| Environmental Good Practice in Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel : India | India | Prior to 1995 | Full scale |
HOTEL AND RESTAURANTS # 6
Background:
The Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New Delhi operates 440 guest rooms, 7 restaurants and 8 conference rooms. "Welcomenviron" is the name of the environmental awareness Program implemented in Welcomegroup (non-hospitality) subsidiaries and serves as the basis of the hotel's Environmental Program.
Cleaner Production Principle:
Process modification; Recovery, reuse and recycle.
Cleaner Production Application:
The "Welcomenviron" Policy and Procedure manual serves as a working document for developing the hotel's Environmental Action Program. In order to facilitate implementation and monitoring, the manual includes an environmental management "road map", life cycle analysis flow charts and monitoring checklists for all action areas; i.e.
| Operations and facilities management: Emissions, noise, dust, effluent, solid waste, hazardous materials, machinery specifications, energy, transport, ozone layer depleting chemicals, legionnella prevention, discontinuing use of asbestos; |
| Product services: Packaging materials, product specification, supplier performance using recycled materials; |
| Environmental awareness : Awareness and training, environmental committee, publicity, library; |
| Communications : Corporate image and public relations, internal communications; |
| Information systems: Environmental management records and environmental legislation register. |
Some of the measures implemented at the hotel under this program are described below.
A special apparatus for the cleaning of hands in the kitchen uses ultrasonic technology. Water molecules vibrating at 40,000 cycles per second penetrates and removes the dirt particles embedded in the pores of the hand. The use of soap and water is greatly reduced.
Minimum water is used in public area urinals through an auto-flush system activated by infra-red sensors. Water use has been reduced by 1,060 liters per year.
Laundry and waste water are recycled through an effluent treatment plant installed on the hotel premises. Laundry waste water is first dosed with chemicals to bring down the alkaline level and then passed through an aerator to reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) loads. Suspended solids are then removed through lamella separators, and residual suspended matter, detergents and sludge are removed through dual media filters (DMF). At this stage all organic matter has been removed from the water, BOD levels are lowered and color and odors have been eliminated. A low chlorine dose is added to kill any residual bacteria.
Kitchen waste water is treated by a similar process, having first passed through a crusher and filter to reduce larger particles of food waste. All treated water is used in the hotel fountains and for landscaping. It also feeds into an aquarium which indicates the level to which the water has been purified. The backwaters used for washing the filters and softeners in the water treatment plant are also collected and used for landscaping.
Used cooking oil from the kitchen is passed through an oil recycler, then reused for cooking. After the second use, the oil is collected in a common slump and sent to a Welcomegroup unit microbiological laboratory for the manufacture of soap.
Paper laundry bags have been replaced by reusable cloth bags. Table mats are made of biodegradable fibers.
Motion detectors have been fitted in guest rooms so that when empty, all electrical circuits are automatically switched off. Photocells have been used to turn on and off outdoor lighting. Timing devices have been fitted to corridor lights.
Sixty watt incandescent lamps have been replaced by 9 fluorescent watt lamps.
A comprehensive maintenance and Energy Management Program ensures the optimum loading of transformers, and an optimum defrosting system for cold storage and deep freezers. Kitchen exhaust fans are fitted with timers.
Ozonizers are installed in guest rooms to improve indoor air quality. These devices break down the oxygen to produce nascent oxygen which removes odors and purifies the air.
The flue gas from the boiler is passed through wet scrubbers which contain a sodium hydroxide solution. The solution absorbs the carbon monoxide in the flue gas and minimizes pollution. The central air conditioning unit operates on CFC-free chillers.
A permanent environmental exhibition is maintained in the lobby which displays information on sustainable resource use and the "Welcomenviron" Program. An environmental information channel is included on the in-house television service.
The "Welcomenviron - We Can Do It" booklet is made available to encourage guests to "do their bit" and lists a range of eco-tips for local guests:
| Use bio-gas when living in satellite cities and rural surroundings |
| Re-sell paper to recycling agencies |
| Use leaf plates for picnics instead of plastic containers |
| Collect rain water for various uses |
| Use water from washing food and defrosting the fridge for watering plants |
The booklet discusses current environmental problems such as the "green house" effect, the increase of land-fill sites, forest conservation and industrial pollution-related health issues.
In an effort to increase environmental awareness among guests, an attractive telephone index of unbleached recycled paper is offered to guests. It includes information on Indian natural history, literary quotations, nature paintings and facts and figures such as: 17 trees are used to make 1 ton of paper; every newspaper uses 1 tree per month for its paper requirements; every year 100,000 trees are felled for making wooden crates.
"Welcomenviron" is coordinated by an environmental team with representatives from all departments, headed by the General Manager. A quarterly environmental award scheme has been organized to reward departments showing a strong commitment. All job appraisals contain a section on participation in "Welcomenviron".
Environmental and Economic Benefits:
The hotel estimates that 200,000 liters of water are recycled per day. The backwaters that are collected and used for landscaping amount to 30,000 liters per day. No information has been provided regarding the economic costs and benefits.
Constraints:
None mentioned
Contacts:
Review Status:
This case study was taken from the joint UNEP/International Hotel & Restaurant Association (HRA) publication "Environmental Good Practice in Hotels: Case Studies from the IHRA Environmental Award." Each case study was judged in 1995 by UNEP IE prior to inclusion in the publication. It was edited for the ICPIC diskette in June 1997. Subsequently a technical review was carried out in September 1998 by Dr. Prasad Modak, Environmental Management Centre, Mumbai, India. For more information contact UNEPIE.