Per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the biggest source of greenhouse gases is human activities such as burning fossil fuels for transportation, electricity, and heat. About 8% of these emissions come from the tourism industry due to the high rate of transportation. To help minimize the carbon print, people are increasingly adopting sustainable measures in virtually every aspect of their lives. In the hotel industry, sustainable hotels are becoming increasingly popular among consumers. Some of the things designers are doing to respond to this demand include:

Typically, transporting construction materials to the building site increases carbon emissions into the atmosphere, which contributes a great deal to global warming. For this reason, experts recommend manufacturing offsite and transporting the finished designs to the hotels. For instance, designers can construct movable guestroom villas offsite and ship them to the hotel premises only when they are almost complete. This is also known as pod construction. It helps maintain a natural and safe environment around the hotel, which most hotel guests are looking for. Designers are also looking to maximize the use of natural light and air in their designs to lower the rate of burning fossil fuels. Lastly, the use of local supply chains is also a norm that helps save on fuel and reduce carbon emission through short-distance transportation.

As hotels strive to modify their designs to enhance safety against the pandemic, incorporating eco-friendly measures is also becoming popular. To give you an idea, hotel guests are looking for more than just affordable packages and good customer care. That said, designers are creating sustainable designs in hotels that include:

• Energy-efficient Architectural Designs and Building Systems – Here, designers consider energy efficiency when designing and constructing plumbing systems, distributing electricity, and building the mechanical infrastructure.

• Use of Modern Technology and Bioclimatic Design Elements in Their Constructions-This helps promote natural and efficient lighting, cooling, and heating while keeping the carbon footprint low.

• Bipolar Air Ionization – Since the pandemic is also a threat, ensuring that the air in the hotel is safe for breathing also contributes to eco-friendliness. As such, hotels are now using bipolar air ionization technology in their HVAC systems to promote advanced air filtration that kills bacteria and viruses.

• Microclimate Strategies –According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), staying outdoors post-vaccination can give you more comfort than spending time indoors. That said, hotels are incorporating microclimate designs to promote outdoor living for sustainability purposes.

Designers are responding to consumer demand for sustainable hotels in various ways, including the different methods discussed in this article. Do you want to use these sustainable tips from designers to create an eco-friendly environment in your hotel? Contact Nikki Fox at Parkwest General Contractors at Nikki@ParkwestGC.com. Our dedicated team is eager to assist you with all your building renovation, and upgrade needs today.