In response to the board of directors’ request, Magic Hotels and Resorts, I have done research and come up with a range of sustainability alternatives. Through the research, I have several suggestions that need to be applied in meeting sustainability and its long term impact. The board of directors has to focus on different alternatives available and which will influence the hotel directly. They range from water, energy and productivity of the hotel depending with performance and resources utilization (Division, 1979). The available resources are based on the functions of hotel departments and needs in attracting controlled application of inputs and outputs. Water and electricity energies are essential resources and most significant on returns in investment of the hotel.
Responding to water sustainability, the hotel has to consider recycling program as a method of reducing the water loss. The hotel should have a mechanism in place for ensuring water is economically utilized. Having more than 2200 rooms, the amount of water required for cleaning is much. After use, water should be directed to a recycling system to be purified and then reused for cleaning. Treatment should be administered during the recycling system to ensure safety while reusing. The next concern is on the water used in different rooms and how it should be controlled (Office, 1990). This would contribute to saving the hotel bills that result from excessive use of water. Automatic sensor water taps should be used in every room to ensure there is no water running without being used.
Energy conservation is important in ensuring incurred bills are controlled. Introduction of energy saving bulbs in every room would help in reducing energy being used and saving money. Different types of the bulbs have different capacity in energy utilization. Their designs should depend with the areas they are applied and the nature of lighting required (Kemp, 2005). Switching to automatic light system would enhance controlling and efficient use of energy. Depending with the rooms and the available restaurant halls in the hotel, the board of directors should ensure the bulbs designs applied meets the required needs. The most important consideration is energy conservation and saving extra costs from excessive use.
The alternatives available for hotel in application of available resources are directed by the resultant sustainability impacts. According to the study, most of the hotels are "going green" and the board of directors has to switch with the changes (Association & Foundation, 2001). The introduction of recycling of laundry water and use of energy saving bulbs would contribute in lowering the costs of operation in the hotel by a large margin. Introduction of measures to guide control in reduction of waste would come up with strategies to conserve energy and water among other resources.
Magic Hotels and Resorts leaders are currently focusing on achievement of higher rate of returns on investment. The management is focusing on improving the services and reducing the expenses incurred. Through sustainable means introduction, unique approaches on energy and water utilization are given more attention.
The first sustainability approach recommended for the hotel leaders focuses on control of lighting systems that would foster conservation of energy. Applications of energy efficient fluorescent bulbs are essential for the hotel in conserving the energy (Håkansson, Höjer, Howlett, & Jain, 2013). The bulbs used either during the day or at night should have different measures in place to ensure they are energy friendly. During the day, lighting systems are supposed to be switched off apart from the selected sections. It would depend with the activities being undertaken in various sections that require energy.
According to water conservation, different criteria are employed from the recycling process and the type of the equipments used. The change of the equipments such as faucets and taps and shower heads in the hotel would contribute in controlling water loss (Association & Foundation, 2001). The use of low-flow faucets regulates the amount of water flow and hence contributes in conservation as they reduce water waste at every use. This would ensure the amount of water used in the rooms is minimal and it is well controlled. It helps in cutting the amount of water that is inappropriately used in guest rooms. In connection with the low flow faucets, the hotel management should also consider changing the sinks to hand motion sensors that are automated. This would ensure water stopping during the absence of a person in the sink to prevent continuous tap flow. It would contribute in cutting the amount of water being used and hence lowering the water bill for the hotel.
Recommendations
There are different factors that are supposed to be considered when coming up with an appropriate strategy in the reduction of inefficiency resources uses. The factors on recycling have to be based on the need of improving the returns in investment and increasing the profitability. As a hotel, there are various departments that need to be incorporated in the process and the changes that would be employed (Håkansson, Höjer, Howlett, & Jain, 2013). Therefore, the resources that cover all the departments and sections are water and energy that have been costing higher bills. The needs on utilization of resources are in a manner that contributes the growth and realization of goals and objectives of the hotel.
Unused halls in the hotel are supposed to be dimmed through application of automatic lighting systems as a means of conserving energy. Installation of the light motion sensors contributes in recognition of the lighting system in the entire hotel (Håkansson, Höjer, Howlett, & Jain, 2013). The application of the switching key card systems in every room in the hotel would help in controlling the activation of lights and air conditioning systems. This type of application contributes in saving the energy as the activation of the room light system, and air condition would apply while the guests are available.
During any other time, the main switch of the energy for the room without guests would control inappropriate energy loss. The guests would confirm their availability through inserting their hotel card keys for an activation of the energy (Håkansson, Höjer, Howlett, & Jain, 2013). This mode of energy saving method is applied as it is effective and efficient and has worked in different hotels of the Magic Hotels and Resorts standards. The control center has the mandate to ensure the rooms are fully monitored through a system of activation. The automatic cards to be used are supposed to have unique card keys depending on the rooms for energy activation.
Treated water recycling programs should also be initiated to contribute to sustainability measures. The collected water from the rooms is essential as it can be used for laundry. The use of the recycled water in cleaning has a great advantage for the hotel as it saves on water consumption. The treatments during the recycling process have a great impact in sustaining water usage and ensuring safety of workers (Division, 1979). The company has a mandate to apply the recycled water to conserve excessive use of water and simultaneously cutting down on the water bills.
According to the research from other hotels at Magic Hotels and Resorts capacity, the sustainability that has positive impacts is based on the controlled resources. The reduction and conservation of the resources contribute to increase in returns on investment. The hotel board of directors has the chance of implementing and finding more appropriate channels that are applicable in conservation of energy and water resources (Association & Foundation, 2001). These are the daily resources that are core in the operation, and their conservation contributes to increased returns. The essential consideration should be focused in cutting down the cost of energy and water through investment in the sustainability.
The application of these initiatives on energy and water conservation, the returns of the Magic Hotels and Resorts would record an increasing and positive trend in performance. The board of directors has a responsibility of ensuring the utilization of the resources are minimized and applied effectively and efficiently to record a positive growth (Håkansson, Höjer, Howlett, & Jain, 2013). It would help in increasing competitive advantages for the improvement in standards hence having a positive reputation. Through the investment on the areas that need to be improved, the returns would gradually increase and through a good reputation, it would get more guests.
Finally, there is need for cooperation of the board of directors with all other stakeholders in the hotel, to come up with a decisive mechanism on operations. The concerns are on measures to be applied in energy and water conservation and sustainability (Division, 1979). Involvement of all employees in conservation would contribute to enhancement and realization of productivity. Returns on investment would be realized through application of appropriate measures that would have positive impacts on hotel operation. Reduced energy and water bills will save the hotel from the costs incurred hence increasing profitability.
References
Association., A. H., & Foundation, A. H. ( 2001). Energy management and conservation guide. Washington, DC: American Hotel & Lodging Foundation.
Division, A. S. (1979). Proceedings of the Specialty Conference on Conservation and Utilization of Water and Energy Resources. New York: ASCE.
Håkansson, A., Höjer, M., Howlett, R. J., & Jain, L. C. ( 2013). Sustainability in energy and buildings. Heidelberg ; New York: Springer.
Kemp, W. H. (2005). The renewable energy handbook : a guide to rural independence, off-grid and sustainable living. Tamworth, Ont.: Aztext Press.
Office, G. B. (1990). Water recycling in a hotel laundry. Great Britain: Energy Efficiency Office.
