Introduction
Siting and Designing decisions for hotels and resorts are major decisions because they influence a considerable number of people and animals both in the current and future generations. Siting and design decisions have a major hand viability and conservation of ecosystems as well as the financial success of the specific hotel or resort. Biodiversity plays an important role in facilitating a hotel’s operational activities. Inside the hotel, the food, furniture and amenities in the spa are all elements of diversity. Outside the hotel, plants and animals (that are also elements of diversity) make a major contribution in making the hotel more attractive. For this reason, integrating biodiversity considerations in siting and design decisions is considerably important. This paper provides an overview of the physical design of a hotel property in South Florida, Southwest Ranches. Southwest Ranches is a rural area in Broward County since the year 2000. It is popular for its sizable number of horse ranches.
Green Operating Activities for Reduction of Resource Use
The hotel shall formally establish an environmental committee with a sole responsibility of developing a green environmental plan that outlines the usage of three main environmental resources. These resources include energy, water, and solid waste. The roles and objectives of the committee shall be solely geared towards developing such a program that sets and oversees the achievement of targets on energy consumption, water consumption, and waste disposal. Further, the committee should seek to strike a balance between saving strategies and client’s satisfaction.
In an attempt to monitor the hotel’s environmental performance, the hotel shall utilize the Energy Star Portfolio Manager for purposes of benchmarking with other hotels of the same category. The established energy committee shall be responsible for the recording of daily energy usage in the portfolio (Jaszay & Dunk, 2006). The management shall as well review energy use on a monthly basis. This benchmarking platform also plays a major role not only in ensuring that the hotel does not misuse environmental resources but also ensuring that it does underuse them.
The design has incorporated 92% fluorescent lamps leaving only 8% incandescent lamps that could not be avoided at any cost. This does not only generate a considerable amount of savings but also improves client satisfaction. The 300-room hotel shall save more than 60% energy with compact fluorescent lamps that will last four times longer than incandescent lamps (AH & LA, 2016). It is amazing that the same lighting level shall be maintained.
Further, digital thermostats shall be installed in all guestrooms and throughout the hotel where necessary. In spite of the increased initial cost of installation, the digital thermostats shall lead to increased energy savings in the long run. Digital thermostats shall be heavily relied on in reducing electricity consumption, natural gas, and fuel oil consumption while at the same time customer satisfaction improvements are made.
Besides, the hotel design recommends the introduction of a linen/ towel re-use program where guests will be required to fill a form responding to whether or not they would be comfortable with reusing their towels or linen. If they are comfortable, the further response will be required relating to the number of days they would wish to reuse them (Jones et al., 2006). This way, the hotel shall save more time, energy and costs incurred in cleaning them. According to the AH & LA, a hotel can save up to 20% water, energy, and labor costs using this program.
The hotel shall, also, install 2.5-gallons per minute showerheads in all guestroom baths and all shower areas in the hotel (AH & LA, 2016). 2.5-gallons per minute showerheads are more than enough to customer satisfaction, and they form a major deal as far as energy and water savings is concerned (AH & LA, 2016). With such amount of water per showerhead, less hot water is consumed, and sewage charges are reduced.
The hotel design provides for a maximum installation of 1.6-gallon installation in all toilets. Just like the reduction in showerheads gallons, the reduction of the amount of water used in toilets would generate savings through reduction of the amount of water consumed and reduced sewer charges. Besides, the hotel shall consult the local authorities to ensure that client satisfaction process is not hampered in attempts to generate more savings.
The hotel looks forward to partnering with one of the firms that use plastics as the main raw material. This shall be the main component of the hotel’s recycling program since once the content in plastic containers is used, the users discard them. Also, the hotel design provides for the option to keep farm animals in an isolated section of its compound. This is an important recycling project since all the biodegradable waste materials from horticultural products used in the hotel’s kitchen shall be used to feed the animals. The animals will then be used to prepare meals for the guests.
In an attempt to ensure safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials in bulbs, batteries and lighting ballasted, a special room shall be designated for their disposal. The management shall ensure that all employees are well aware of handling and disposal procedures of such materials. All fluorescent bulbs shall be replaced within three years. Handling equipment shall be provided to ensure that the hazardous materials do not cause harm to the employees.
In purchasing all electrical appliances and equipment, the hotel shall consider, to a large extent, those that are energy star labeled. Size shall not make the purchasing department prioritize one energy equipment over the other since bigger equipment may lead to more energy consumption without achieving higher customer satisfaction.
It is in the hotel’s plan to see to it that all paper products purchased have more than 20% of the post-consumer recycled content. By doing so, the hotel shall facilitate environmental conservation through both the upstream and the downstream processes. By using the recycled papers, the number of trees used in the production of papers is reduced. According to the AH & LA, if an economy chooses to use the number of recycled paper, more than 40% less energy would be used (AH & LA, 2016).
In addition to the above strategies, the organization seeks to ensure that there is a clear report provided at the end of every month to all employees relating to water, energy and waste recycling. The report shall be available to all employees, and better methods shall be designed to ameliorate the situation.
Further, energy/ environmental engineers shall be consulted throughout the hotel design implementation phase to ensure that all facilities and amenities in the hotel have been located and designed in such a manner that the environment is conserved in the best way possible.
As pointed out earlier, the hotel plans to utilize an Energy Star portfolio manager. If the portfolio manager tool record is below 50, the hotel shall not hesitate to conduct an energy audit. This audit is an important tool in identifying the energy conservation loopholes that the hotel should seek to fill. Further, the energy auditors shall provide advice on the best way to fill such gaps.
Incorporation of Design factors into the Project Design
The building materials selected for the hotel shall be dominantly based on aesthetic criteria. Further, the configuration and systems shall as well be determined through aesthetics. For instance, the floor to floor height will depend on the management’s taste which they deem most suitable for the guests. The hotel shall utilize the dimensional stone product known as the ‘Earth Measure’ in its attempts to pursue its ‘green goals.' The product takes wastes from stone manufacturing and develops specific patterns from them that are then used in construction (Vezzoli & Manzini, 2008). The patterns shall be considerably appearing to the guests while at the same time major contribution shall be made in environmental conservation.
Moreover, the hotel intends to utilize the Crosslam cross laminated timber from Structurlam Products as opposed to other forms of timber. This form of timber shall be used in constructing walls especially those that the management deems temporary. The cross-laminated timber is structural panel is made by placing one softwood board on top of the other and gluing them. The cross-laminated wood is a low-emitting material hence suitable as far as environmental conservation is concerned (Diener et al., 2007). The wood is advantageous in that it can as well be used in constructing floors and roof where suitable. Besides, they are more sustainable than non-laminated timber. The figure below illustrates how cross-laminated timber structure panel is made:
Figure 1: Cross-Laminated Timber Making
Source: Building design + Construction
The hotel shall utilize the power-over-Ethernet (POE) access-control locks that carry low-voltage electricity to power the lock and transmit information regarding opening and closing of the doors where required. As compared to the traditional wired system, each POE saves more than 150 kWh per year. The product is environmentally conservative in that it increases resilience and it considerably conserves energy (Atkin & Brooks, 2009).
The floor covering shall utilize the Kinetex textile composite flooring. The textiles provide carpet tiles of a superior designed that are appealing to the guests. These tiles are made from 60% recycled content with 50% of this being post-consumer content and they are well resistant to staining or bleaching. These tiles contribute towards environmental conservation in that they are low-emitting, 60% of their content is recycled hence contribute towards reduction of operational pollution and waste.
As pointed out earlier, one of the main environmental management strategies as far as food and beverage are concerned is having an animal farm in an isolated place within the hotel’s compound. By so doing, all food-oriented wastes can be disposed of by using them to feed the animals. The animals can then be slaughtered later and be used to feed the guests. Further, the hotel shall seek to monitor the sources of its raw materials and ensure that only those sources that are environmentally conservative are hired to supply their products to the organization. The hotel will go to the extent of helping the food and beverages suppliers to brainstorm on the sustainable production through innovation and invention of better processes (Rondeau et al., 2006). Besides, all food and beverage-oriented production processes in the organization, their transport, storage and preparation shall ensure environmental conservation.
Impact to the Surrounding Community
One of the major impacts to the community is the reduction in the quantity of water flowing in the river. The quantity is reduced as a result of the continuous flow of water into the hotel’s swimming pool, sauna, washrooms, kitchen, and water used for cleaning amongst other uses in the hotel. Besides, the animal farm shall require a lot of water that will be used for the animals. Guests require water to do their cleaning, to cook and to drink. The landscape gardens and the golf courses also require water. On average, the amount of water used by one guest per day may be considerably higher than the amount used by residents (Payne, 2008). All these activities shall lead to reduced flow of water and decreased pressure such that it might not reach some ends.
The hotel is likely to use a considerably high portion of the total amount of energy supplied in the Southwest Ranches. It is evident that individuals in the hotels are likely to use more energy amount than when they are in their residential homes. In fact, according to Gossling and Hultman (2005), the average amount of energy consumed by guests per bed per night is likely to be more than 150 megajoules. The reason behind this is the fact that hotels have more intense energy facilities than the residential homes of the guests. Moreover, the guests visit with the intention of entertaining themselves, and most of the entertainment activities are likely to consume relatively higher amounts of energy (Hassanien & Dale, 2013). For instance, the hotel has bars, restaurants, pool tables, a high number of electronics per room and more spacious rooms that require more lighting. Beyond these direct uses of energy by the guests, other indirect uses such as golf course and cleaning activities are also more frequent than it is in residential homes.
One of the most easily predictable impact to the community by the hotel is the increased community waste. The increase in consumption leads to increase in waste. According to Winchip (2005), an average hotel produces a minimum of one kilogram per guest per day. This is a considerably large amount of waste compare to the amount of waste emitted by the members of The Southwest Ranches. Increased waste leads to increased sewer which may attract an increase in the overall sewer costs. The hotel shall not only be resource intensive but shall also influence the waste generation, waste handlings and waste disposal techniques in the community (Jones & Lockwood, 2004). From an indirect impact point of view, the waste disposal impact may lead to the displacement of some of the community’s residents.
Project Team’s Community Contribution to Reduce Negative Impacts
One of the main ways that the project team shall contribute towards reducing negative impacts of the hotel to the community and increasing the positive ones is by ensuring proper disposal of waste. The project team should adopt such waste disposal strategies that do not hamper the well-being of the community in which its members live. For instance, by disposing of some of the biodegradable waste materials as animal feeds, the organization does not degrade the environment. Moreover, the project team shall liaise with the local authorities to ensure that the sewer uses the right path; the path that does not dirty water meant for other uses. The non-biodegradable and non-recyclable waste materials shall be buried since burning them shall as well cause considerable environmental harm (Piotrowski & Rogers, 2007).
Moreover, in the case of unintended contamination, the project team shall ensure that all members of the community shall be informed and provided with alternatives to ensure that they do not suffer as a result of the contamination. Besides, if the hotel overuses the available energy to an extent that is likely to compel electric power rationing, the project team shall inform members of the community and apologize for the inconveniences caused. Sharing of information between the hotel and its surroundings shall be a key element especially when unexpected incidences that have an adverse impact on the community occur.
The project team shall as well seek to enhance good public relations. The hotel participates in community activities such as weddings, funerals, and fundraising amongst other activities. Public relations, as the name suggests, ensures that the hotel has a good relationship with members of the community (Yee, 2007). With such a relationship, members of the community shall be free to share any problem they are facing as a result of the operations of the hotel. They will do so with a positive approach as there shall be an already existing positive relationship between them and the hotel.
Besides, the project team shall liaise with the recruitment team to ensure that most jobs are offered to indigenous members of the Southwest Ranches where the hotel shall be located. This way, the hotel shall be perceived as one that belongs to members of the community as opposed to one that belongs to strangers. This way, all negative impacts including those related to water, waste and energy shall be known and solved before they get to harmful levels (Atkin & Brooks, 2009). Further, the hotel should seek to invent and innovate new energy sources such that the total amount of energy in the community is increased. By doing so, the hotel shall position itself in such a manner that it is seen to be helpful to members of the community, and it shall help in solving energy-related problems that it created by being located in the community. The inventions and innovations should not be restricted to energy related problems.
References
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