Hotels from the Taj group have been very environment-responsible from the very beginning.
The Group had started taking various green initiatives in the 90’s, which were earlier called Eco Taj. All the Taj hotels, including The Gateway Hotel, Bangalore, are part of the Taj EARTH programme.
The Taj Group of Hotels has voluntarily gone in for ISO 14001 certification and several properties have already been certified. The Group plans to have all hotels ISO 14001 certified by 2011.
“In continuation of our commitment to the environment, The Taj Group has gone in for the prestigious Green Globe certification which is specific to the tourism and travel industry – all our hotels are either already Green Globe certified or currently in the process of being certified.
Gateway Hotels follows the Taj groups’ EARTH policies and all initiatives identified under it,” said PK Mohankumar, chief operating officer, The Gateway Hotels.
“Energy audits are part of our EARTH initiative. The audit helps us ensure maximum energy conservation,” he added.
Further, Mohankumar says a comprehensive approach across all key energy consuming areas can help produce best results. One of the best ways to ensure energy efficiency is to incorporate this philosophy into the building design itself.
“Some investments may be needed to ensure long term results. They may seem expensive initially but the payoff is many times more in the long run, not to mention the ecological benefits.”
Educating staff members is another important initiative, he said. One of the biggest energy consuming areas is air conditioning and controlling this will go a long way in improving energy efficiencies in a building, he concluded.
Energy conservation initiatives:
- Use of solar energy to heat water.
- Use of energy efficient lamps.
- Purchase of energy efficient (BEE rated) equipment.
- Timely maintenance of plant and machinery to ensure optimal performance.
- Use of energy saving instruments such as ‘energy–saver’ electronic device for guest rooms lighting circuit, and movement sensors for public areas and washrooms.
- Use of double glazed windows, and solar reflective paint on rooftops to minimise heat.
- Imminent introduction of building automation systems.
