“Hotels can save up to 18 per cent on costs in four years if they implement an emission reduction plan”. This was one of the data explained by Ignacio Sojo, Commercial Director of Allcot, during the lecture he gave at International Tourism Fair FITUR 2017 in Madrid about the efficient management of the hotels carbon footprint.
The lecture, entitled “Reducing the environmental impacts and increase social actions in hotels. Carbon Footprint Compensation” took place within the framework of ‘FiturtechY’, a forum organised by Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH), which were included in this edition under one brand and concept ‘Fiturtech’ and ‘Fitur Green’, both reference forums in technology and sustainability.
Mr. Sojo also explained how hotels can calculate their carbon footprint and how, in addition by implementing an emission reduction plan, they can offset it by buying carbon credits. “Most of the savings can be achieved by performing a sorrow Emission Reduction Plan, which is initially based by introducing some good practice habits with have no costs and the only condition is to reinvest these savings on next year to achieve a better use of energy and lower its cost. But, when the hotels cannot reduce more emissions, they can offset them”.
“Offsetting CO2 emissions is based on the voluntary contribution of an amount of money proportional to the tonnes of CO2 emitted. That money is used to retire carbon credits from the market, being each of these equivalent to one tonne of CO2 emitted. Carbon offset projects are typically located in developing countries and many produce positive social and economic co-benefits.
Popular technologies include renewable energy, forest protection, recycling plants and energy efficiency. A hotel that offsets its carbon footprint receives a Carbon Neutral Seal and a certificate, helping this to rank better within the sustainable hotel sector and eco leader’s programs”, he commented.
In addition, Mr. Sojo said hotels can engage the client in their sustainability initiative. “Hotels can add to the final invoice the “opt-out” alternative, so that the clients can offset their own daily emissions at a 50 cents daily rate, as an average room of a hotel emits 30Kg of CO2”.
Finally, he concluded the presentation with a case study performed in 3 hotels, 2 in Romania and the last being a pilot project for the Sercotel chain, showing the business advantages of calculating, reducing and offsetting the carbon footprint:
“Hotels can save costs by reducing emissions, they can get benefits if they involve the customer in compensation, they can improve corporate reputation and brand positioning, they can attract investors, partners and customers who care about the environment and they can anticipate new regulations”.
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