Once becoming a global trend, green hotels have appeared more and more in Vietnam. In fact, this model generates a plenty of benefits in energy conservation and environmental protection.
The model of green design, environmental friendliness and energy conservation is a trend wanted to be achieved by most investors. Green hotels always aim for sustainable and environment-friendly development. Hotels with open space are good to health and energy-efficient. They use natural light to a maximum and apply standard waste treatment. Other standards for a green hotel are a favourable location which provides easy and quick access to public transport service to reduce impacts of environmental pollution. Green hotels use “green roofs” and reduce impacts of noise, air and wastes.
In addition, green hotels essentially provide customers an open space with a comfortable view to a really "green" world. Fully aware of this importance, most high-end hotels and condos have green zones with the purpose of creating fresh “green spaces” for visitors.
Green hotel model brings in a lot of economic benefits. According to statistics, electricity consumption in a hotel is constituted by 27 percent of electricity used for cooling system, 1 percent for cooking and 5 percent for water heaters, 5 percent for refrigerators, 7 percent for office equipment, 13 percent for other purposes, and markedly 23 percent for lighting equipment. Obviously, electricity used for cooling systems (air conditioners and fans) and lighting systems respectively account for as much as 27 percent and 23 percent. Hence, a well-designed green hotel model can solve these problems.
In Vietnam, many hotels are rated Green like Sheraton Hotel, Majestic Hotel owned by Saigontourist, and Caravelle Hotel. Most of these hotels are embarking on creating a green hotel model by improving energy efficiency and economising water use to cut costs and protect the environment. As a leading light in this regard, Majestic Hotel replaced energy-prohibitive bulbs with energy-efficient ones, regulated air-conditioning systems to rational temperatures, used automatic switches which turn off power systems as soon as keys are pulled out power-enabled locks, and trained its staffs to conserve water and energy. Caravelle Hotel utilises natural light and economises lighting energy as its 60 percent of surroundings uses glass. In addition, with these glass layers, Caravelle employs additional coating to prevent heat absorption to cut energy use for refrigerating systems. Nonetheless, the most significant achievement of this hotel is to create a management system to monitor, check and adjust energy systems. Technicians are monitoring energy consumption to detect abnormal changes and tune them up every day, every week and every month. This method saved some VND1 billion from this practice.
Notably, most of green hotels in particular and hotels in general are using LED lighting technology to maximise energy saving. Compared with traditional lighting equipment, this product breakthrough helps save a lot of electricity. LED lamps can save up to 70 - 80 percent of electricity used in comparison with conventional lamps while heat produced is negligible. LED lights can be used well in a low-lit, low-voltage environment. Besides, LED lamps are environmentally friendly because they do not engender UV rays and do not have mercury. A lot of its other measures have been utilised by many hotels.
In recent years, foreign tourists first pay attention to green hotel standards or similar certifications before they choose a tour to Vietnam. The broader presence of this model has made important contributions to the sustainable development of the tourism industry in particular and of Vietnam in general.
