What it means to be a carbon cutter in the UK hotel industry

Energy-saving light bulbs and increased staff awareness put hotels on the foothills of the carbon-cutting mountain. To reach the summit, though, so much more needs to be done. The challenge for hoteliers is to find the most cost-effective route to the top with the best equipment and most experienced help.

At the risk of straining the metaphor, at SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com we act as the experienced guides, providing not only tested, proven and trusted equipment but also step-by-step guidance on the most effective routes to reach your carbon-cutting goals. We know, as you do, that hotel guests are focussed on comfort and positive experience.

This does often lead to unintentional wastage of precious resources. For example, rooms are unoccupied with heating running and lights burning power; guests take longer showers than they might at home, and draw deeper baths … and so on. The agile solution is to reduce this inessential use of resources while at the same time ensuring that there is no negative impact on guest satisfaction. We go further. Our whole strategy is based on delivering waste-cutting solutions that not only save money but also add to the reputation of hotels as active guardians of the environment. Simple, effective, proven solutions. I personally feel that for hoteliers, the challenge of cutting waste has to be met this year and that a strategic view is needed to ensure that the regulatory imperatives are met in the most cost-effective way. What could be a better blueprint than one that delivers at an effective zero cost to the hotelier?

Our discussions with hoteliers over the past couple of years have all identified a common budget roadblock – how to justify CapEx spend on “green” initiatives. They have also highlighted how many hoteliers feel a sense of confusion, and even decision-paralysis, simply because there are so many competing products in the waste-saving marketplace. We want to move forward on this, away from what could be termed “fluffy” green initiatives into practical, positive carbon-cutting and cost-effective measures for every hotel.

Research studies into the hospitality sector in the UK have shown that this year, the metropolitan areas should see some growth in RevPar while the regionals will experience very little or no growth. Add to that the inflation-busting price rises in energy tariffs and it is clear that the need to add to the bottom line through agile cost-cutting has a compelling impetus behind it in 2011. That’s one of the many reasons why we feel that SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com is a winning idea. We cut through the maze of choice, deliver proven solutions that have been tested in real-world conditions in hotels, and have measured the effects, making us confident that hoteliers will make the savings that add substantially to profits year-on-year, while delivering return on investment from Day one.

What are your biggest energy and carbon-cutting challenges this year? We value your feedback and queries, so please add your thoughts, ideas and any questions.