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energy with the use of superefficient, clean energies.
Karisma’s corporate Passion for Sustainability is a smorgasbord of
solutions touching every aspect of hotel operations, from air-conditioning
guest rooms to the purchasing process, designed to guarantee that new
equipment and systems are as efficient and environmentally friendly as
possible.
“Sustainability in our hotels is about changing the decision-making
process at every level with only one goal in mind, and that is to be more
competitive as a company every day and by using all our resources in
the most efficient way possible,” Milojevic says. “It is not only about
savings, it is also about strategic planning, about customer satisfaction,
and the long-term commitment to the sustainable development of all
the destinations where we operate our hotels.”
Three years ago, Karisma replaced the traditional air-conditioning
system in the rooms and service areas of its hotels in Mexico, Jamaica,
Colombia, and Croatia with high-efficiency inverter technology. Unlike
traditional air conditioners that regulate temperature using a compres-
sor that is either working at maximum capacity or switched off entirely,
inverter air conditioners eliminate stop-and-start cycles, reducing
energy consumption by 30 percent on average. They are also quieter
and run on eco-friendly refrigerants.
Getting Creative
Karisma’s sustainable practices run the gamut from tried-and-true LED
lighting to an innovative on-site greenhouse. “Having our own green-
house close to our kitchens gives us a better-quality product and we’ve
reduced 96 percent of the CO
2
emissions associated with transporta-
tion of these products,” says Milojevic.
Recently, Karisma hotels have been recovering 60 percent of the
vegetable oil used for cooking to be converted to biodiesel that can run
machines designed to operate on normal diesel fuel.
“During the last few months, we have started a series of tests to use it
on small machines, and to supervise its performance, in order to see if we
can include it in our daily operation for all our properties,” Milojevic says.
“It is not enough to be as efficient as we need to be, so we need to
combine the technology with a very comprehensive training program for
our staff. Also, preventive and predictive software and other control mech-
anisms allow us to guarantee the correct use of those technologies.”
Each Karisma hotel has its own sustainability department that
organizes training for every employee, including presentations by
energy-efficiency experts throughout the year.
Measuring for Success
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 30 cents of
every dollar spent on energy in commercial buildings is wasted through
inefficiencies. Benchmarking energy performance is an important part
of the measurement process.
In 2012, the homeowners’ association of Breckenridge Grand
Vacation’s Timber Lodge decided to invest US$1 million in efficiency
upgrades to the property, based on an in-depth energy audit performed
by a local environmental consulting firm. Improvements included
installing high-efficiency boilers and a boiler-control system, updating
the heating system in the garage, and retrofitting garage lighting with
motion sensors. Local utility rebates also led the HOA to replace more
than 90 percent of light bulbs with LED lights.
“The savings are really incredible,” Hoover reports. “The consulting
firm that completed the energy audit has guaranteed an annual savings
of 257,000 kWh of electricity and 114,188 therms of natural gas. This
will result in savings of US$88,819 every year for the next six years.”
A recent study found that commercial buildings that regularly
benchmarked their energy performance with EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio
Manager tool cut their energy bills by 7 percent over three years (2.4
percent per year on average). The online tool can measure and track
energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions in
a secure environment. The key is to start small.
An Evolving Business Model
“There can be a lot of benefit realized from taking advantage of the low-
hanging fruit,” Hoover says. “And don’t be afraid to go back and change
things if they’re not working the way you had intended them to. Nothing
is set in stone. You can always tweak a little bit to make sure you’re hav-
ing the best impact that you can.”
Those initial savings generate excitement that often takes on a life of
its own. “It may be purely economic when they made the decision,”
Sherman says of his customers. “But then they start thinking a little bit
more about the ecological impact. We give them an estimate of how
much CO
2
emissions are being reduced because of their solar installa-
tion and we translate that into how many trees you would have to plant
a year to reduce that amount of CO
2
. Most people find that interesting.”
Hoover agrees that the future looks bright for resorts open to
renewable energy sources and efficiencies that will power prosperity
without depleting the natural resources that have become part of their
brand. “We are fortunate enough to have a local nonprofit that can
come in and do smaller-scale energy audits and provide guidance.
There’s also a lot of information online about how resorts and hotels can
start a sustainability program,” she says. “As we learn more, we’re able
to incorporate sustainability more and more into our operations. We will
work to reduce our overall energy usage. And we will keep considering
options for alternatives.”
See page 2 for currency conversions.
Joyce Hadley Copeland, based in Tucson, Arizona, contributes regularly to
travel and hospitality publications and websites.
24
RESORTDEVELOPER.COM
vacation industry review
APRIL – JUNE 2016
GREEN SCENE
Windows placed to provide for light and heat can take further advantage of solar power and
enhance overall energy efficiency.