Wednesday, July 17, 2024 IHG Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in hospitality, has launched the Low Carbon Pioneers program. This initiative unites energy-efficient hotels that operate without on-site fossil fuel combustion* and are supported by renewable energy sources. This innovative community of low operational carbon hotels is the first of its kind in the industry.
It aims to help IHG test, learn, and share sustainability measures, inspiring other properties to join and promoting wider adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHG’s estate. The initial Low Carbon Pioneer hotels represent various IHG brands and are located at these properties: Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain Iberostar Waves Cristina, Spain Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary Each Low Carbon Pioneer hotel will incorporate sustainable solutions like high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and hot water generation, along with fully electric kitchens. These properties will also receive operational sustainability certifications recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, such as Green Key, or sustainable building certifications like LEED, BREEAM, or EDGE.
To track and measure their energy usage, Low Carbon Pioneer hotels will utilize IHG’s Green Engage environmental platform. Additional hotels will join the Low Carbon Pioneers program across all regions. IHG is also developing a “low-carbon ready” group of hotels to prepare for the future availability of 100% renewable energy in countries or districts where it is not currently feasible.
The full criteria for a Low Carbon Pioneer hotel can be found here. Elie Maalouf, CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are excited to launch our Low Carbon Pioneers programme as another innovative way in which we’re meeting evolving guest expectations, helping our hotel owners future-proof their businesses and reducing carbon across our estate. “This is an important next step in IHG’s sustainability journey but it remains one of many we must continue to take.
Accelerating change at scale for both IHG and the wider industry also requires broader support from governments ranging from greater access to renewable energy and incentives for owners, to a reduction in the cost of technology that speeds up the industry’s transition to a greener, more resilient future. IHG is committed to working with industry bodies and governments to help achieve this, alongside encouraging more owners to adopt carbon reduction practices and become Low Carbon Pioneers.” For IHG’s hotel owners, the Low Carbon Pioneers programme is pivotal in future-proofing their businesses.
Through testing, learning, and sharing findings, this initiative will promote wider adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHG’s estate. Guests looking for sustainable stays will easily identify hotels marketed as low carbon or low carbon ready through IHG’s booking channels. These hotels are energy efficient, use no fossil fuels on-site, and are supported by renewable energy.
With nearly all of IHG’s top global corporate accounts aiming for net-zero or carbon-neutral targets, these hotels will appeal to corporate clients committed to sustainable travel. Energy-efficient, low operational carbon hotels offer potential future benefits to owners, such as better alignment with environmental regulations and improved access to green finance for new projects. Collectively, these advantages are expected to enhance property valuations over time.
IHG Hotels & Resorts acknowledges its responsibility as a leading global hotel company to take decisive, practical action to reduce carbon emissions. The “Journey to Tomorrow” responsible business plan guides this effort, focusing on caring for people, communities, and the planet. This plan unites colleagues, hotel owners, and partners in being a force for good.
IHG continually develops solutions to measure, manage, and minimize the environmental impact of its thousands of hotels, implementing brand standards for energy conservation in areas such as lighting, heating, and ventilation, sourcing renewable energy, and installing EV chargers. The Low Carbon Pioneers programme builds on IHG’s tradition of creating ambitious and innovative solutions to drive industry progress. As the first global hospitality company to replace bathroom miniatures with bulk amenities and to provide properties with renewable energy through a community solar programme in the US, IHG is now setting a new sustainability benchmark for hotels to help reduce operational carbon across its estate.
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