Green Trends
by Kurt Pyrch

About 20 years ago, a brilliant hotel manager had a thought, “How can I improve the bottom line with all other things being equal? I’ve got it! We can try to cut down on our laundry costs. And how will we do that? By making people feel guilty about the phosphates used for washing towels.” Guilt is a wonderful motivator.
Some may argue that the motivation is somewhat altruistic - saving the world from mankind’s wild excesses. The reality is that going green, or trying to cut back on energy consumption and laundry soap, just makes good business sense. Fairmont Hotels has been an industry leader in setting a green example, and has documented huge savings and an improved bottom line as a result. Nonetheless, it takes a commitment of time and money, as well as a leap of operational faith, to achieve savings.
Smaller and older hotels with in-room HVAC units can achieve noticeable savings and improve guest comfort by installing infrared detection systems that control the power to the HVAC units. Experience has shown that a more consistent air temperature upon arriving in a room will result in happier guests, and less wear and tear on the equipment. Often, the power savings more than pay for the equipment as soon as it is installed, and the long-term savings increase dramatically when the equipment has been fully paid.
In Canada and the US, the major focus seems to be on energy savings and operational efficiencies. For example, the Hotel Association of Canada has its Green Keys program, which recognizes environmentally responsible business practices and certifies hotels that have earned the right for this designation. 
Going green is something the world has been embracing for a while now. A leading hospitality organization in this area has been the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), www.cha-cast.com. The organization was created by the Caribbean Hotel Association in 1995 and currently works with its members towards embracing the Green Globe 21 standard, which is a worldwide benchmarking and certification program that facilitates travel and tourism for consumers, companies, and communities. Based on Agenda 21 and the principles for sustainable development, the program is endorsed by the United Nations and the 182 governments present at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. 
Green Globe certification involves more than just energy savings and infrastructure. Reaching beyond the doors of the properties, the certification process includes employees and community involvement. Case examples will include transportation plans for employees to cut down on vehicular traffic and the associated environmental impact, and working with local governments towards a more sustainable, local agricultural base to improve the local economy and the base for ecotourism.
Due to the efforts of CAST, the Caribbean has more Green Globe-certified properties than any other locale. With a highly motivated Asian-Pacific branch, however, things are bound to continue to grow globally. Major chains, such as Sandals and Superclubs, have been eager to embrace the concepts and are quickly becoming industry and community leaders in sustainable development. For more information on Green Globe 21 standards, visit www.greenglobe21.com.
Great effort is being made in trying to develop properties to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. A massive development in Victoria, the Dockside Green, is a wonderful example of constructing new, urban communities to the highest possible environmental standards. 
But since the costs of the new construction are higher than traditional methods, there are skeptics waiting to see if the project can survive. However, there seems to be an acceptance in the development community that people will have to pay a “green” premium to enjoy the benefits of living in these types of projects. Similarly, when it comes to hotels, it’s obvious that green construction and development costs will also be higher. So will customers be willing to pay premium rates for staying at a green hotel? Certainly there will be some, but will there be enough? With construction costs exceeding the $400 per sq ft line and climbing, the viability of new hotel construction is questionable. 
Another property seeking LEED certification is The Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa, scheduled to open in 2007. As part of its initiative, the resort will capture storm water for irrigation and heat water with solar energy.
Global trends aside, there are a number of things that can and should be done at every property from a global stewardship perspective. For instance, paper products should be separated for recycling. Guests seem to be quite happy to separate cans and paper from non-recyclables if separate wastebaskets are made available in the guestrooms. And, of course, the same holds true for the office space behind the scenes, where “paper-saving” computers spit out more paper than was ever used before. 
Many municipalities are now forcing businesses to separate cardboard and paper, and even kitchen products and waste, into recyclable and non-recyclable categories. Some are even suggesting that biodegradable waste no longer be accepted if it can be composted. 
Bottles that were once tossed into landfills now have deposits on them, for which operators pay up front. Ensuring these bottles’ return to recycling depots and centres not only cuts down on waste, but also returns money to operators. 
However, these types of gestures come with operational costs that didn’t historically exist. Regardless of how efficient your system is, recycling programs cost money to maintain. Every time a bottle or a stack of paper is handled, somebody is paid to do this job. In many cases, recycling has put a strain on available space, which is especially evident in large downtown hotels that weren’t designed for accommodating separate storage containers in holding areas. In many properties, simply bringing the recyclables to the depots is a difficult burden on the operation. With these problems becoming more evident in recent years, one of the new trends in green design is allowing for the operational and spatial requirements necessary for proper environmental stewardship.
To improve energy efficiency many buildings can now be re-fit with geothermal heat recovery systems and/or solar energy systems that can dramatically reduce heating and cooling costs. Though these systems come with a large investment cost, the long-term savings and efficiencies are definitive. 
Other simple things that can be done include replacing incandescent lighting with highly efficient fluorescent bulbs and fixtures. Visit BC Hydro’s website at www.bchydro.com, and check into the “Power Smart” initiatives. (InnFocus will explore improving energy efficiency in the Winter 2006 issue.)
Finally, there is one green trend that costs nothing to implement and can possibly save more money than many of the programs listed above. For some, it may seem like common sense, and for others it may be a revolutionary concept: train your staff and ask for their input and advice on how to save energy and money.
As an industry, we have an opportunity to lead rather than follow. With a few intelligent and simple measures, we can cut back on energy usage, toss less phosphates down the drain, and in our own small and responsible way help the environment while saving a few extra dollars too.

Kurt Pyrch is Managing Director of Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn and served 11 years as a director of the BC & Yukon Hotels’ Association.