By 2050, more than half the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. Unfortunately, hotels are?water hogs: A 500-room, upscale hotel averaging 80% occupancy will consume 124 million liters annually – enough to fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to EarthCheck, a benchmarking certification and advisory group for travel and tourism.
The hotel industry has tended to lag others when it comes to water conservation, says Xenia zu Hohenlohe, managing partner and founder at London-based Considerate Hoteliers, which helps hospitality businesses operate responsibly. “Hotels sell dreams,” she notes.
Contributed by Karen Kroll
Companies like Centara Hotels and Resorts, Bangkok, have been doing some real-world monitoring and reduction of water use since 2016, says Sunyata Jedcharoenruk, operations manager, environment and sustainability. The company is, among other things, using a new type of chiller machine and reusing cold water from air-conditioning and freezer units, allowing some locations to cut water use in half; installing low-flow regulators that allow taps and showerheads to save 2 to 3 liters per minute; and 16 of its properties, recycling all waste and rain water for use in landscaping: This should save about 1 million cubic meters of water annually.
Management has distributed to property managers a presentation with best practices in water conservation. “Team awareness is the most important factor to drive this program,” Jedcharoenruk says.