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The H2Otel Water Saving Awards

GEF-UNDP Kura II Project

By IW:LEARN

March 22^nd, 2021

GEF IW:LEARN World Water Day 2021 Special Bulletin

Public-Private Partnerships for Water Conservation in the Hospitality Sector

As the world reels from the effects of COVID-19, it is unsurprising that travel and tourism are among the economic sectors most deeply affected by the pandemic. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, international tourism fell by 72% between January and October 2020 as compared to the previous year, resulting in nearly US $1 trillion in economic losses.[1] And yet, in spite of the grim situation for travel and tourism, there are reasons for optimism: as global vaccine distribution gains momentum and travel restrictions are eased, increased consumer confidence is expected to spur a gradual rebound in tourism beginning in the second half of 2021.[2]

As tourism resumes under the new normal of COVID, there exists both an opportunity and an imperative to rebuild the hospitality industry with a stronger focus on sustainability and water conservation. Tourists are expected to seek more outdoor activities, adding additional importance to the preservation of water resources and natural habitats. New cleaning protocols have the potential to increase the intensity of water consumption and water pollution, requiring thoughtful measures to ensure that short-term measures to preserve human health avoid creating longer-term damage to environmental health. Finally, at a time when the private sector is deeply concerned about its bottom line, saving water helps hotels to save money and appeal to a growing customer base demonstrating a preference for hotels that minimize their environmental impact.

There has perhaps never been a more urgent need to leverage the power of public-private partnerships in pursuit of sustainable economic recovery. Within the context of GEF projects, public-private partnerships are a proven model to improve replicability, sustainability, and impact of project outcomes. When it comes to promoting water conservation in the hospitality industry, public and private sector actors mutually benefit from uniting their respective resources and expertise to promote sustainable economic development. Ministries are aided in their efforts to achieve national conservation and water quality objectives, while industry benefits from technical and political support as well as visibility for their conservation efforts. Particularly in a transboundary waters context, public-private partnerships in water conservation for the hospitality industry can amplify the positive effects of sustainable tourism within a river basin while mitigating both the local downstream effects of water shortages and pollution.

Collaborating to Celebrate Water Conservation

In 2019, the H2Otel Water Saving Awards were unveiled as a pilot program demonstrating how public-private partnerships between governmental ministries and the hospitality industry can incentivize water conservation. The awards program celebrated hotels in Azerbaijan and Georgia for undertaking innovative measures to reduce water use and water pollution, and was the first of its kind in the South Caucasus. Though the H2Otel pilot program itself was curtailed by COVID-19, the proof of concept and the examples set by the winning hotels are arguably even more relevant in this phase of rebuilding the tourism industry.

The H2Otel Water Saving Awards is an initiative of the UNDP-GEF Kura II Project, which is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and implemented by UNDP. This project aims to implement integrated water resource management and harmonize water policies across the Kura River Basin of Azerbaijan and Georgia. The awards were implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture in Georgia, the Azerbaijan Hotel Association and the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards.

Because the foundation of any water conservation program is quantifying water use, the Kura II Project partnered with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance for use of its Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI) tool. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (sustainablehospitalityalliance.org) is a UK-based NGO driving collaborative action to enable the hospitality industry to have a lasting positive impact on the planet and its people. The HWMI tool was developed in collaboration with the international consulting firm KPMG and 18 major hotel brands to create a simple, powerful, and free tool for hotels of all sizes to calculate water use across their properties.

The first awards were issued in 2019 to two properties undertaking remarkable efforts in water conservation and sustainability: Why Me Hostel and Rooms in Georgia, and the Pullman Baku Hotel in Azerbaijan, the latter of which permanently closed in 2020. These two properties are at opposite ends of the size spectrum – Why Me is a four-room hostel, while Pullman Baku was a 280-room hotel under the international Accor Group brand – demonstrating the relevance of the H2Otel Water Saving Awards program across all types and sizes of properties.

On December 4, 2019, the UNDP-GEF Kura II Project issued the first H2Otel Water Saving Awards in Azerbaijan at the General Assembly Meeting of the Azerbaijan Hotel Association in Baku. The award in Georgia was issued on December 6, 2019 at the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards Gala in Tbilisi. Partnering with industry associations along with government ministries gave the H2Otel Water Saving Awards program instant visibility and legitimacy, while helping the associations further their own sustainability agendas for the hospitality sector.

To become a candidate for the H2Otel Water Saving Award, representatives of twenty-four hotels in Azerbaijan and fifteen hotels in Georgia participated in trainings on water conservation for the hospitality industry. These trainings were organized by the UNDP-GEF Kura II Project, with members of government ministries and industry associations also in attendance. After completing the training module, participating hotels were required to complete the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s HWMI tool. Candidate hotels were also asked to submit a presentation and questionnaire documenting their water consumption and describing their innovative efforts at water conservation and pollution reduction at their property.

Training for the H2Otel Water Saving Awards Photo credit: UNDP-GEF Kura II Project

Why Me Hostel and Rooms: H2Otel Water Saving Award Winner in Georgia

The proprietors of the Why Me Hostel and Rooms exemplify a commitment to sustainability and water conservation, quite literally from the ground up. This four-room hostel undertook an extensive remodel – mostly done by the proprietors themselves over the course of 4 years! – to incorporate a rainwater harvesting system and water recycling system into its water infrastructure, as well as solar heat exchangers to conserve energy for hot water. As a result, the hostel has been able to reduce its water consumption by 60%. “We are extremely happy to win the award… and to finally be recognized [for our efforts]!” claimed the proprietors of Why Me.

At Why Me, guest toilets use 90% recycled graywater from laundry and rainwater, and there are plans to recycle graywater from the showers in the future. Additionally, the hostel uses stop-tab sink fixtures and low-flow showerheads, as well as eco-friendly cleaners and detergents. Hot water is pre-mixed to reduce the need for additional cold water in showers.

Why Me Hostel and Rooms uses the marketing materials provided by the H2Otel Water Saving Awards program to promote water conservation around their property, in addition to posting their own signs encouraging guests to save water. According to the proprietors, in addition to providing more detailed information about their water consumption, the HWMI model helped them to locate a leak in their water infrastructure. “The results were impressive. We had our own calculations before, but now we can see how our water usage is divided over several users. It gave us a lot of inside information,” they stated.

Overall, Why Me Hostel and Rooms showed particular attention to creating an overall sustainable experience for guests, with water conservation being a key part of their sustainability agenda.

As the proprietors of Why Me note, “We are a small property, without [the resources of large hotel chains]. But there are many things that can be done that don’t involve big expenditures.” They are enthusiastic to continue sharing their knowledge of water conservation technologies and retrofits with other small properties throughout Georgia and the South Caucasus. Why Me Hostel and Rooms exemplifies the fact that the pursuit of sustainability in the hospitality industry – far from being a zero-sum game – is about sharing knowledge and resources for the good of the planet as well as guests.

Proprietors of the Why Me Hostel and Rooms receiving the H2Otel Water Saving Award at the Welcome to Georgia! National Tourism Awards Ceremony, December 2019 Photo credit: UNDP-GEF Kura II Project

Pullman Baku Hotel: H2Otel Water Saving Award Winner in Azerbaijan

The winner of the H2Otel Water Saving Award in Azerbaijan was the Pullman Baku Hotel, a large 280-room hotel with a remarkable sustainability program as part of the Accor Group. Though the hotel unfortunately closed permanently in 2020, the example set by the hotel remains relevant to other properties seeking to improve their water conservation.

“For us, sustainability is a real lifestyle,” noted Gulnara Akperova, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Pullman Baku Hotel. She described the Pullman Baku team as deeply committed to social and environmental responsibility, and that when they received the H2Otel Water Saving Award, “our hearts were beating as if we were at the Oscars!”

The Accor Group, a French-based company, fosters a strong commitment to sustainability at their hotels through their company-wide “Planet 21” program, which encourages properties to consider their local environmental and social impact. The Pullman Baku hotel was fitted with low-flow fixtures, which reduced water consumption by 10%. Additionally, all kitchen, housekeeping and grounds staff underwent trainings in water conservation, including through the minimization of food waste.

The Pullman Baku hotel has developed plans to implement a rainwater recycling system for the garden, and used eco-friendly detergents to reduce water pollution. Water-efficient technologies for dishwashing and laundry were also used. The engineering staff at Pullman Baku noted that the HWMI was a particularly straightforward tool to use for calculating water consumption.

The hotel also used innovative marketing and communication tools throughout the property to promote water conservation among guests and staff, including materials provided by the H2Otel Water Saving Awards program. As an example, Accor employs a program to incentivize linen reuse by guests known as “Plant for Planet.” When customers choose to reuse towels and sheets, Accor donates 50% of the cost savings to planting trees. This was a popular program at the Pullman Baku Hotel, and contributed to the planting of nearly 300 trees since 2017.

While Accor is a major global brand, the Pullman Baku team pointed out that starting with staff trainings and communication materials is a good way for hotels with smaller capital budgets to begin implementing water conservation measures, since changing human behavior goes a long way. “We as hoteliers can be pioneers,” stated Akperova.

Staff of the Pullman Baku, Azerbaijan Hotel Association, and UNDP-GEF Kura II Project at the H2Otel Water Saving Award Ceremony, Azerbaijan Hotel Association Annual Meeting, December 2019 Photo credit: UNDP-GEF Kura II Project

A watershed moment for the hospitality industry

With tourists expected to seek more nature-based tourism options, increased water demands from cleaning procedures, and an economic imperative to save money, incentivizing water conservation in the hospitality sector is more critical than ever. The H2Otel Water Saving Awards were a successful pilot project demonstrating how training and awarding hotels in water saving measures helps promote concrete conservation measures in the hospitality industry.

The winners of the H2Otel Water Saving Awards, Why Me Hostel and Rooms and the Pullman Baku Hotel, exemplify how hotels can help preserve precious natural resources, save money by saving water, and appeal to the growing number of sustainability-minded tourists. As the hospitality sector moves forward under the new circumstances created by the pandemic, public-private partnerships between government ministries and industry such as the H2Otel Water Saving Awards can play a key role in promoting water conservation as part of a sustainable tourism revival.

For more information about the GEF UNDP Kura II project kindly contact the Chief Technical Advisor/Regional Coordinator, Ahmed AbouElseoud Ahmed (ahmed.elseoud@undp.org). Further resources are available on the project website and dedicated project page on iwlearn.net.

Footnotes

[1] UNWTO. “Impact assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak on international tourism.” December 2020. https://www.unwto.org/impact-assessment-of-the-covid-19-outbreak-on-international-tourism [2] Ibid.