You cannot refute the facts. Americans have transformed into “Eco-friendly” mavens with everything they do - including travel. So much so that they take the environment into consideration when booking a hotel.
According to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, tourism contributes about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions — a figure they expect to grow by 130% by 2035.
So, how can you incorporate Eco-friendly interior design & materials into your hotel, while still giving your guests the experience they desire.
Countless studies on millennial consumer behavior have found that sustainability is not simply a “want,” it’s a requirement made by this travel rich generation. In fact, in the past 12 months, 68% of millennials have made a purchase decision based upon a product or services' social or environmental benefit.
If you’re looking to appeal to those “sustainable-minded” guests here are a few things to consider when designing your Eco-friendly hotel and choosing your hotel’s FF&E.
Toxic chemicals aren’t just found in research labs. We live and breathe them in almost every environment we encounter through our day-to-day lives.
Why should you be concerned: the chemicals can be released into the environment, creating a toxic atmosphere with multiple major health impacts. Since hotel rooms are often very small and poorly ventilated, this concentrates on the effects of the chemicals.
What can you do to help keep your staff and travelers safe: specify eco-friendly interior design materials to help create a safer environment for both your employees and your guests.
Common Eco-Friendly Material Options:
Keep in mind, specifying domestic products will also reduce (or eliminate) harmful chemicals due to the USA's stricter manufacturing policies.
Going with a US manufacturer for hotel furniture production also reduces carbon footprint in subtle ways as well. It limits the amount of transit and emissions and has other environmental benefits as well.
A life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that can be used to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a product, material, process, or activity. Hospitality designers can use a life-cycle assessment tool to assess the raw materials from processing, to transport, use, and disposal.
LCA study results help to promote the responsible design and redesign of products leading to reduced overall environmental impacts and the reduced use and release of more toxic materials.
Sure, every hotelier would like to say they've transformed their rooftop into a garden oasis, helping to lower their carbon footprint, or even turn their hotel into a completely LEED-certified building. But that also takes a lot of green (money) and can result in some major construction overhauls.
So how can you get a sustainable, sought-after, green hotel quickly and also stay within budget (and win those PR points)?
We believe in doing what we can do to conserve, period. Artone sources materials through Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). We are committed to creating a cleaner and safer environment throughout our workplace and products. It is important to you and it is important to us!