The Use of Sustainable Strategies in the Management of the Hotel - Assignment Example

The Use of Sustainable Strategies in the Management of the Hotel I would like to write to you this memorandum so as to give my recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning the use of sustainable strategies in the management of the hotel. As you all know, the increased cost of operations has significantly affected the hotel industry in the country. Therefore, each hotel, including ours, should come up with well-thought, applicable and ambitious initiatives to help in minimizing the cost of operations and sustainably conserve the environment. To address these issues, the memo would be focusing on the range of available sustainability strategies; the efforts and successes of the industry leaders and pacesetters; and recommendations for the best initiatives to adopt by the hotel. RANGE OF SUSTAINABILITY OPTIONS Sustainable practices can be an essential pillar in the hotel. Apart from helping to build the reputation of the hotel in the eyes of the general public, it can be instrumental in helping to reduce the costs of operations, conservation of the environment for a sustainable growth. To achieve this, I would like to highlight that the hotel has the following options to exploit: Conservation of Energy Energy is a crucial resource that the hotel cannot work without. With the overreliance on traditional sources of energy such as electricity, many hotels have been spending a lot of money on electricity. In fact, according to the hotel’s records, it spends a total of 19% of its revenues on energy. This means that energy has been a very costly to acquire. To minimize its usage, the hotel can choose to adopt various measures. First, stop using high voltage bulbs and tubes and replace them with energy saving ones like Star Light Bulbs and LED lighting. There are revolutionary inventions because they have tremendously reduced the rate of energy consumption. For instance, the use of Star Light Energy saving bulbs has led to the reduction of energy consumption in hotels by up to 75%. Nevertheless, better results can still be attained if the hotel resorts to the installation and use of area sensors in the guest rooms and public resting spaces. Sustainable Usage of Water Just like electricity, water is a very precious commodity in the hotel. Without it, no meals can be prepared, no cleanliness can take place, and no guests can drink or bathe. After all, it is a costly resource that must just be used by every single hotel facility. Because of this, it should be sustainably consumed. However, one way through which this can be accomplished is through the installation and a consistent use of low-flow showerheads and consumption landscaping. These are viable strategies that can help the hotel to reduce water use by the guests at the rate of 30%. A sustainable use of water can also be a good idea since it can enable the hotel to reduce the costs of production as well as help in conserving the environment. SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY Through the Florida State Department of Environmental Protection, pressure has been piled on hotels and restaurants to comply with the standards of going green. Hence, as a well-organized facility, the management of Magic Hotels & Resorts should emulate the efforts of the following hotels. Hilton Naples Hotel According to my research, Hilton Naples Hotel has taken a lead in the sustainable use of resources, environmental conservation and reduction of its costs of production. Unlike the rest of its competitors, Hilton Naples Hotel has perfected the art of water conservation. It has managed to achieve this because of the manner in which it has been promoting the re-use of bed sheets and towels for more than one day. In addition, it has come up with the idea of installing fully functional low-flow showerheads and low-flow faucet aerators. All these have been instrumental in helping the hotel to eliminate water wastage and in turn minimize its operational costs since it does not need to spend much money on water. Wingata by Wyndham Tampa Hotel Wingata by Wyndham Tampa Hotel managed to acquire the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s certification thanks to its brilliant environmental friendly strategies. In this regard, it qualifies to be a sustainability leader whose strategies should be emulated. On its part, it has demonstrated that a hotel can sustain the environment and minimize its operation costs by using paper towels. Facial and bathing tissues, which are just recycle materials. At the same time, it has been reducing its energy usage by using area sensors and energy-saving bulbs. RECOMMENDATIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES Implement the Linen Reuse Program The hotel can introduce the reuse of the towels and linen materials used by the guests. If the guests are in their rooms, they should be encouraged to consider reusing their towels instead of using them once and asking for a replacement while still staying in the hotel. This can be a better way of conserving the hotel’s resources such as water and money. When such materials are reused, the hotel will minimize the rate of water consumption. In addition to that, it will save on the costs of washing, buying detergents and paying employees to do so. Finally such a measure will be a brilliant idea since it will help the hotel to contribute to environmental conservation because it will minimize the amount of detergents that can pollute the environment. Launch Water Conservation in the Toilets Even if they are necessary for a hotel facility, toilets consume a considerably large amount of water. If not checked, it can be a costly affair especially if the system is not entirely in order. The first way through which this hotel can reduce the rate of water use in the toilets is through the use installation of highly developed toilet tank diver. Besides, it can start using low technologies in all its toilets. Last, but not least, the hotel management should always be alert and check if there is any leakage. If not checked, such leakages can lead to a loss of over 1,000 gallons of water in a week. This can be a huge loss because, if such leakages are repaired, such water can be diverted for other uses. It is my hope that these recommendations would be considered and implemented by the Board of Directors. They can make Magic Hotel & Resorts to be a model green hotel. At your service, Chief Engineer. References www.projectplanetcorp.com www.plmg.com/crtoilet.htm www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=hospitality.bus_hospitality http://www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging/lodges.htm Read More