How can I make my hotel Green & Lean??

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Hi y'all,

Me & my family operates a small hotel in Mexico. We're dedicated to be green & lean on our day-to-day hotel operations.

And as a matter of fact we have replaced our lighting system with LED light & sensors. We've changed our toilets into water free / water conservation urinates & toilets. They actually save money in the long run.

Since we have so many experts here, I am wondering if you could share some ideas & pointers on how I can be green & save some operating cost at the same time? Or maybe introduce me some products that can help me conserve electricity, water, & other cost that I can recover by going green.

We have a 8 story hotel with a restaurant & gym.

Consider the site on which you will build your green hotel. You may want to face or design the building so that it makes maximum use of natural light. You will also want to make the best use of the natural landscape so that excessive amounts of water and chemicals aren't needed for upkeep.Select building materials that do not damage the environment, either through extraction or building. Many companies now market new-growth lumber, so the consumer knows that it has not been taken from old-growth forests. You can also build with recycled materials, such as scrap PVC to make shingles, to lower costs.Use building materials that reduce the amount of heating and cooling needed. Insulated concrete forms, structural insulated panels, autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and high-performance windows help maintain a constant temperature inside a structure, reducing heating and cooling costs.Install sinks, showers and toilets that save on water. Builders can choose from many appliances that use less gallons of water for each use.Use interior materials that provide a healthy environment for visitors. Nontoxic paints, solvents and adhesives can be used in many instances. Build pollutant removers into the ventilation system to aid visitors with respiratory conditions. Choose floor coverings, finish, trim and caulking that have been manufactured using green methods and that provide energy or environmental benefits for your hotel.

I think it all depends on how much you are willing to spend up front. Most sustainable solutions will cost more than conventional materials but pay for them selves in the long run. I think there are 3 issues that you will need to address to have a truly sustainable hotel. Water, Energy, and waste. I think you have solved the water issue with the water free / water conservation restrooms. For energy, heating/cooling should be your biggest issue, I think the easiest way to solve this problem is to add/increase insulation. This can be a pricey process, There are many brands out there that you will be able to choose from. In another post that I've read somewhere on this forum, there is a solution made by Floor depot. This system will provide some insulation, another interesting thing about this system is that it will be able to collect rain water that you will be able to use.



There is also another system that is aimed at lowering your carbon footprint. This system is called POLLI-BRICK developed by MINIWIZ, this system offers insulation while being partially transparent. This allows natural day light into your building. It seems like you will also be able to integrate a LED lighting system into it. They've currently built a Pavilion out of these POLLI-BRICKS.



And for waste, it would be best to use only re-usable materials. Instead of using paper towels, use re-usable fabric towels. All food left overs will be able to be composted. So maybe having your own compost would be a good idea.

Go solar - you could run your water heating systems, many lighting points and more using solar panels. It's a little bit of investment, but savings over months will easily make up for it.

Originally Posted by SunFusion Solar

Go solar - you could run your water heating systems, many lighting points and more using solar panels. It's a little bit of investment, but savings over months will easily make up for it.

I agree, Solar panels will save lots of energy and pay for them selves over time.