Developing More Sustainable Hotels for the 21st Century

by Rebecca Hawkins

Sustainable Design – Some Basic Principles
Sustainable hotels are environmentally responsible, economically viable and socially progressive. They are designed with the global environment and local considerations in mind and are operated by trained staff to have minimal negative and maximum positive impacts.

Four Horizons

Watagan Forest, Hunter Valley, Australia Four Horizons is a development of self-catering eco-lodges in the Watagan Forest overlooking the famous Hunter Valley wine country. It is an area of natural beauty, recently declared a National Park. The 2-story lodges were designed through a collaboration between the architect/owner Lindsay Johnston and the nearby University of Newcastle’s Centre for Sustainable Technology. The secluded lodges have treetop views and use solar power and rainwater. A worm farm recycles food waste; grey water from the main house is recycled into a vegetable garden. The design features were refined using Life Cycle Analysis and thermal monitoring. They include a ‘fly-roof’ (like a fly sheet on a tent) to help neutralise the summer sun, and careful use of orientation and thermal mass. External insulation and cross-ventilation keeps the buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. Energy consumption in each lodge with full occupancy is projected at just .76 GJ/sq.m/year. Four Horizons received Advanced Eco Accreditation under the Australian National Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP). Contact Lindsay Johnston: fourhor@hunterlink.net.au [sorry this link is no longer available]

Sustainable hotel design requires a systemic approach in which sustainability issues are incorporated into the very core of the design from the outset. To do this, you need to consider:

1. Site Selection. A hotel should enhance rather than adversely impact on local flora, wildlife, cultural resources & the local community.
* Does the site have significant cultural importance to the local community?
* Does the site host biologically important species? Is it environmentally or geologically important?
* Does the site easily lend itself to access by non-motorised or public transport?
* Does the development fit within the context of a broader master plan for the area?
* Can the infrastructure for a sustainable operation be installed and operated without infringing local regulations (eg. can the water be treated and reused on- site or must it be discharged to a municipal authority?)

2. Protection of the Site’s Natural &/or Cultural Attributes. A building should respect the spirit and traditions of its location, and be sized appropriately for its surroundings. An environmental impact assessment is essential to determine the short and long term effects of any new development.
* Can the building design work in harmony with and preserve the natural features of the landscape?
* Can access by less damaging modes of transport be provided without excessive disruption to local communities or landscapes?
* Can building methods be used which are non-intrusive? For example, can noise barriers be erected?
If the site has natural or cultural significance:
* can consultations be held with the community so the development can proceed while guaranteeing access or other rights?
* can biological species be protected within the site?

3. Selecting Building Materials which Conserve Resources. According to Worldwatch Institute, building construction accounts for 25% of the virgin wood and 40% of the raw stone, gravel and sand used annually in the world.
* Can elements of the existing building fabric or nearby buildings be efficiently reused or recycled? Some buildings reuse up to 98% of old building materials, significantly reducing costs.
* Can local building skills be used to maintain the skill base and character of the area?
Can new building materials be sourced:
* Locally, from sustainable suppliers to reduce transport?
* Which contain no toxic chemicals?
* Which have been produced using energy and water efficient methods?
* Which come from renewable sources?
* Which are recyclable at the end of the property’s life?
* Which contribute to the character of the area?

4. The Characteristics of the Building Envelope. Buildings consume about 1/4 of the water and 40% of the energy used globally each year. Many hotels are relatively inefficient and could reduce energy consumption by 20-40%. Well designed hotels could reduce energy use by 80%. Source: BRECSU UK, The Environmental Building

Energy Efficiency
* Can the building be oriented to make maximum use of daylight? This can improve staff morale and reduce energy use by up to 20%. Building Energy Management Systems can be designed to maximise use of daylight and compensate where necessary.
* Can solar gain be reduced on parts of the building which face the sun to ensure it doesn’t get too hot? This can be achieved by using window film or attractive moveable louvres which allow in daylight while reducing solar gain. They can be linked to your management system.
* Can natural ventilation be used rather than air conditioning? Careful siting to maximise benefits from natural drafts can be combined with innovative ceiling and roof designs, or traditional methods of solar stacking can completely eliminate the need for A/C even in some hot environments.< BR>* If A/C is required, can non-CFC natural gas-fired absorption type chillers be installed? They often have a short pay-back period.
* Can the building be designed to ‘even out’ heating and cooling loads between day and night?
* Can solar panels or other form of renewable energy be used either to generate electricity or to pre-heat hot water?
* Can integrated systems (such as energy management and door-key activated systems) be used in the design?
* Can the lighting scheme be designed to be as energy efficient as possible? Lighting typically accounts for 15-25% of total electricity consumption in hotels.

Water Efficiency. CH2M Hill estimates that sustainable design can reduce the water needs of major tourism facilities by as much as 80%.
* Can water saving devices such as low flush or vacuum toilets, flow regulators, etc. be fitted as standard?
* Can water from the site be reused and recycled?
* Is run-off from the site (especially from parking lots) carefully channeled to make sure it doesn’t pollute watercourses?

Waste. Major hotels can provide recycling facilities for whole communities.
* Can composting areas be included to break down organic kitchen waste?
* Can recycling facilities be provided for community use with easy access?

Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality. Around the world sick building syndrome costs millions of days in sick leave each year. It can easily be minimised through good design.
* Where required, is the building insulated to ensure efficient energy use, and also designed to allow sufficient throughput of air?
* Can windows be opened wherever possible to provide a through draft?
* Are photocopier, computer and mechanical rooms well-ventilated? Is low-ozone equipment installed?
* In urban areas, are air ducts used with easily changeable and accessible filters?
* In urban areas, trees can absorb considerable amounts of dust so you may consider a planting strategy.

Pollution Control Characteristics.
* Are low or non-VOC paints and varnishes used?
* Are non-toxic materials used whenever possible?
* Are CFCs and HCFCs avoided in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment?
* Are non-toxic cleaning and maintenance materials used?

Community Involvement. All parties – developers, engineers, systems designers, architects, suppliers, local communities and operators – should be included in the pre-development consultation process. This is critical for taking advantage of the opportunities for integrated decision-making and optimising resource efficiency.
* Can you make use of local trading areas to supply building and other materials?
* Can local craftspeople and artists produce furniture, china and other decor?
* Can the hotel provide an outlet for the sale of local crafts?
* Can you provide a day care facility for local residents?
* Can the hotel grounds be landscaped to provide features for the local population to enjoy?

5. Staff Training & Education. Even the most sustainable buildings will only operate effectively if staff are trained to operate systems properly. One person using bleach carelessly, for example, can cause many years of damage to a natural waste water system.
* Can the companies which install various technologies (eg. waste water treatment) provide on-going staff training?
* Will they provide emergency preparedness training?
* Will these companies periodically review the operations of these systems?
* Do you have a comprehensive, on-going staff training programme, with provision for follow-up and induction training for new staff?

6. Monitoring & Assessment of the Building’s Environmental Performance. Many hotels make considerable effort to improve their environmental performance at the outset, but it sometimes slides over time because they don’t monitor how the building is operating and look for ways to continually improve.
* Can your building environmental management system provide you with sufficient information to access and manage the environmental performance of the building?
* Can this information be broken down by area – eg. kitchen, laundry room etc.?
* Can items such as water use by specific areas of the building be broken down rather than the hotel as a whole?

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From the Green Hotelier Magazine, Issue 15, a SustainableBusiness.com Content Partner.