Sustainability is no longer a “good to have” option but a necessity
for hotel brands that want to maintain their competitive edge. For hotel
operators, it creates a brand USP that resonates with the eco-conscious
travellers of today. For hotel owners, it increases the valuation of
the asset when energy costs are reduced.
“Consumers in Asian markets too are more vocal about making green
choices when they travel. There is also more of a push on the policy
side from governments that are advocating environmentally friendly
initiatives,” said Sabine Schaffer, managing partner & co-founder of
Pro-invest Group, speaking at the recent Alternate Ownership Conference
Hotels & Resorts (AOCAP) – Asia Pacific webinar organised by The
BHN Group.
The
onus, added Schaffer, is on asset owners to ensure that real estate
asset types within a portfolio should incorporate green features and be
energy-efficient.
A
green philosophy should be ingrained in the hotel design, said Blink
Design Group founder & creative partner, Clint Nagata, who champions
the use of local materials and giving back to the community among his
hospitality clients.
The sustainability vision may begin with hotel operators and
designers, but its commitment begins with asset owners. The panel
speakers at AOCAP concurred there is a need to further educate Asia’s
hotel owners on the importance of long-term commitment in order to fully
reap the benefits and investment value of this asset class.
As Asia Pacific sees a continued boom in new hotels, the need for sustainable goals grows even more urgent.
“Eighty percent of the buildings that will be ready by 2050 are
already standing now, so the important question to address is how to
make these old buildings environmentally friendly. No doubt, it much
easier to build efficient green energy systems into new builds,” said
Schaffer.
Together with building conversion projects, the practice of upcycling
materials and furniture in renovations make a difference in creating
sustainable hotels of the future.
For Arnfinn Oines, Social & Environmental Conscience at Soneva,
repurposing furniture and upcycling materials are key approaches in its
properties in Maldives.
“We have an in-house carpentry team that builds new furniture and
fixes old ones. Also, we have a glass studio that is used to create
artistic and functional pieces from glass waste collected from our
properties. It also allows our guests to enjoy the experience of glass
blowing lessons at the studio,” said Oines.