There are two standout changes of the past two years – digital transformation and embedding of sustainability in all aspects of the hospitality business. Sustainability, especially, has become an essential subject of discussion and action in recent times. Moreover, with eco-travel becoming a way of life, it is a great way to attract and retain guests. In its Sustainable Travel Research Report 2022, Booking.com found that 91% of Indian travellers want to travel sustainably in the coming months; a 76% rise over 2021. Additionally, 64% said sustainability efforts by accommodation and transport providers play a huge role in shaping their decisions and 88% were likely to choose a sustainable accommodation, whether looking specifically for one or not.
WAVE OF CHANGE
While hotel companies have been concentrating on the operational aspects of sustainability, the recently held ‘Trinity of Success’ event, organised by ITP Media India and Schneider Electric, explored how incorporating green technologies and resources right from the design stage can go a long way in helping hoteliers achieve their sustainability objectives. Orchestrating the event, Vinita Bhatia highlighted that cooperation and collaboration throughout the organisation is the key to achieving sustainability goals. “As more travellers seek sustainable options, it is pertinent to present sustainability information to clearly, proactively and regularly,” she said.
In his welcome address, Bibhor Srivastava, MD, ITP Media India noted that many hotels have already announced their commitment to reduce environmental impact by implementing eco-friendly practices. “Almost everyone is in agreement that going green offers multi-pronged advantages to hotel companies. The most important is the significant cost savings coupled with resource efficiency. Moreover, when eco-travel has become a way of life, it is a great way to attract and retain guests,” he stated.
NEED TO ACCELERATE
Mili Majumdar, MD of Green Business Certification Institute (GBCI) started her keynote address by spotlighting that climate crisis is for real and the window for mitigating its fallout is narrowing. “While talking about a building’s carbon footprint, one can’t limit it to the energy used, but should also take into account the energy that goes into its construction,” she opined. “The good part is that there is growing awareness about green buildings, its merits and the solutions available. However, the main issue is seeing the political and corporate will to reinforce this.”
There is a clear need to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C and create a more inclusive environment that cares for people, planet and profits. Technology can be a key game changer in this change; and many forward thinking companies have embraced it unequivocally.
Schneider Electric’s transformative journey in this direction rests on two pillars – sustainability and digitisation. “When we talk about sustainability, we want to be in line with the country’s requirement in 2030 where 50% of the energy requirement has to move into sustainable or renewable resource,” emphasised Deepak Murali, Hospitality Segment Leader – Greater India, Schneider Electric.
It is no secret that hotels and resorts create a significant amount of waste, use substantial energy, and have massive carbon and water footprints. However, driven by rapid shift towards eco-friendliness by guests and their own corporate mandate for sustainability, hotel companies are increasingly looking at ways to go green. Most have adopted eco-friendly initiatives, including energy-efficiency processes, water conservation, local sourcing and recycling programs. But is that enough?
Anuraag Bhatnagar, COO of The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Rajneesh Malhotra, COO of Chalet Hotels, Javed Ali, Senior Regional Director-Operations of Radisson Hotel Group, Kartik Kommireddi, Director, Eskayem Consultants and Bhupesh Arora, Business Head-Digital Energy of Schneider Electric, got together to discuss the challenges in going green in a session titled ‘Small Changes That Make a Big Difference’, which was moderated by Bibhor Srivastava.
There is a growing awareness about mindful consumption of luxury, without impacting guest service. Shedding light on how The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, which is synonymous with luxury, is leveraging digitisation to enhance sustainability, Bhatnagar stated that the two are not just fashionable, but profitable.
“Digitalisation is holistic to the hospitality business. It could include the BMS, integrated operational efficiencies or controlling HVAC, heart of the house or the lighting in the common areas without impacting experience while being high-touch and high-tech,” he said.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA
Data-driven technologies are reshaping the future of buildings, including those of hotels. Talking about how this is helping Chalet Hotels build a more environmentally friendly infrastructure, Malhotra pointed out that before one decides where they want to be, they need to know where they are.
“While we had manual tools previously, now we have products that can monitor and measure, if not in real-time then at least quick enough, to course correct. All IoT-based systems are measurable and available at low costs and can be integrated in a sophisticated AI and ML-enabled system,” he stated. “The recent developments have also brought profits to the fore of every sustainability conversation, which is when hotel owners look at it seriously since they are assured of returns.”
Taking a cue from Malhotra’s observations about how technology can be an enabler for hotels keen on taking up sustainability seriously, Arora stated that hoteliers are dealing with two aspects – guest experience and the environment to manage it. “Today, we are leveraging technology to monitor guest experience and find ways to enhance it.
At the same time, hoteliers need to achieve operational efficiency in every single aspect of the property, and properly integrate it across the board; be it the HVAC, electrical, security or fire system.”
As Radisson Hotel Group continues with its rapid expansion plans, Ali revealed that the company designs sustainable hotels from the word go. “This includes choosing the site, the building’s orientation, materials and technology. Since we have hotels within 5 hours drive across the country, and we advocate transportation by e-vehicles, we have partnered with Sun Fuel to set up EV charging stations at our properties,” he added.
THE BEST OF NATURE
Hoteliers are keen on nature-based management that adapts to the pre-existing environment to sustain their sustainability plans and scale it. Considering the ever-increasing demand for green hotels, Kommireddi noted that many hotel owners are looking for technologies like solar energy to reduce their dependency on conventional power supply grids.
“While wind energy also exists, it is difficult to execute it in some places, but they are progressively keen on adopting rain water harvesting practices,” he said. Similarly, while guestroom automation was earlier adopted by upper upscale and upscale brands, a growing number of midscale brands are also opting for it.
While sustainability is definitely on every hotel company’s agenda, the moot point is how they will embrace it when brands start hitting the pre-pandemic numbers, in terms of business recovery. From the side bar conversations at the ‘Trinity of Success’, it looks like it will still.
