March 2011
News update Dubai’s five-star hotels wasting millions of dollars Lack of energy and water saving initiatives by five-star hotels within the emirate costing millions, claims event director organisations, and the hotel sector is no different,” commented Maurell. “The environment is now a business issue and because of increasing demand, sustainable hotels need to differentiate themselves from the ‘unenlightened’.” The growth in ‘greener’ travel demands has been reflected in the growing number of exhibitors offering environmental solutions at The Hotel Show 2011, claimed Maurell. The event takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 17-19.
The Hotel Show‘s Frederique Maurell.
Hotel electricity costs double in three years Rising bills costing those who failed to implement energy-saving initiatives, claims FM expert consumption or waste after the first slab tariff increase in March 2008, will have electricity bills that in some cases will have soared by an additional AED 1.1 million (US $299,500) during the past 12 months.” At the beginning of this year DEWA increased electricity charges from 20 fils per kilowatt (KWh) to 23 fils for monthly consumption below 2000 KWh, and from 33 fils to 38 fils per KWh for consumption of more than 6000 KWh per month. A Farnek Avireal survey based on actual buildings demonstrated that one Dubaibased hotel of around 20,000 square metres, which had annual energy costs of AED 1.5 million ($408,374) will now be paying over AED 3 million ($816,000) in 2011.
Dubai’s hotels will see major energy cost rises.
www.buildgreen.ae
Commercial and industrial businesses, such as hotels, will have been shocked last month when they received their electricity bills, according to Farnek Avireal general manager Markus Oberlin. According to a survey by the FM company, hotel operators who failed to take any energysaving measures will calculate their bills have now roughly doubled. A tariff structure or slab system was introduced on March 1, 2008, by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) with the aim of encouraging consumers to conserve energy. DEWA increased the tariff on January 1, 2011, due to escalating gas and oil prices. Oberlin remarked: “Consumers, particularly commercial, that did nothing to arrest
ECO-LEISURE
Dubai’s luxury hotels are wasting up to US $27 million annually in utility bills by ignoring carbon management initiatives and implementing initiatives to reduce electricity and water bills, according to The Hotel Show exhibition director Frederique Maurell. Maurell added that the figure is set to rise with increased DEWA tariffs for 2011. “If each hotel averaged 200 rooms, reduced energy consumption could save around $5.50 per room-night, per hotel, or $27 million collectively, not to mention 400,000 tonnes of carbon emissions that would be saved,” said Maurell. “In total there are approximately 67,369 hotel rooms and hotel apartments in Dubai, imagine the dramatic effect if all of Dubai’s hotels signed up to reduce their carbon emissions,” she added. According to a study by Travel Weekly, 50% of prospective hotel guests said they were prepared to pay 10% more to stay in sustainable hotels, while 66% expressed serious doubts about environmental claims posted on hotel websites. “The environmental dimension is part of the strategic vision of the best run
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