Hotel Case Study

Parkroyal on St Kilda Road

Contact:	Caitlin Boyd
Position:	Executive Secretary
		Ph: (03) 529 8888
		Fx: (03) 510 4297
Postal address:	PO Box 6533
		St Kilda Rd Central
		St Kilda 3004

Putting environmental learning into practice

Description of Project

A 220 room hotel, the Parkroyal on St Kilda Rd is part of the Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (SPHC), the largest hotel group in Australasia. One of five SPHC hotels in Melbourne, the Parkroyal on St Kilda Rd is establishing a profile as the city's 'entertainment hotel' offering packages to, for instance, Phantom of the Opera or NBL Basketball.

Environmental education has not only led to a comprehensive audit which identified substantial cost saving, but has also been seen by management to have led to improved marketing opportunities and better staff morale. "Most people have a genuine motivation to save the environment," claims Ann-Marie Devine, the manager of Corporate Environmental Management.

"Education which gives them the tools for action is of vital importance to the success of projects."

The long term aim is to disseminate Parkroyal's Environmental Education Strategy throughout the other SPHC hotels in Melbourne, and eventually throughout Australia.

Process Undertaken

The focus of the environmental learning is on developing practical actions which reduce the Parkroyal's environmental impact. Action and learning are seen as happening together.

Initially, the Environmental Education Strategy Committee met once a week to discuss ideas raised by staff, and to bring in information from environmental specialists. A questionnaire and letter were given to 200 of the hotel's regular guests to spark awareness of what was going on and how they might be involved. To arouse interest on a wider scale, staff wore badges proclaiming 'Parkroyal on St Kilda Rd - Caring for the Environment.' Many guests commented favourably.

Initiatives which have been implemented as part of the environmental program include a comprehensive energy audit carried out by the hotel's Maintenance Engineer; the introduction of energy efficient light globes; and the establishment of a comprehensive paper recycling system.

In an effort to go back to basics, CEM gets its clients to examine their purchasing procedures. CEM "went through the rubbish bins" to identify areas of waste, said CEM's manager, Ann-Marie Devine. The hotel has since sent a letter to all its suppliers asking them to produce a list of their environmentally responsible products for future use by the hotel. Xerox, for instance, responded positively by offering to supply recycled paper suitable for use by the hotel's photocopier. Chlorine-free chemicals were found for the hotel's dishwashers. Negotiations continue with other hotel suppliers.

CEM continues to meet with the Parkroyal Environmental Education Strategy Committee. The Committee has identified the critical factors for the success of the project as "the strong support and active participation of staff from all areas and levels of the hotel and the availability of a facilitator with appropriate time and expertise to assist the project's planning and implementation."

Changes Made and Savings

Energy

• As a result of the energy audit, the hotel has applied to change its electricity tariff, leading to estimated operational savings of $24,000 per year.

• The back service corridor had a single door, left open all day for ease of making deliveries. By hanging spring loaded, plastic flap doors, energy savings of $300 per month were made, and nearby staff work in a more consistently mild environment.

• Changing over a total of 25 light globes in public parts of the hotel from 100 watt light globes to 13 watt energy-efficient globes led to a cost saving of $2,166 per year.

  Water

• Installation of water efficient roses has halved water consumption from 26 litres of water per minute to 13 litres of water per minute. Reduced flow has the added benefit of also reducing the energy required to heat the hot water. One of the hotel's three boilers is planned to be shut down.

• Instead of automatically washing guests' towels daily, the hotel gives guests the choice of retaining their towels by hanging them on the rack, or indicating they want a fresh towel by putting their used one in the bath. Approximately 10% of guests have taken up the hotel's suggestion to have their towels washed less frequently, many commenting favourably on the initiative on guest comment cards.

  Kitchen

• As in any kitchen, chemicals are widely used for cleaning. The Parkroyal and other SPHC hotels have negotiated with a major chemical supplier to introduce a new chlorine-free range atnd a system which reduces chemical dependency. Cost neutral.

• Kitchen staff training on improved environmental practices is seen as essential; for instance in regularly turning off gas burners when they are not in use.

• Separate bins for the recycling of kitchen glass, paper, plastic have been supplied.

  Bar, bistro and dining room

• Separate bins for recycling of glass, paper, plastic have been installed.

• The glass washer is only used when it is full, a great energy saver.

  Administration

• Recycled paper is used for letterhead, conference pads and the photocopier, saving over $2,000 p.a.

  Costs and Payback

  Comprehensive monitoring of the environmental program is yet to be implemented on a planned basis. Changes in management as a result of the constant movement of staff within the hotelindustry make continuity a problem.

  It is hoped to resolve this problem in the upcoming restructuring of the Environment Committee.

  No figures on total costs and total savings made per annum are available. However, an estimate of average cost savings per year as result of environmental initiatives is contained in a 1994 study, Hotels and the Environment, prepared for the Accommodation Division of the NSW branch of the Australian Hotels Association. Thirteen Sydney hotels were involved in the study.

  Making only these five simple changes, a 250 room hotel would save over $57,000 a year.

  Employment

  CEM undertook the Environmental Education Strategy over a five week period.

  After this, monitoring and implementation of the environment program was overseen on a voluntary basis by the hotel's financial controller. It was his personal enthusiasm which drove much of the program. With his recent departure to another hotel in the SPHC chain, much of the corporate memory about the environmental program has gone along with him.

  CEM has been called back to help the Environment Committee extend its role from environmental training to playing a bigger part in overseeing the program, including monitoring. According to the study by the NSW branch of the Australian Hotels Association, most hotels have generally run their environmental programs on a voluntary basis.

  Participation

  A questionnaire distributed to the Parkroyal on St Kilda Rd employees found that 94% of staff respondents felt that environmental issues were important in the workplace. All new staff receive basic training in environmental principles.

  In a report funded by the Victorian Environment Education Council, the Parkroyal claims that: "Being part of a team effort to find and implement effective environmental measures is seen as a powerful learning experience for all involved..."

  Environmental Education Strategy Committee activities were reported as important "in developing motivation, environmental knowledge, teamwork and problem-solving skills." The Strategy is regarded as dynamic and ongoing. It will be updated as new ideas are developed through the Environmental Education Strategy.

  A 'Green Corner' has been suggested for the Parkroyal's staff magazine, highlighting and making staff aware of new environmental initiatives.

  Further Plans

  The audit identified a number of larger items which were dependent on refurbishment or future conversion when equipment became due for replacement. The study by the NSW branch of the Australian Hotels Association has found that most hotel owners are reluctant to outlay capital on environmental conversions until it is time to refurbish. In five star hotels, this generally occurs every five years and slightly less often in four star hotels.

  The Environmental Education Strategy Committee has made recommendations to carry out the following at a future date:

• Conversion of the hotel's three courtesy cars to LPG at the time they are replaced with new cars;

• Installation of key tag switches in all hotel rooms, thus allowing guests to turn off their room air conditioning and all electrical appliances when they vacate their rooms. Recomended as part of the hotel's next major refurbishment;

• Use water-based paints wherever possible as they release less dioxins than oil-based;

  Some recommendations have proven difficult to implement or have been outweighed by other considerations:

• The front door was identified as an area of significant energy loss. Installation of a sliding door cost was costed @ $7,790, which at an estimated saving of $600 per month in energy costs would have an estimated payback of just over 12 months. Hotel management has, however, put this item on hold for asethetic reasons. A sliding door is considered unsightly.

• Waste grease and cooking oils are collected in grease traps and disposed @ cost of $6,000 per year. The Committee found a totally natural, citrus solvent for dissolving the greases and flushing through the sewerage system, rather than being dumped in landfills in a solid state. Cost of the solvent would be only $675 p.a. The Health Department is still considering whether or not to approve use of the new solvent.

• For the recycling of the large quantities of food scraps, the hotel is looking at composting, using worms to break down organic waste, with their talings sold as fertiliser. Negotiations were being held with South Melbourne Council. These are on hold since South Melbourne's absorption into the new City of Port Phillip as a result of municipal amalgamations.

  For more information, contact:

  ACF / ACTU Green Jobs Unit
  340 Gore Street
  Fitzroy,3065
  Ph: (03) 416 0355
  Fx: (03) 416 0767
  Email:acflib@peg.apc.org.
  

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