Image
Energy and resource efficiency in hotel industry
Published on 04 February 2021
Slovenia
Zahodna Slovenija
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Key people and organisations (initiator, leader, partners)
Initiator: a private investor
Facility: 1st ecological hotel resort built in 2009 in Bohinj, Western Slovenia, involving EU funding
Reason for taking the good practice action
When building a hotel resort in Bohinj glacial valley and rural region, on the brink of Triglav National Park, it was crucial to take environment into consideration. Constructing an ecological and energy efficient hotel, was the best possible option for the area, fortelling future sustainable tourism development.
Issues and challenge
- Implementing most efficient, best available technologies possible
- Marketing a 5* ecological resort (no competition/comparison in SE Europe)
- Sustainable management including hiring local people
- Uniting the concept of comfort with environmentally friendly behaviour
- Bringing more guests to an industrially undeveloped region
Methods /steps / tools used (to develop the good practice)
The investor was an engineering company specializing in energy-efficient construction. The resort was built as an energy efficient hotel from scratch, using top technologies available, even implementing some pilot systems. The hotel is run in a way that strongly considers the principles of sustainable management (preferring local food suppliers, recycling and separating waste, promoting cultural and historical heritage, etc.).
The LCA methodologies used were LC thinking and LCSA following the ISO 14040 framework.
Initiator: a private investor
Facility: 1st ecological hotel resort built in 2009 in Bohinj, Western Slovenia, involving EU funding
Reason for taking the good practice action
When building a hotel resort in Bohinj glacial valley and rural region, on the brink of Triglav National Park, it was crucial to take environment into consideration. Constructing an ecological and energy efficient hotel, was the best possible option for the area, fortelling future sustainable tourism development.
Issues and challenge
- Implementing most efficient, best available technologies possible
- Marketing a 5* ecological resort (no competition/comparison in SE Europe)
- Sustainable management including hiring local people
- Uniting the concept of comfort with environmentally friendly behaviour
- Bringing more guests to an industrially undeveloped region
Methods /steps / tools used (to develop the good practice)
The investor was an engineering company specializing in energy-efficient construction. The resort was built as an energy efficient hotel from scratch, using top technologies available, even implementing some pilot systems. The hotel is run in a way that strongly considers the principles of sustainable management (preferring local food suppliers, recycling and separating waste, promoting cultural and historical heritage, etc.).
The LCA methodologies used were LC thinking and LCSA following the ISO 14040 framework.
Resources needed
Investor’s staff
Evidence of success
In the hotel that serves as an example in the hotel industry, over 10x less CO2 emissions emerge. When built, it was equipped with LED lighting, which brings enormous savings. It produces electricity and entire heating & cooling is based on heat pumps utilizing water from its very own source. As a consistent benchmark, the resort also received Green Globe Certificate, which requires the venue to improve on all areas (water and waste management, energy efficiency, etc.) up to 5 % each year.
Potential for learning or transfer
Energy efficient construction requires a greater beginning investment, but the costs are returned within the first few years. This is the most critical success factor in this case, since it has brought not only lower monthly expenses, but furthermore worldwide recognition, differentiation on the market and the best possible guests (loyal, nature-loving, health-sports driven, people who share the same values and are interested in local heritage).
A public authority could learn the following from this good practice: This good practice demonstrates a good example how the principles of sustainability and life-cycle methodologies (i.e. LCSA and LC thinking) can be implemented in practice. Therefore, by following this good practice, legislation in the field of construction could be modified in a stepwise manner in terms of requesting from investors to implement a higher extent of green technologies, efficient use and recycling of resources, energy savings etc.
A public authority could learn the following from this good practice: This good practice demonstrates a good example how the principles of sustainability and life-cycle methodologies (i.e. LCSA and LC thinking) can be implemented in practice. Therefore, by following this good practice, legislation in the field of construction could be modified in a stepwise manner in terms of requesting from investors to implement a higher extent of green technologies, efficient use and recycling of resources, energy savings etc.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
other
Slovenia
Zahodna Slovenija
Contact
Researcher