Product category:
Building Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
News Release from: Low Carbon Innovation Network | Subject: Hand Picked Hotel carbon reduction initiatives
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 August 2007
Hotels Energy Police help tackle climate
change
Low Carbon Innovation Network hear from the Hand Picked Hotel Group about their carbon reduction initiatives introduced with help from their very own Energy Police.
Hand Picked Hotel Group also share their thoughts on establishing policies to help the Hotel industry move forward and the best approaches to educate staff and suppliers on tackling climate change The nature of the hotel industry calls for extreme, consistent energy use
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 16 May 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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"A hotel is full on seven days a week, 24 hours a day," says Colin Farquharson, Repairs and Maintenance Manager for Hand Picked.
"Despite asking hotels to set up energy communities, empowering staff to take action at their own site, motivation to make carbon-reducing changes varies widely across the industry".
"Writing an energy policy document and having it adopted is essential in establishing what you need.
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This sets out what your aims are, a simple document - it doesn't need to be reams of A4.
This goes out to all General Managers.
You look at the 'quick wins' and go from there.
But it's not something that can happen overnight".
"We're working on the 'quick wins,'" he says.
These include installing low energy lamps in guests' rooms and thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) at two hotels in the chain, self regulating valves fitted to hot water heating system radiators that control the temperature of a room by regulating the flow of hot water to the radiator.
And half of all hotels have cardboard and glass recycling containers on site.
Farquharson says the energy communities have not been a huge success among staff.
"People say 'oh no, not more meetings!' You've got to make it fun-filled.
There's got to be a lighter side.
People can't just look at figures," he says.
To address this issue Colin points out that meetings should take place no more than once every three months with a cross section of staff.
One task he has asked all hotels to do is to put up a simple 'Energy action notice board' with weekly cost savings on energy bills for all staff to see.
"Staff realised that was something tangible, not just energy units".
One hotel has taken their obligation to reduce energy very seriously, becoming a trailblazer within the chain.
"The Nutfield Priory in Surrey has really grasped the nettle and set up Energy Police, involving senior staff, including the head housekeeper and financial controller.
One of their duties is to alert office-based staff when they leave monitors and other switches on overnight using an Energy Police-devised system.
Those that leave their monitor on come into the office the next day to find a yellow sticker on their screen.
Second time offenders receive a red sticker and finally, a note that says "you have been visited by the Energy Police - final caution!".
And a 'Binning the bin' scheme at the hotel has seen the removal of all wastepaper bins from the desk sides of office-based staff, to enable all waste to be placed in appropriate recycling containers instead.
"Nutfield Priory has reduced their electricity costs yearly by 30% saving GBP19,500.
A lot of this will be down to the Energy Police and their methods, supported by the action energy policies implemented by me," says Farquharson.
"By October this year all hotels will have an Energy Police department Initiative in place".
The next stage for Colin and his team is to begin reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill sites.
Normally up to 15 large "Euro" style bins are emptied three times a week at each hotel.
"We're working to reduce the amount of those on site," said Farquharson.
A trial for composting waste at one hotel is planned, with food waste automatically removed from the bulk of the waste and processed in an onsite machine that turns it into compost in just five days.
"The composted waste will be used on the grounds and gardens.
It reduces waste down to approx 15% of mass".
Ultimately, while buy-in from all staff has been the biggest challenge presented to Farquharson, he persists in communicating the importance of reducing energy.
"I'm ensuring the messages get across.
If I don't keep on at them, it'll all fall down.
It shouldn't be like that.
I'm proud of Nutfield Priory - they passionately do it".
The Low Carbon Innovation Network, the best practice free-to-join Network, an innovative platform for those involved or interested in reducing carbon emissions.
Support for this free-to-join Network comes from over 15 trade associations and professional institutes.
Members receive a weekly Bulletin of case studies to share best practice and can participate in networking events to progress their own plans for carbon reduction initiatives.
For further information please contact: Lawrence Smith, Communications, Low Carbon Innovation Network, +44 (0) 1883 344 799, Lawrence@carbon-innovation.com.
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