Environmental sustainability has been a growing focus of the global hotel industry over the last several years.

Through development and operations, many hoteliers are introducing more environmentally friendly practices to protect their local ecosystems and communities as well as their guests. Check out these stories reported by Hotel News Now since the beginning of 2022 about the various ways hoteliers are trying to be better stewards of the planet.

While electric vehicles make up a small percentage of vehicles on the road currently, U.S. hoteliers see an opportunity to add charging stations to their properties as EVs grow both in popularity and number, reports HNN’s Bryan Wroten.

The Witness Group installed its first hotel EV charging station in 2017 and has continued the practice since then. Aakash Patel, principal of development at Witness, said that while these charging stations are an additional expense, they can help differentiate their hotels from the competition while also embracing a cleaner technology.

“Personally, I have a strong feeling to the fact that we do have to think of ways to create more economical and sustainable mechanisms for the world, and we have to do our part,” he said.

Hoteliers speaking at the recent SAHIC Latin American & The Caribbean conference urged their colleagues to prioritize sustainability efforts to avoid the worst outcomes of climate change, writes HNN’s Sean McCracken.

Ana Ramirez, senior lead designer for OBM International, said hoteliers must follow the shift in consciousness that consumers have already made.

"This crisis has raised the demand on sustainable strategies and design," she said. "In the Caribbean, we're not just seeing clients that request sustainability and green strategies but fully integrated, sustainable communities that have wellness at the core of the business."

Along with the environmental benefits, hotel rooftop gardens provide their properties with both extra revenue as well cost savings, reports HNN’s Terence Baker.

Mark Patterson, founder of London-based environmental consulting firm Api:Cultural, said having rooftop gardens and other green initiatives makes sense both economically and socially.

“It has been shown that [rooftop gardens] keep energy costs down, both cool and heat buildings and provide spaces for people to pause, relax and clear their heads, which has become very important” during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

As business travel recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, several companies are now looking at their own, and their employees’, carbon footprint when budgeting work trips, reports HNN’s Terence Baker.

“One corporate procurer I spoke to recently has instigated in their company a more stringent approach — hotels, flights and car [rental] are displayed by their carbon use," said Paul Proctor, vice president, commercial, Europe for IHG Hotels & Resorts. "The traveler is then given a carbon budget for the year, and once it is consumed, then no more travel is allowed.

“In a post-pandemic environment where we are already more thoughtful about the purpose and return on investment of travel, this adds another layer in to the decision-making process for the traveler,” he said.

As hotel brand, owner and management company Soul Community Planet grows its portfolio, it aims to do so with both sustainability and personal wellness in mind, reports HNN’s Bryan Wroten.

The company has set a goal of June 2022 for 100% vegetarian food and beverage offerings, and its continuing to work toward achieving net-zero waste. It has been working with a sustainability expert to guide the company’s efforts toward certified green practices.

“Sustainability is an area where it’s easy to talk about,” SCP co-founder and CEO Ken Cruse said. “It’s much more difficult to hold yourself accountable to a higher level of performance when it comes to sustainability.”

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