When eco-friendly technology marries visionary management they will produce a healthy child. An excellent example is Corinthia Hotel Lisbon.
The drive to reach high eco-friendly standards started in 2007. Together with GalpEnergia (a major player in the energy industry in Portugal) Corinthia developed tailor-made engineering solutions with state-of-the-art equipment to achieve high energy efficiency and at the same time produce energy autonomously- two aims which enhance sustainability.
Then in 2008 incandescent lighting was phased out and replaced with LED lighting throughout the hotel. This resulted in 80% reduction in energy consumption associated with bulbs replaced and a yearly decrease of 635,181 Kg of CO2 emissions.
A successful project must be ongoing and needs to be refreshed and revitalized by time. In fact in 2011 Corinthia Lisbon embarked on a further adventure called Energy Efficiency Project. This involved adding new technology or features to older systems (retrofitting), strengthened with further energy efficiency measures. Result: a staggering decrease of more than 20% of the energy requirements of the hotel and an improvement of its energy class (IEE) to class B.
The list of initiatives taken in the process is impressive: implementation of solar thermal i.e. harnessing of solar energy; implementation of cogeneration i.e. joint generation of electricity and useful heat, and using the steam left over from electricity generation for heating; and thermal energy recovery i.e. collection and re-use of heat arising from any process that would otherwise be lost.
Naturally all this was managed and monitored to ensure optimum efficiency. In line with excellent management practice, Corinthia Hotel Lisbon instilled an awareness of all this in its staff and trained them to ensure achievement of the goals.
They also recycle their cooking oil to be used in industrial machinery or be chemically changed into biofuel, which is an environmentally friendly fuel, already used for industrial machinery.
Only recycled paper is used in their office printing and all the rooms follow the bed linen change Green Policy. Two electric charging points were installed in the garage park.
The technology guru there is engineer Mr Pedro Ferreira, who works with the complete support and leading guide of General Manager Mr Roderick Micallef.
No wonder the hotel won the coveted Western Europe Energy Project of the Year for 2013.
“To accomplish our vision we must innovate and be ambitious in our goals. We are paving a road to a better and more environmentally conscious business. It is possible to protect the environment and be economically efficient at the same time.” So said engineer Mr Pedro Ferreira who is convinced that the proper us of science is not to conquer nature but to live in it.
General Manager Mr Roderick Micallef speaks glowingly about the future. “Savings are higher than predicted and we will also produce part of our energy consumption.”
Undoubtedly, Corinthia Hotel Lisbon passionately believes in the maxim: Environment is no one’s property to destroy; it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect.
