hotel overview

We're working actively to reduce the carbon footprint of our business activities and to continually improve and innovate on practices aimed at:

• Establishing and reporting on key environmental performance indicators
• Developing a carbon emissions off setting program
• Conserving natural resources
• Minimizing waste and pollution throughout all aspects of our business operation
• Raising environmental awareness among our associates, guests and communities

At the heart of the goal to become industry leaders for reducing and managing our carbon footprint, is our belief that economic growth and the well-being of society are inextricably tied to the health of the environment.

overview of carbon management strategy

At The Westin Melbourne we recognised the need to develop a carbon management strategy for its operations. As with all carbon management strategies, it encompasses both short and longer term goals by the needs of the market, stakeholders and associates.

The Westin Melbourne started our carbon management journey by undertaking a baseline carbon footprint to establish their carbon position. The hotel needed to achieve a level of understanding of their current position in order to achieve the goal of offering carbon offsetting options and to be the first five star hotel in Australia to gain government accreditation.

We completed a baseline footprint for the financial year 2006/07. This provided the hotel with an analysis of the contribution of each emission source and highlights that electricity usage is by far the greatest contributor to our carbon footprint.

working with supply chain consulting we agreed upon three deliverables:

• Develop a baseline carbon footprint for the Westin Melbourne
• Configure the carbon view solution to the Westin Melbourne
• Provide an estimate of time to scope stage 2 integration phase

We moved through the process of defining boundaries, determining the appropriate standards and rules and then gathering the various forms of data required to calculate the carbon facility foot print for the baseline year defined as 06/07 financial year. TWM agreed to include all three greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources defined as scope 1,2 and 3 under the Australian governments national greenhouse and energy reporting system (NGER) dated February 2008. The NGER also defines thresholds for compulsory reporting by companies.

key objectives

Investigate the implication of global warming on the hotel and learn how the company's carbon footprint impacts on the daily running of the business:

• Learn about what carbon foot printing means for business
• Be a credible leader within the hospitality and tourism industry
• Create awareness and education internally

the westin melbourne's approach to environmental stewardship

"Our hotel ensures recycling, reducing and reusing policies are part of our every day work practices," says The Westin Melbourne's General Manager, Richard Bussiere.

"But along with ensuring we motivate staff to conduct their work activities in an environmentally friendly manner, we've also invested significantly in reviewing our carbon footprint," he adds.

"Working through the Carbon View audit in the past 12 months has revealed ways we can reduce our carbon footprint but also begin implementing strategies for reducing and then offsetting our emissions," comments Richard Bussiere.

"We want to be a leader in the industry and create a best practice example of how a hotel business can become carbon neutral - not because we are at a certain threshold level but because we're committed to managing our impact on the environment," he adds.

The coming 12 months will see the hotel implement a tailored carbon footprint reduction strategy (in collaboration with the environmental consultants) to significantly reduce key emissions, voluntarily report on carbon emission reductions of the hotel to help set a trend for other properties as well as develop a unique offsetting program where hotel guests, patrons and clients have the opportunity to subsidise an offset option - set to be an industry first.

sustainability and energy aware practices

In addition to this strategic direction, the hotel has implemented a variety of recycling systems and environmental best practice policies including:

1. an "Energy Awareness" project that focuses on gas, electricity and water use at the hotel. The project has seen the Engineering team identify energy smart opportunities for the hotel where a simple procedure such as turning off kitchen equipment that is not in use becomes a mandatory policy. The goal is to reduce hotel energy consumption by 10% year on year. Wastage and consumption variances are also shared with other hotels within the group to benchmark utility use. Goals and targets are set to ensure energy consumption is efficient in context with other hotels' usage.

2. th hotel has appointed an external company that successfully turns liquid food wastes into a quality organic agricultural fertiliser. Reusing and recycling at its best - kitchen staff use a special composting bin for all liquid food waste which is then collected for its next use.

3. upgrading the dosing system for the cooling towers - an automated system that takes water readings continuously and doses biocides to kill bacteria. This exceeds local government requirements.

westin water wise program

The Westin Melbourne has also devised a water conservation initiative to demonstrate the hotel's commitment to conserving water in all areas of our business and our concern about the widespread affects of drought in rural Australia.

The Westin Water Wise campaign aims to minimise water use by 10% - by providing various tips on how hotel guests can save water during their stay as well as encouraging staff to find water saving techniques such as shorter shower times, turning off taps whilst brushing teeth etc. Hotel associates are also encouraged to seek ways to reduce water use, especially in the kitchen and housekeeping with water wise practices.

Costs saved by reducing our water usage are donated to Farm Hand, a charity established to help drought afflicted families. The Westin Water Wise program has been highly praised by our guests and also adopted by sister Starwood properties around Australia. Most importantly, the hotel's water usage has reduced by 10% since the introduction of the program and donations have been made to Farm Hand.

ongoing commitment to simple work practices

The hotel also ensures other environmentally friendly work practices:

• Office paper recycling bins in all office areas for newspapers and printing paper
• Long life light globes throughout the hotel
• Recycling bins on all guest floors for housekeeping attendants to clear paper waste
• Bio degradable products used during daily cleaning of guest rooms - selected to be less harsh on the environment
• Recycling bins for glass, plastics, aluminium, milk cartons, steel cans in the kitchen and loading bays - contributing to five skip bins of recyclables each week
• Ongoing review of the kitchens' cleaning practices so less chemicals and waste water is used

next steps

Develop a carbon mitigation plan; to reduce current footprint Enlist third party services i.e. energy efficiency companies given our largest emission is electricity Re-measure: measurement and re-evalution of the emission profile become a continuous activity that is incorporated into future planning and budgets. This will illustrate savinga in both operational costs and carbon over time. Carbon offsetting;research and find suitable off setting company that has credibility in the market place Marketing opportunities: customer offerings, image and reputation and industry leadership.

Currently in process as stage two.

The development of a carbon footprint for The Westin Melbourne conference facility and hotel room. Once completed the hotel will offer "offsetting" options for all guests.