Being Green: Making system
healthier
New
technology ensures increase in efficiency of the hotel, in terms of increased
revenue or guest satisfaction. Changes
being important part of every system, experienced housekeeping managers still
rely on the same archaic procedures and tools as when it was years ago. As the housekeeping department is responsible for
bringing in the largest share of profit to an accommodation operation, but this
fact is hardly acknowledged and consider a thankless job.
In the modern era,
where hotels are planning to implement cloud computing, robots and we talk
about innovative technology to make hospitality services faster and more user
friendly, and when it comes to housekeeping, each and every guest would like to
be attended by an employee and not robots who can listen to them and can
provide them with personalized services.
In this competitive
scenario generating revenuel is very tough and satisfying guest is even
tougher. Because of increase in foreigners visit and increased competition
among hotels, guests and management have realized the importance of
housekeeping services. And so Housekeeping managers have started thinking of operations
as more scientific and mechanized. Efficiently managed Housekeeping departments
ensure the cleanliness, safeguarding and aesthetic entreat of the hotel.
There have been noteworthy innovations in housekeeping
over recent years, which are now gaining ground in hotels around the world.
Whereas, the best innovation found in the past few years is the ? Eco Hotels?
And Green hotels has become a new and a unique concept to fetch guest and side
by side maintaining its eco friendly value.
Eco hotel has made important environmental
improvements to its structure in order to minimize its impact on the environment. The basic definition of a green
hotel is an environmentally responsible lodging that follows the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified
green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in.
Traditionally, these hotels were mostly presented as Eco Lodges because of
their location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use
of traditional building methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas, such
as Costa Rica and Indonesia.
Today, eco hotels
also include properties in less "natural" locations that have
invested in improving their "green" credentials. For example The Ecotel, Uppal Hotel in Delhi, is based on
five areas of environmentalism, which are referred to as the ?cornerstones of
environmental responsibility? or simply as ?Globes?. These
Globes are Energy conservation, water conservation,Solid waste management, Employee
environmental education and environmental commitment.
Don't you think
Green technology has given Hotel many options to make their Suites and rooms
look different?
With the focus
progressively on green practices, there is much more to being ecologically
friendly than reusing sheets and towels. i.e. to save water, save energy and
reduce solid waste, Improving air and
water quality and Increasing the
efficient use of natural resources.
Eco practices are
one of the most spectacular emerging trends in hotel housekeeping. ?Going green?
is a trend of the day and environment sound policies increases the monetary
health of a property.
Green hotels follow strict green guidelines
to ensure that their guests are staying in a safe, non-toxic and
energy-efficient accommodation. Here are some basic characteristics of a green
hotel:
Housekeeping
uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent
Non-smoking
environment
Renewable
energy sources like solar or wind energy
Bulk
organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to reduce waste
Guest
room and hotel lobby recycling bins
Towel
and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used
items to reduce water consumption)
Energy-efficient
lighting
On-site
transportation with green vehicles
Serve
organic and local-grown food
Non-disposable
dishes
Offers
a fresh-air exchange system
Grey-water
recycling, which is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and
landscaping
Newspaper
recycling program
There is an
increasing awareness to use eco-friendly amenities, commodities and practices. Housekeepers
are developing and adopting new ways to conserve water and energy. According to
American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) hospitality industry spends $3.7
billion in a year on energy. AHLA estimates that reducing energy use by 10% industry would save $ 285 million.
Usage of energy
consuming appliances. i.e. compact fluorescent lamps which saves energy.
Ceiling motion sensors are used in meeting rooms,conference rooms and public
areas to reduce energy waste. Housekeepers are looking for products and equipment that help in conserving energy.
Bamboo is an environmentally sustainable material for uniforms, toweling and sheeting and is gaining popularity as its cost is coming down.
Nano technology used in surface coating makes it dirt and dust
resistant. The product works by using the nano particles that fill in
microscopic fissures in surfaces, creating a perfect seal that repels water,
grease, bacteria and dirt. It is used in
Korea and Japan for years, they are now showing up on other continents.
Microfibre as a cleaning system has been in use
in hospitals for years and is now slowly adopted into housekeeping departments
around the world. Not only it is environmentally friendly but is also cost
effective and also produces better cleaning results. It?s a cleaning cloth made
of polyester, nylon or polyamide strands that are many times finer than a human
hair. The fibres are wedge shaped so their edges van cut through and move soil off
an object. It is non abrasive and can be used without chemicals or with water.
The Professional Housekeeper?s Association of New South Wales
commissioned laboratory analysis of cleaning hygiene, comparing the
effectiveness of 5 methods of cleaning bathroom glasses. The tests showed that
all 5 methods; using dish washing liquid, microfibre, a sterilizing tablet, all
purpose cleaner and using a dishwasher were effective in removing bacteria and
mould present.
Various institutes and organization are also planning workshops and
training events for promoting Green technology, To get new ideas and concepts
of green technology not only in hotels but worldwide.
Timely and professional housekeeping management is at the epicenter of
the guest experience and therefore the heart of a successful hotel operation. Being
green means guests, staff and management are healthier. There is no doubt that
when odors, fumes, soot, droplets and residues of toxic, poisonous chemicals
are not in the air, on our food or on anything we touch, we are not absorbing
or breathing them, WE ARE HEALTHY.
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