwater harvesting tanks and rain barrels in outdoor areas like the garden can be a great way to store rainwater that can be used later.
Endnote
By investing in solar energy, conservation of rainwater, and using green energy can be one of the strategies to combat climatic change and reduce the impacts of environmental effects.
