Future-proofing Hospitality

Hello Strangers

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a sustainability superhero at our hotel? Just be yourself, especially if you are someone who cleans the bedroom every two days or so. If it were up to us, we'd already be sewing your eco-cape.

Sustainability is a lengthy word, but it’s really simple. When it comes to hospitality, it can be as easy as telling guests, “Welcome home.” But let's be honest, they probably didn’t book a hotel room to feel like they were at home with the same towel for a week and a messy bedroom to sleep in! When some individuals are on vacation, they forget about the environment. They'll keep the tap water running because no water bill is due at the end of the month. The same goes for electricity; why turn off the lights? While at home, every decision has direct impacts; on vacation, it’s a free-for-all and #YOLO. This is why implementing eco-friendly practices is more difficult than you might assume.

The Flipside of Hospitality

With 15 years of experience in hospitality, Gamuchirai Yvonne Chimbganda , our Rooms Division Manager, has become intimately acquainted with the monumental carbon footprint our daily operations leave behind. In an industry that's always sprucing up its look to stay on trend, we're constantly swapping out old furnishings and décor. It's a never-ending cycle of makeovers, where yesterday's chic is today's landfill fodder.

Hotels, in general, contribute significantly to climate change through more than just operational waste. The energy-intensive demands of heating, cooling, and lighting large spaces, coupled with the frequent laundry of linens and towels, spike carbon emissions. Furthermore, the transportation impacts of guest travel and supply chain logistics do not make it any better.

Almost Home, But Greener

When sustainable practices were first implemented at 25hours, the team was excited to be part of the effort but also nervous. Convincing guests to embrace the "less is more" approach sometimes feels like convincing a cat to take a bath—challenging, to say the least. We naturally start to wonder if they would see our eco-friendly efforts as innovative or just inconvenient.

Being a relatively new property, our initial goals and direction were crystal clear from the outset. With that in mind, we also established the Green Team Committee, a dedicated group of our tribe members working collaboratively on eco-plans, ensuring our initiatives are seamlessly integrated from start to finish.

We brainstormed ideas together, but setting objectives is one thing; executing them is another test altogether. Rolling out these programs involved a myriad of considerations and feasibility studies, ranging from performing preliminary self-audits for Green Key Compliance to revamping our supply chain processes and rallying all suppliers behind eco-label products. It's been a journey of balancing optimism with pragmatism, ensuring that our projects are more than simply utopian ideas, but practical steps towards a greener future.

So here we are, pushing operational efficiency and championing sustainable projects at 25hours Hotel One Central. The team's diverse backgrounds, including Yvonne’s extensive experience in housekeeping, have provided a solid foundation for these efforts, enabling the implementation of practical, effective solutions that align with the hotel's goals.

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Hiccups and Wins

Even within the department, with each step towards eco-friendliness comes several hurdles. Transitioning to eco-friendly cleaning products necessitated overcoming early skepticism and showing they were as effective as traditional, highly toxic options. Establishing rigorous recycling programs involves meticulous planning to seamlessly integrate them into daily operations. This includes ensuring all tribe members are fully trained in waste segregation practices. Similarly, adopting water-saving techniques requires adjusting infrastructure to optimize resource efficiency while maintaining high service standards. At the same time, selecting the right suppliers who share our eco-conscious values has also been crucial in ensuring our sustainability initiatives are supported from source to service. These challenges demand a cohesive effort to effectively balance eco-friendly goals with operational demands. It's about not only implementing these practices but also ensuring they become sustainable habits in daily routines.

At Extra Hour Spa, we have designed the interiors to be eco-centered and minimalistic. While our treatment rooms have LED lighting, our steam rooms are sensor-controlled, with default temperature settings activated when a guest is present. We’ve also partnered with Comfort Zone for spa products because of their commitment to decarbonizing products with refillable packaging and using more organic ingredients. There is also our shared commitment to achieving carbon net zero by 2050. Additionally, our spa amenities are eco-certified, and part of the hotel’s objective is to source only environmentally friendly supplies.

As it can be understood, this journey wasn’t, isn’t, and most certainly will never be all smooth sailing. Who would want to give housekeeping a break or skip using air conditioning in the middle of summer? But we always embrace the difficulties with open arms, persevere, and turn them into a learning curve. Today, we have a good number of guests participating in our eco-environmental efforts, and at large, this is conducted as a personal preference. This has been a result of raising awareness about the hotel’s sustainability commitments among everyone who checks in, fostering alignment while reducing complaints. Every guest can effortlessly refill their bottles at our dedicated water station, reducing plastic waste. This simple yet impactful initiative is just one way we're reshaping hospitality in 25hours. Last year, we even recycled over 80,000 aqua cans collected onsite, demonstrating our commitment to impactful waste reduction.

Our tribe has been trained to understand the impact of our efforts, recognizing that this is a gradual process, like planting a seed. You won't see the tree the next day, but with time and nurturing, it grows and bears fruit. Our efforts were recognized and we achieved the Green Key certification. Indeed, it has been a huge win for us, showcasing our unwavering commitment to responsible operations. This prestigious certification enhances our reputation, gives us a competitive edge, and attracts eco-conscious travelers.

your turn to clean, bro’

Despite all the ups and downs, the future of environmental responsibility at the hotel is seen as nothing short of spectacular. Who knows, maybe we will set up honeybee hives on the rooftop or install holographic dolphins in our rooftop pool for a 'virtual marine experience' at some point. Welcome to 25hours, strangers!

We will certainly not only meet industry standards but exceed them, setting a benchmark for responsible tourism and contributing significantly to global sustainability efforts. It's one step at a time as we leverage advanced technologies and innovative ideas to boost energy efficiency, slash waste, and conserve water, among others.

As this journey unfolds, everyone is invited to join us on this journey towards a greener future. Whether you're a guest, a fellow hospitality professional, or simply an environmentalist, share your thoughts and ideas or even partner in sustainability initiatives.

Goodbye Habibi

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