31 minute read
NEWS
from Hotel Scotland 34
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A GREEN ESCAPE AT THE BLYTHSWOOOD
The Kimpton Blythswood Hotel in Glasgow has created ‘La Chambre Verte’ a unique, immersive hotel room experience filled with nature combining the theory of biophilic design with CBD rituals, meditation and sound therapy .
In a Scottish first, the hotel teamed up with luxury CBD skincare brand, La Rue Verte, leading horticulturalists, Benholm and award-winning DJ, Brian D’Souza to create an exclusive multisensory hotel room journey.
Connecting people to nature through biophilic design is a concept that dates back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. As it became clear in 2020, access to green spaces is vital for maintaining a healthy mind and body. With an estimated 70% of the world’s population living in cities by the year 2050, bringing nature to urban spaces is more and more essential to our well-being.
Echoing the practice of forestbathing, an ancient Japanese process of relaxation, La Chambre Verte encourages guests to unwind in the green space of their hotel room, while observing nature’s beauty; to feel stress levels reduced happiness increased, and importantly, have a better night’s sleep.
CRIEFF HYDRO GIVES ITS SUPPORT TO RESPITALITY
Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels has pledged its support to Shared Care Scotland’s Respitality initiative – which coincided with Carers Week 2021. Respitality facilitates complimentary short breaks from routine for unpaid carers put forward by carers organisations.These donated breaks have proven to be vital for both unpaid carers physical and mental health and wellbeing too. Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels is supporting the project by donating bed and breakfast stays at all eight hotels in its portfolio, 50 family passes to Glen’s Adventure Park at Crieff Hydro Hotel and a group two-hour Gin School experience at 1881 Distillery in Peebles. Nic Oldham, Head of Customer and Commercial at Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said, “Thanks to the geographical spread of our properties, we can reach and support families across Scotland with a variety of breaks. We hope our donation will allow many unpaid carers the opportunity to take time for themselves and recharge.” Kerry Donaghy, Respitality Scotland Coordinator, added, “Covid-19 has impacted on many, not least unpaid carers, where its estimated that one in five people in Scotland are now providing support for a loved one. With many support services still not operating at full capacity, the pressure on unpaid carers is heavier than ever which is why short breaks are so important. “The tourism industry has also taken a massive hit due to Covid-19, so to be offered such a generous package of breaks from Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, particularly when they are still in the recovery period, will mean the world to unpaid carers who need these regular and energising breaks to help them continue caring.” Funded by the Scottish Government and supported by local businesses, the project currently operates in 19 local authority areas in Scotland.
VEGA IS REVEALED AT YOTEL GLASGOW
VEGA, Glasgow’s newest bar, restaurant and bowling alley, situated on the top floor of the YOTEL Glasgow, will open next month.
Designed specifically for the Instagram set, the unique 13,700sq. ft, rooftop setting transports guests into an era inspired by Glasgow’s music scene and British pop culture with a distinctly ‘space-age’ vibe. Neon lighting creates a glamorous glow against the bold interiors throughout the stunning space.
Turning the fun up a notch, the venue also boasts a striking four-lane bowling alley, neon-lit and complete with state-of-the-art interactive light shows - perfect for date nights, celebrations and big group outings. The venue can also be hired for exclusive private events with a semi-private VIP area also available.
Euan Wilson, Manager at VEGA said: “We’re hugely excited to be leading the way with a totally new and fresh concept for Glasgow, there’s really nothing quite like us. With its bold design, epic food and drink offering and vibrant programming, we’re bringing fun to Glasgow in a uniquely VEGA way.”
PIERHOUSE HOTEL LINKS UP WITH SEA TOUR OPERATOR
The Wee Hotel Company’s Pierhouse Hotel and Seafood Restaurant at Port Appin have teamed up with an Oban-based sea tour operator Coastal Connection to provide guided tours of the region’s coastline and Island. The guided tours will depart from the Pierhouse in Appin and from Oban harbour from this month. Private charter full day trips to Tobermory, Mull or Coll will offer families and groups of up to 12 passengers the opportunity to see harbour seals, basking sharks, minke whales, porpoise, otters and dolphins, as well as Glensanda Super Quarry and Duart Castle. Two-hour trips around the island of Lismore are also offered. Fiona Maclean, General Manager of The Pierhouse Hotel, said, “Wide-open coastal locations and fresh, clean sea air will be top of the list for people in search of a short break as soon as travel restrictions are lifted, so our new partnership with Coastal Connection will offer our guests a fresh view of the breathtaking Argyll coastline, including Lismore, Mull, Tobermory and Coll. “Tour guides are a vital part of the visitor experience in Scotland. Their informed local knowledge and personal connection helps to provide a bespoke experience while understanding the needs of both local people and the wider Scottish environment.”
Innovative initiative sees Ten Hill Place give 10% to employees and HIT
Edinburgh hotel, Ten Hill Place, which is operated by Surgeons Quarter and owned by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, has come up with an innovative two-night package to attract customers, benefit staff and the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) too.
The £299 Scotcation deal includes a twonight stay for two, a £100 food and drink voucher, as well as Red Bus tickets. Customers would typically expect to spend a third more on the deal.
Ten percent of the revenue generated will go directly to employees of the Old Town hotel as a gratuity, while an additional 10% will go to the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland’s ‘Emerging Talent of The Industry’ scholarship, which encourages the development of anyone working or studying in the heavily-hit sector.
Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Surgeons Quarter, (pictured above) said,“With the hospitality sector reopening, we are eager to give something back to the industry which, like many, has had an extremely difficult and uncertain year.
“Our ‘Scotcation’ package offers guests a two-night stay with a host of additional extras to help them explore the city to its fullest – while also boosting the earnings of our staff, all of whom have suffered financially over the past year.
“We felt it was only right our package benefited the sector as a whole and as a result 10% of the cost will be donated to HIT Scotland’s scholarship programme helping to develop emerging talent.
“HIT Scotland has done so much for our industry throughout the last year, so we are delighted to be giving back.
“Nine of our own team members benefitted from these scholarships over the past year and as is the case with many charities normal fundraising routes are currently not available therefore we want to support the future of scholarships by assisting in this way.
David Cochrane MBE, Chief Executive at HIT Scotland, said: “The support from Surgeons Quarter has been welcomed with open arms and the Trust is extremely grateful for this kind offering.
“Hospitality has been hit hard by the pandemic, however we have faith that through innovative offerings like the Scotcation, we will bounce back stronger than ever.
“The revenue donated will go directly towards our scholarship programme which is dedicated to developing emerging talent and will help future generations learn the skills required for a career in the industry.”
NEW ERA FOR ABERDEEN’S ARDOE HOUSE AS 7H TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT
Ardoe House Hotel & Spa in Aberdeen, which went into administration late last year, has re-opened under the management of Perth-based 7 Hospitality Management (7H)
The historic, four-star hotel which has been a favourite wedding and function location since the late 1940s was previously run by hotel group Mercure. Chris Hodgens reprises his role for 7H as Hotel Manager.
Commenting on the re-opening he said, “The hotel is the subject of much affection, both locally and much, much further afield and it goes without saying that we are delighted to be re-opening the hotel.
With our first tour operator arriving later this month and a major conference taking place within the hotel in August, we look forward to showcasing the hotel in the light its best known for and we also look forward to welcoming locals back to our bar, outside terrace and restaurant.
The hotel has confirmed that all event bookings made prior to closure, and for which deposits had been paid, will be honoured over the coming year.
Under 7H, the hotel and its grounds will undergo a two-phase redevelopment. The first, which will include investment in hotel infrastructure, guest rooms and public areas which will be followed by a second, longerterm development plan which will focus on the estate in which the hotel is situated. Rekha Sohun, Chief Commercial Officer of 7H said, “We are excited to be bringing Ardoe House Hotel & Spa back to life.
“By reopening Ardoe’s doors to the public, as well as providing almost 70 jobs and additional supplier opportunities to local individuals and companies, we are reflecting the more positive times we find ourselves in and we look forward to developing this Aberdeen institution as we protect its future.”
FIVE STAR AA RATING FOR THE GLENCOE INN
The Glencoe Inn has been awarded a 5-star rating by the AA. The accreditation follows a £500,000 investment and refurbishment which includes new-look bedrooms and outdoor areas as well as a refreshed food and drink offering.
The exceptional quality of the inn’s breakfast service was noted and it was granted the AA Breakfast Award, in recognition of the use of fresh, high-quality local produce. The Glencoe Inn team’s world-class hospitality, which embodies the true ‘Spirit of Scotland’, also left an impression.
Chris Wayne-Wills, CEO of Crerar Hotels, who own the hotel, said, “We’re thrilled that the Glencoe Inn has been given an official AA five-star rating, as well as an AA Breakfast Award. Our intentions behind the significant investment was always to improve and upgrade to offer guests an outstanding experience, so to receive the rating so soon after the results of our refurbishment were unveiled makes it even more special. “It really is a five-star getaway in a worldclass location, and we’re delighted the AA inspection recognised this – as well as our excellent Scottish hospitality.
“It is also a testament to the fantastic team here at Glencoe, led by General Manager Mark Ussher, and the work they put in each day to giving guests a truly first-class experience.” Mark Ussher, General Manager of the Glencoe Inn, said, “Myself and the team are over the moon to receive such fantastic news off the back of our latest AA inspection. To become the only official five-star rated business in the area is quite an achievement, but really reflects the significant investment and work that has gone into creating a superior quality boutique accommodation for guests.”
CAMERON HOUSE COUNTS DOWN TO RE-OPENING
Cameron House has unveiled its new meeting, incentive, and conference event offering (MICE) as it prepares to re-open on 1 August following its multi-million restoration project after the devastating fire at the end of 2017.
The addition to the hotel will feature a 7,345 sq ft ballroom with capacity for 350 guests and pre-function space with views of Loch Lomond due to open in January 2022.
The restoration project has added an extra 68 luxurious new bedrooms with the majority featuring large balconies with loch-facing views. This brings the resort’s total offering to 208 bedrooms, including 30 suites. As well as the new ballroom and pre-function spaces the resort includes private dining rooms along with a team of private chefs and three bars, The Great Scots Bar, The Tavern or The Lobby Bar.
Cerelle Gooding, Director of Sales at Cameron House Resort, said, “We are very excited to bring the new MICE offering to Cameron House. As one of the most sought-after event venues in the country, we’ve worked hard to ensure that our newly elevated meeting and event spaces offer a real sense of exclusivity, whilst also providing everything required to host a successful meeting or event..”
Apex Hotels is the country’s 19th best leisure and hospitality employer according to research by Best Companies, the specialists whose recognition programme is the standard for workplace engagement.
The independent, family-owned hotel operator also achieved a 2* accreditation off the back of the annual survey, which was completed by more than three quarters of staff – demonstrating improvement on the 1* accreditation achieved in 2020.
The group scored strongly across Best Companies’ 8 Factors of Engagement scoring framework, including My Team, Fair Deal, Leadership and Wellbeing.
The results highlighted an increase in employee wellbeing – up 6% on last year’s survey – thanks to initiatives such as the company wellness calendar, live executive Q&A sessions and a host of content made available via Apex’s employee app.
Danielle Ramsay, Head of Resourcing & Engagement for Apex Hotels, said, “We’re over the moon to not only receive a 2* accreditation from Best Companies, but also to be named nineteenth in the list of leisure and hospitality best companies to work for. The wellbeing of our teams is always a huge priority but has been even more of a focus given circumstances of the past year, so we’re delighted to see an improvement in scores on that front.
“The commitment of our staff across the business is clear to see and we couldn’t be prouder of how dedicated and engaged our workforce is.”
Jonathan Austin, CEO and Founder of Best Companies, said “Being named as a Best Company is something that organisations the length and breadth of the nation strive for - but only the very best achieve.”
Meanwhile Apex has also launched a ‘Help in Hand’ initiative, offering local community groups and businesses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Bath and London the use of a complimentary space.
They can take advantage of unused meetings and venue spaces as well as free Wi-Fi within Apex Hotels’ properties.
APEX HOTELS NAMED IN TOP 20 HOSPITALITY EMPLOYERS
Pet Bereavement leave included in Crerar Hotel employee benefits as group invests £1 million
Crerar Hotels has committed more than £1m towards attracting, retaining, and developing the best talent in order to tackle the ongoing hospitality industry recruitment crisis. This includes revamped employee benefits including contributions towards driving lessons, paid time off the day children start primary school, a compulsory day off on employees’ birthdays, and pet bereavement leave. believed to be a first for a hotel. The company has also launched the Crerar Academy with an ongoing investment of at least £250,000 per year.The Academy aims to support life-long learning and genuine career progression, giving employees the opportunity to receive the best training through university partners, access to industry body scholarships and a dedicated SVQ partnership to help staff gain formal qualifications.
Crerar Hotels CEO, Chris Wayne-Wills, said, “We’re coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic in a relatively fortunate position regarding our ability to invest in attracting and retaining talent. We planned meticulously for the impact Brexit was set to have on the industry’s workforce, so we are ahead of the game.
“There’s no doubt that the hospitality industry is in crisis when it comes to availability of skills – a crisis we have all met far sooner than expected due to the double impact of the pandemic and the fall-out of Brexit.
“In response, we’ve accelerated our plans that are focused on not only becoming an employer of choice within the Scottish hospitality industry but to become a first-choice employer regardless of sector.
“That’s why investment is so important. As a privately-owned company, we are committing more than £1 million to our people development plans at a time like this as we know there is nothing more valuable than our people.”
He continued, “The only real criteria we’re looking for in our employees is a commitment – to being authentic and the best possible version of themselves, so they can get exactly what they want from a career with us. Whether they’re testing the hospitality waters, looking to work their way up the industry ranks, or looking to turn their hand to something new in the later stages of life, we will help our teams learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. “Our industry-leading Academy will constantly develop to ensure the needs of our teams are met. As well as supporting long-term career progression, we also want to develop and nurture the next generation of hospitality talent through our apprenticeship programme – which is vital given the current levels of youth unemployment that has granted 16–24-yearolds the title of ‘Generation Covid’.
Black Sheep Hotels expands its offering across the Highlands
Black Sheep Hotels has unveiled eight new cabins, a new restaurant in Fort William and the construction of a unique bakery on the road to Skye.
The lodges have added an additional 19 bedrooms with six cabins at The Whispering Lodge and two cabins at the Cluanie Inn, which are to be launched shortly.
Inspired by the Highlands and built with timber, each cosy cabin has a different theme and come with outdoor patios, spacious living, dining, and open kitchen areas, gas fireplaces and barbeque facilities. Whilst the cabins are self-catering, they are also adjacent to the hotel to make full use of the restaurant facilities.
Over the past two years the group has also augmented its restaurant offering. It;s restaurants include Emily’s Byre, Lochside Brasserie and The Cluanie Bar and Kitchen and its popular Asian restaurant Tiger on the Wall in Inverness, which serves Indian and Oriental cuisine, and buoyed by the success of the latter the company is opening a second pop-up restaurant in the High Street in Fort William also called Tiger on the Wall. The restaurant will be open throughout the main tourist season and will close briefly in the autumn for a full refurbishment.
In another extension to its food and drink arm the Landour Bake House, opposite The Cluanie Inn, and styled as an old-fashioned bothy, will serve homemade cakes, pastries and sandwiches from recipes dating back to the 1890s.
SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY
ALASTAIR ROY OF ARO PROCUREMENT LOOKS AT THE ROLE PROCUREMENT HAS TO PLAY TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE DECISIONS AFFORDABLE
For more information on how best to approach post pandemic procurement in your business, contact alastair@arorocurement.com www. aroprocurement.com
The subject of sustainability might meet with a few groans, depending on your disposition, and for others it is the holy grail of how the world will thrive in the decades ahead, impacting everyone’s personal and professional lives. It is often perceived as expensive with sometimes intangible results and therefore, it is key to find ways of making sustainability strategies affordable and as a result, sustainable.
Despite the tumultuous past 18 months when surviving was and still is the name of the game, the sustainability drive is showing no sign of abating and in some ways it is perhaps the right time to find ways of embedding it at the centre of businesses to assist in the recovery. Most people have had time to think about how they wish to live their lives differently and have seen all too clearly the fragility all around us. A more thoughtful approach to sustainability and environmental matters in hospitality businesses could pay dividends in all sorts of ways.
Sustainability is not only concerned with environmental matters, it is about being profitable at the same time as being mindful of taking good care of the environment and communities surrounding your business. Crucially, it is also about being authentic in actions taken – greenwashing or green sheen will very quickly be called out by customers and staff if sustainability values are inconsistent or deployed deceptively. Far better to decide what can be done within your business and do those things really well to build on the successes.
Sustainability is an enterprise wide initiative and procurement has a valuable part to play in seeking innovation in supply chains to analyse where cost can be removed which benefits the business, suppliers and ultimately the environment. One example is to look at how items are delivered from your key food suppliers – reusable containers should be a priority to minimise single use plastic packaging or any other packaging which has to be recycled or potentially placed in landfill. By reducing packaging, the waste and recycling costs in your business will reduce and there is an argument to negotiate a reduction on the cost of goods because the supplier is not incurring additional costs for superfluous packaging. A win win all round.
Energy and water consumption are obvious areas to explore ways of finding efficiencies while making cost savings to reduce the carbon footprint. It might involve capital investment for more advanced building management systems, incorporating smart monitoring to control usage more effectively but technologies are constantly advancing, resulting in lower costs to access.
Reducing reliance on single use plastic and glass bottles are another obvious source of making your business more sustainable. Think of ways in which you could help redefine customers perceptions of how they can contribute to the sustainability mission. If your hotel stocks products such as Fiji water, typically perceived as a high-end, luxury water product – there is probably an oxymoron in that last description somewhere – think of reframing what luxury could mean and instead offer a reusable glass or ceramic caraffe, filled with local Scottish water from the tap, perhaps using active charcoal as a filter to provide customers with that extra reassurance.
Bathroom amenities including the soaps and shampoos can also be targeted to ensure the products are free of parabens, silicone and single use plastics. The shower caps, toothbrushes and shaving kits can also be switched to products made from recycled materials. Look to the supply chain to help you fulfil your sustainability goals for your business.
Minimisation of food waste is a huge factor in the hospitality sector and seeking ways to divert waste and convert it into animal feed, fertiliser and fuel all contribute to making sustainabilty more achievable.
Consider that every step in the procurement process is an opportunity to integrate an environmental improvement. When all the incremental improvements are combined, real and sustainable change will have occurred and your business and the world will be a better place for it.
WHAT’S NEW FOR SUMMER
Shetland Reel has announced the launch of Countdown Gin, a new collaboration with Shetland Space Centre. The launch brings together two dynamic and ambitious enterprises, both of which operate from the island of Unst, Britain’s most northerly inhabited island.
The gin marks the official countdown to the UK’s first ever vertical satellite launch, which is set to take place in Unst in 2022. The proposed launch site is just a few miles from Shetland Distillery, so it’s fitting that these two brands have come together to create a celebratory spirit.
Countdown Gin is the distillery’s Original Gin packed with more juniper, more spice and more citrus.
Commenting on the new gin and the collaboration, Director of Shetland Reel Debbie Strang said, “If you like our Original Gin, you’ll love this.”.
Fentimans, the independently owned premium drinks brand, has launched a new range of 200ml mixers and tonics.
The new 200ml mixer range, which includes Tonic Water, alongside it’s iconic Ginger Beer and Rose Lemonade, will continue to be made using Fentimans unique 100 year old artisanal technique, botanical brewing: a multi-stage process of infusion, fermentation, resting and blending of finely sourced botanicals over 7 days, to create a mixer with a depth of flavour that when paired with spirits, creates a superior tasting long mixed drink. The range will also include Fentimans versatile range of coloured and flavoured tonics, suitable for pairing with a broad range of spirits. .
DAZZLING SAPPHIRE BLUE BUBBLY
Luc Belaire has announced the newest handcrafted cuvée to join the Belaire family: Belaire Bleu. The limited-edition release is a spectacular sapphire color, inspired by the beautiful blue waters of the Côte d’Azur, in Belaire’s country of birth, France. This blue bubbly makes a compelling statement when enjoyed by the glass and is ideal for dramatic cocktails.
Belaire Bleu is the perfect harmony of the old world and the new. It is crafted by 5th and 6th generation father-and-son winemakers at Belaire’s 120-year-old Maison, and combines ancestral winemaking traditions with a bold new look worthy of the brand’s trend-setting consumers and boundary-breaking celebrity fans. .
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BY NICOLA YOUNG PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY CAN BE PROFITABLE
Sustainability is a vital area for our economy, our climate, and our businesses and as a result this month we are launching a series of features on sustainability. ALASTAIR ROY has given you his view on what role procurement has to play while I will provide a general overview on how to approach the task and give some examples of where savings might be focused.
There is no question that sustainability is top of the agenda for most hotels today and everyone knows that being environmentally friendly is good for marketing and attracting customers with Trip Advisor reporting that a third of travellers are willing to spend up to 20% more to stay in an environmentally friendly hotel while other reports claim that revenues can grow by between 3-5% as a direct result of promoting sustainability. The drive for sustainability awards or environmental ratings is in full swing with Green Tourism, an accreditation organisation founded in Scotland with a partnership between VisitScotland and Green Business UK, now boasting over 2,500 members throughout the UK and internationally. However, as well as an environmental and marketing benefit there has to be a cost benefit to help operators plan their green strategy. If done well, the hotelier will unquestionably see significant cost savings. It is this planning approach, research has shown, that can be the most daunting for owners. In many cases it has been found that green initiatives take too long to get off the ground, are implemented inefficiently and don’t maximise a return on investment. Yet, there is a lot of opportunity out there that can reduce cost while also making your hotel more sustainable but the difficult part is knowing which ones will give the best return on investment and which ones to tackle first. This is often the main reason that so many projects get delayed. There are so many things to choose from that the risk of making a decision is heightened, and this is where your strategic plan will help. I am going to attempt to simplify what can be done and how to approach it as well as highlight some quick wins that can be made that fall within the sustainability framework but that can also have a significant impact on costs.
The following list is something that you will be familiar with across normal operations but it should be applied to a sustainability project too.
1. Engage and involve your staff. Create a Climate Committee where every department is represented (housekeeping, kitchen, groundsmen, reception, operations, IT etc). It won’t work without your staff. 2. Complete an audit of where you are now by department (with each department representative responsible for their own area). Simply measure what you do and what you use (and what you waste). But keep it simple at the start. You want to find out where it might be best to start and you want to have a broad overview of the areas that you can deliver the most cost savings. But remember, you can’t reduce unless you know what you use. 3. Focus on Energy, Water and Waste and provide examples for each department if needed 4. Set achievable savings targets and within a time-frame - this night be the next meeting.
Goal setting of any kind is important. 5. Describe these in all staff communications and handbooks 6. Involve your local community
Below are a few examples of what can be done using each of Energy, Water and Waste as the areas of focus.
ENERGY SAVINGS
There are many things that can be done easily within the arena of ‘energy’. Review your appliances and check their energy ratings and take note of how much they are used to get an idea of their weekly energy cost. You don’t need to be too specific but don’t forget to include all sources of energy use. For example showers, ovens, tumble dryers, washing machines, toasters, heaters and so on. Just do a list and note the power rating and how long and how often they are used. Once you have these it is then fairly straightforward to work out where most energy is used and the order in which you might want to make savings. For example lightbulbs. How many, how long are they on for, and what type. If, for example, you have 100 standard 60W light bulbs and they are used for an average of 8 hours a day and the energy cost is around 18.5p per kWh, then you are paying around £3200 per year (£32 per bulb). An equivalent 11W Energy saving bulb would cost around 80% less, therefore for 100 builds this would cost you £640 per year (around £6.40 per bulb) saving around £2,500. Work outage cost of the bulbs or lighting you want to use to work out your return on investment (and don’t forget to add in the cost of your existing bulbs and purchase frequency - for example, I replace some at least twice a year while I have some energy saving bulbs that are over 3 years old. Other suggestions - if you have hallway lights with dimmer switches then dim the lights by 30% during daylight hours, make sure that heating and air conditioning settings in lobbies, offices, and other peripheral rooms are at minimum settings during hours of low use. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back a few degrees from its normal setting. This is also true of washing machine temperatures - going from 40 degrees to 30 degrees makes a big difference. Equipment that you might want to look at include the chillers and hood covers in the kitchen, vending machines (could sensor machines save you more?), occupancy sensors (infrared), Ozone and tunnel washers, and heat recovery systems.
WATER
Like energy, water is used across the business from kitchens to cleaning and laundry, to guest rooms, to pools, spa’s and gardens.
Some 40 percent of water use in hotels is attributable to laundry and kitchen operations. New efficient tunnel washers reduce labour and utility costs and use less water than older units. How often are things done, roughly how much water is used (and wasted and how is it wasted), what equipment is used (energy ratings/wattage and for how long)?
Showers are a good example. If you have showers that are not electric then there can be significant savings if you switch to low flow but this might be much less if you already have electric showers. In this crude example, I will assume an electric 9kW shower and also assume that there are two guests per room and that each guest showers for 10 minutes a day i.e. 20 minutes in total or ‘room shower’. For ease of calculation, we will use 100 rooms as an example and the same energy cost of 18.5p per kWh. Each ‘room-shower’ costs around £203 per year and all room-showers cost £20,301. This might seem like an obvious starting point however, electric showers have to heat water from the cold supply up to the shower temperature and this uses a lot of energy. Even at a rating of 7.5-10 kilowatts, this means that electric showers can only handle a relatively low flow of water through them and already have a ‘low flow’ rate. Since most water-efficient showerheads and flow regulators are set to a flow rate of 7.5-8 litres per minute there might not be any savings to be made by fitting these to an electric shower so before you start budgeting savings check the differences between the flow rates. In this case, in order to save energy (and save cost as well as the environment), you might want to encourage guests to take shorter showers. Every minute less saves around £10 per person per year and this could be communicated as part of the sustainability ethos of your hotel and it may even be useful for guest to see the energy meter ticking along. If you don’t currently use electric showers then there may be some significant savings.
This hopefully demonstrates that an audit of what you have and what you use will really help simplify the planning as well as the costs and potential savings. And the savings will be significant. WASTE
Some surveys show that each hotel guest, on average, produces one kilo of waste per guest per day and that approximately 30% of the waste a hotel produces can be diverted through reuse and recycling. Reports from businesses around the world show that deploying appropriate management processes reduced solid waste and waste water disposal costs by more than 15%. This is an area that is difficult to generalise too much and it covers a broad range of options and property types but by measuring what you do a the start you will be able to have an idea of where to look first. Food waste can also be converted to fuel and there are already companies in the UK that will collect food waste and convert it into biofuel. Of course, don’t forget local - using local products and produce not only supports the local community around you but saves on carbon miles - and you can measure these too.
RECRUITMENT
Finally, and this has never been more important than it is now, sustainability is good for recruitment and staff retention. A survey by the Governance and Accountability Institute in the US found that 40 percent of millennial respondents chose their employer because of their sustainability performance while 70 percent of millennials are more likely to stay with a company with a strong environmental reputation and policy.
Next month we will take a look at available funding as well as a closer look at some of the services available in the market.
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