Date post: | 04-Jan-2016 |
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Sustainability is Good for Business
PRESENTATION TO GROUNDSKEEPING DEPARTMENT
Sustainable Hotel Gardens
Introduction
Our customers are looking for accommodation that is:
working to improve its sustainability
reduce negative environmental impact
The hotel is making efforts to reduce its water and energy consumption and to minimise the production of waste
Garden planning and maintenance has an important role to play in reducing water consumption
GROUNDS – Energy Reduction
DECORATIVE LIGHTING
external lighting should use energy efficient lamps
Install automatic timers to limit the hours that decorative lighting is on to when it is likely to be viewed by guests i.e. turn off by 1am
Install daylight sensors to ensure the lights can only be on when it is dark and not left on accidentally
Grounds – Water Reduction
Select indigenous plants appropriate for the local climate
Ensure all plants are located within their correct watering zones for water needs (low, medium and high)
Plants in the low zone should only need rain water
Water gardens in the early morning to avoid evaporation
Use a controlled irrigation system rather than hoses
Capture rainwater from roofs and gutters to be used on the gardens
Consider using grey water (from sinks, baths and showers) for irrigation
Grounds – Water Use Reduction
Ensure that watering activities match:
Water zonesClimatic conditions and humidityHours of sunshine
Mow the lawns correctly
Maintain mulching and plant cover
Grounds – Waste Minimisation
Garden waste can be composted on site and then used on the gardens for mulching and providing nutrients to the soil
This process can be extended to include kitchen waste
Avoid the use of pesticides wherever possible
Oils from equipment should be collected by a specialist contractor
Case Study - Morocco
Hotel Tikida Garden, Marrakesh
ActionThe hotel has 5 hectares of land so the
Gardening Staff set up a composting system
Impacts
– Cancelled weekly collection of garden waste by truck – saving €200 a week
– Produce their own fertiliser and don’t need chemicals anymore - saving €1000 each year and significantly reducing their environmental impact
– The scheme is a great way to communicate the hotel’s environmental work with guests and partners
Action Planning
Discuss what options there are for reducing energy, water and waste in your operations
create a list of potential actions
who needs to be involved to ensure that these actions can take place?
how quickly do you anticipate these actions being put into place?
will any further training be required?
MAKINGA WORLDOF DIFFERENCE…