Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has a “green team”

The following article is based on a presentation by Jackie Budgell, environmental systems manager for The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise to the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association.

Located within Banff National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Chateau Lake Louise is a leader in environmental stewardship and a role model within the lodging industry.
 
The Chateau participates in various environmental programs including the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Green Partnership Program, Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key program, The Chateau’s own Environmental Stewardship Program; and the No Net Environmental  Impact Program.
 
The Chateau’s new $65 million conference wing was built with the environment in mind.
Water is the world’s most valuable resource.  We all need to do what we can to protect and conserve before the well runs dry.

Over the past decade, Chateau Lake Louise has implemented many water conservation measures and has decreased its water usage by more than 15,000 cubic metres per year.

How can your hotel conserve water?

Maintenance of taps, valves and pipes can help your hotel conserve water.  Fix leaky taps—a steady drip from one tap can waste 50,000 gallons of water per year.
Toilets are also important. On average, 25 per cent of toilets leak, and one drip per second can waste 200 gallons per month!

To check for hidden leaks, place 10 drops of food colouring in the toilet tank.  Wait 15 minutes.  If colour appears in the bowl, you have a leak.

Install low-flow toilets. Most use 3.9 gallons less than a regular toilet. If you have 500 guests in your hotel, you would save 7,800 gallons of water per night.

Dual flushers allow users to choose a regular flush or a ‘mini flush’ which uses one-third less water.

Low-flow shower heads can help as well. They replace a percentage of water with air to produce a more forceful spray. Most use 2 gallons of water per minute, where a conventional shower head uses between 4 and 8 gallons per minute.

If 500 guests showered for 10 minutes with a low flow shower head, you would save a minimum of 10,000 gallons of water per day.

While normal faucets deliver 3 to 4 gallons of water per minute, a faucet aerator can cut this rate in half.

Motion sensors in washrooms can work as well. Toilets and faucets operated by photoelectric cells can generate huge savings in public washrooms, pool areas and fitness facilities.

Involve your guests and colleagues with optional sheet and towel exchanges, and inform your guests and colleagues of your water conservation efforts.  Let them know how they can do their part. For example, by not running the water when brushing your teeth you can save up to 5.3 gallons of water per day.

Conserve energy to stop climate change

Climate change is our biggest environmental challenge and affects us all. The most important action a company or individual can take to stop climate change is to conserve energy.

Switch to energy efficient lighting.  The lifespace of one compact fluorescent light (CFL) is greater than the lifespan of nine incandescent bulbs.  On average, a CFL bulb will prevent 800 pounds of carbon dioxide and 20 pounds of sulfur dioxide from being released into our atmosphere during its lifespan.

Electronic ballasts use 25 per cent less energy than regular ballasts.  They give off better-quality light with less noise and heat generation.

Ingredients for an effective green team

If your hotel is to have a successful green team, you will need the following:

o    Members who are interested in environmental matters and are motivated to encourage other colleagues to participate in your program;
o    Representation from upper management, the engineering and the public relations departments;
o    An ‘Eco-Champion’ to act as team leader, co-ordinate meetings and ensure the hotel meets its stated environmental goals.
 
Some of Lake Louise’s Green Team initiatives

o    Recycle used soap into laundry detergent.
o    Replace plastic  take-out containers with biodegradable alternatives.
o    Replace plastic garbage bags with biodegradable garbage bags.
o    Switch to 30 per cent recycled    paper.
o    Install a biodiesel processing plant.