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IHG Hotels and Resorts has announced the launch of the Low Carbon Pioneers programme, which aims to bring together energy efficient hotels that have no fossil fuels combusted on-site and are backed by renewable energy.
This group of low operational carbon hotels is said to be the first community of its kind in the industry and will help IHG test, learn and share findings on sustainability measures.
The launch is part of CEO Elie Maalouf’s broader calls for government support to “accelerate positive change at scale” and encourage wider adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHG’s estate.
The first Low Carbon Pioneer hotels span different IHG brands and are Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain; Iberostar Waves Cristina, Spain; and Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary.
Each Low Carbon Pioneer hotel will feature sustainable solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and hot water generation, as well as fully electric kitchens.
Every property will also have an operational sustainability certification recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, such as Green Key, or a sustainable building certification, such as LEED, BREEAM or EDGE.
To track and measure their energy data, Low Carbon Pioneer hotels will use IHG’s Green Engage environmental platform.
Additional hotels will join the Low Carbon Pioneers programme across all regions and IHG is also developing a “low-carbon ready” group of hotels in preparation for when it becomes possible to fully back all energy with renewables in countries or districts where this is not currently available.
Maalouf said: “We are excited to launch our Low Carbon Pioneers programme as another innovative way in which we’re meeting evolving guest expectations, helping our hotel owners future-proof their businesses and reducing carbon across our estate.
“This is an important next step in IHG’s sustainability journey but it remains one of many we must continue to take.”
He added: “IHG is committed to working with industry bodies and governments to help achieve this, alongside encouraging more owners to adopt carbon reduction practices and become Low Carbon Pioneers.”
