Thinking About Sustainability from Top to Bottom

Today's traveler is much savvier about their environmental impact and many take that into account when it comes to their travel planning and purchasing decisions.

In fact, in their most recent Sustainable Travel Report, Booking.com noted that 78% of travelers indicated they plan to stay in a sustainable property at least once within the coming year.

Travelers are actively looking to support brands that align with their values, and as such over the past several years more emphasis has been placed on hotels making sustainable choices to connect with savvy travelers who are increasingly prioritizing eco-friendly hotels in their trip planning.

Sustainability is something that really should be woven into the fabric of hospitality. At its core, hospitality is about taking care of people, and one way to do so is to invest in energy-efficient and eco-friendly practices that benefit the local environment and have a larger positive aggregate impact. And while sustainability is by no means a new concept, it's gained significant traction during the pandemic. With travel restrictions and quarantine efforts largely restricting the movement of people, communities took notice that this had a positive environmental impact with air pollution indexes showing a marked improvement and nature rebounding.

So now more than ever, it's important to consider the impact that hospitality has on the environment and take the necessary means to mitigate those effects. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance provides a wide body of research on sustainable practices in the hospitality industry and in their research have determined the hotel industry needs to reduce carbon emissions by 66% per room by 2030 to account for forecasted industry growth to account for the corresponding increase in emissions. What that means is there's a great deal that can be done on the hotel development and management side to help move the needle.

Here I've provided some insights on the various tactics Concord has employed or seen at hotels that we've worked with that make a difference in terms of mitigating environmental impact, and in many instances, also make a difference for the guest by adding a level of comfort and elevating the quality of their experience.

Design + Development Does Make A Difference

When it comes to hotel development there's an opportunity to implement sustainable choices from the ground up and while this may be a costlier investment at the onset it does pay itself back over time. In terms of industry standards, the most recognized and regarded system in place is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Qualification is contingent on meeting a set of detailed standards and guidelines in building design, construction, interior design, operation, and management. Although LEED certification is achieved through an extensive quantification process and thus not many buildings achieve LEED certification, it doesn't mean that developers are not actively incorporating sustainability into construction and design.

Though the purpose of building sustainability is to mitigate our impact on the environment, it's true the environment also has an impact on design choices. When developing in a climate that tends to see higher and or lower temperatures, there are several building factors that can make a difference, such as the use of energy-saving insulation and tinted windows.

For example, all our buildings designed by DLR use energy-saving insulation and tinted windows. With these builds we typically use transparent glass at the base to enhance the view of activity inside while using a darker tinted glass on the body of the building to both provide more privacy for guest rooms while also ensuring that we see better solar heat gain performance and reduce energy consumption. Energy-saving insulation ensures the building does not overly depend on cooling and heating systems thus reducing the environmental impact, cutting costs, and ultimately making the guest experience more pleasant. Likewise, the use of tinted windows contributes to insulation reducing both the impacts of cold and warm temperatures. Furthermore, as a design choice, tinted windows allow for more use of natural light which is both aesthetically pleasing and can reduce use of lighting.

Another design element that is both eco-friendly and appealing to guests and customers is the choice to incorporate a green space design in a new build. This past summer, Concord Hospitality opened Hotel West & Main, an adaptive reuse of a 100-year old firehouse where the team strategically decided to create an open green space accessed by an open-air entryway. While this might not seem like a significant move, incorporating a green space, such as a terrace or rooftop garden, is proven to both help mitigate pollutants and moderate temperatures.

Furthermore, while the initial green space may be intended purely for general use, it can later be modified for additional purposes. For example, in some instances restaurateurs have adapted existing green spaces to grow select herbs, vegetables and fruits that are then incorporated into the menu. Meanwhile, other developers have updated existing green space designs to incorporate rainwater collection systems helping to save on water costs and reduce water consumption.

Technology That Takes It Up A Notch

Digitization has disrupted many industries and while most hoteliers focus on technology to improve conveniences and efficiencies, there are also many ways technology can and is being used to reduce environmental impact. It's long been known that hotel energy usage is a significant contributor to emissions and one way to mitigate this impact is to implement efficiencies.

Firstly, investing in the right type of equipment such as the use of TCO Certified/Energy Star computers and upgraded energy power strips makes a significant difference. When it comes to information storage using the Cloud is optimal because Cloud energy tends to be more efficient due to economic scale. And further to that point one should invest in maximizing data center space for more efficient cooling and power usage.

Secondly, a few simple changes to front desk operations can make a significant difference. Keyless entry for example can reduce plastic usage while also adding a level of convenience to the guest experience by allowing them to, for example, use a hotel app to unlock and enter their room. Many hotel apps already offer easier check-in, so this is just one way to add another layer of convenience for the guest.

To further reduce consumption, hotels have focused on offering digital folios for the last several years as a way to significantly reduce paper consumption. There are also ways to automate front desk processes that reduce energy usage such as setting up computers to automatically enter power saving mode, installing automatic and/or timed lighting systems and installing shared printers.

Much of what I've discussed here is focused on necessary technologies for managing operations but there are opportunities to take this even a step further. I previously mentioned the recently opened Hotel West & Main in Conshohocken and their use of green space design, well on top of this the hotel also invested in installing EV charging stations for use by hotel guests. It's a brilliant move that is both appealing to consumers by providing them with another amenity and it shows that the hospitality industry is thinking beyond just the building's energy usage.

More hotels should consider installing EV chargers because this not only benefits guests but could also have a significant impact on the further investment in electric cars as one of the primary impediments presently is a lack of charging stations outside of certain locales. If the hotel industry collectively invested in this initiative, we would likely see an uptick in consumers opting for electric vehicles and signal to consumers that as an industry we are invested in change beyond just the confines of each hotel.

Operations That Go Beyond

From an operational standpoint there are a few practices hotels have implemented that make a significant difference in helping to improve sustainability. Implementing green housekeeping programs to reduce laundry and in turn reducing water consumption is an impactful measure particularly as some cities are seeing water scarcity become an issue. To complement this many hotels are also investing in establishing recycling programs and cutting back reliance on single use plastics.

There are also opportunities to get involved in initiatives that both benefit the local community and contribute to sustainability goals. For example, due to regulations many hotels are required to replace toiletries after each guest regardless of whether they've been used. One initiative some in the hospital industry have taken in response to this is to work with organizations that operate toiletry donation drives or hold their own. The average hotel provides quality toiletries with an assortment of useful products that can be useful to others so donating these items is preferable to simply tossing them. In many cases, we're seeing hotels update select toiletry options to further reduce waste and plastic consumption.

Last summer we opened the Hotel Fraye in Nashville, a lifestyle property where one might expect to see the traditional setup of small bottled amenities, but will instead find that the hotel has adopted the use of mounted dispensers that are refilled between guests' stays. These might seem like small steps, but it all adds up to make a difference.

Food For Thought: Sustainability in Onsite Bars & Restaurants

Many hotels are also home to onsite restaurants and bars and there are ways to make these spaces more sustainable too to build on greener efforts. Some of the easiest steps to take include switching from printed menus to QR codes, a shift that became commonplace during Covid and is arguably here to stay and of course reducing the use of single use products for guest service.

From a menu and sourcing perspective, working with partners to bring in locally sourced products has several benefits. Relying on locally sourced ingredients ensures freshness and reduces the carbon footprint that results from shipping efforts. Furthermore, sourcing products locally ensures a positive impact on the local community and it's possible to take this a step further by intentionally working with local producers that engage in eco-friendly practices such as organic production.

One difficulty many restaurants face is the issue of waste management which has both an environmental impact and continues to make up the bulk of a restaurant's expenses. As such the two are inextricably linked so reducing waste means saving money. There are a few distinct causes that contribute to food waste that can be accounted for as part of restaurant operations. The first issue is that of improper packaging, handling or storage that causes food to spoil. Implementing appropriate practices for food packaging and storage is the first step to reducing waste. When it comes to food handling and preparation, issues such as incorrect portioning or improper cooking can lead to food waste. It's critical to assist the kitchen staff by providing clear guidance on proper portions and cooking instructions which in turn reduces food waste and provides for a more satisfactory client experience by improving food quality and consistency.

Regardless of which way you slice it, the reality is that more and more travelers are calling for sustainable practices in the hospitality industry and in the tourism industry at-large. At Concord Hospitality we've employed these practices across the board and through our efforts, our data from the past several years shows that our sustainable development projects provide about 24% of total energy savings. That's a significant reduction and as we progress forward, we intend to see that number increase and ensure that we are mitigating our impact on the local community we serve and the guests who frequent our hotels.

Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from http://www.hotelexecutive.com/.