The Radisson Blu, Dubai Deira Creek, has been awarded the international Green Globe Certification (GGC), following a recent Dh1.25 million ($340,000) investment in sustainability.

The hotel which originally opened in 1975 was officially recognised for its environmentally friendly practices, after consulting Dubai-based sustainability experts Farnek Avireal to meet the exacting standards.

Rezidor which was handed the management contract for the 276 bedroom property in 2006, has gradually brought its green policies in line with its own Responsible Business Programme, paving the way for the first Radisson Blu branded hotel in the UAE to be accredited with Green Globe certification.

“We had already completed a number of sustainability initiatives, such as energy and resource saving, the use of biodegradable chemicals and recycling initiatives, but achieving Green Globe status will now have a positive effect on every aspect of the hotel operation,” said chief engineer Arthur Rodrigues.

“The Green Globe Certification Audit is based on a number of environmental factors, in all we had 250 points to address.”

“Some of the inefficient old and high-power consuming air-conditioning equipment was replaced, coupled with the energy saving wheel, which cools hot air drawn from outside, before passing it through the hotel chillers. It is always more challenging for an older property to attain such rigorous standards, but considering that, it is so much more rewarding to be recognised for our achievements,” added Rodrigues.

Green Globe certification is the premier worldwide sustainability stamp for the tourism industry and more than 800 businesses in 50 countries have so far met the 248 exacting standards.

“The Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek is a great example to prove you don’t have to be a new hotel to be environmentally friendly,” said Markus Oberlin, general manager of Farnek Avireal.

“Independent surveys have revealed that hotel guests are becoming more environmentally conscious and prefer to stay in sustainable hotels. So embracing sustainability makes good business sense.”

The Radisson Blu had a number of unusual issues to overcome, not least of all its dinner cruise boat, the Al Mansour Dhow, stationed on Dubai Creek, and its outside catering vehicles, which had to be taken into consideration. However, the hotel’s management is confident that their investment will pay back with significantly lower operating costs as well as lower carbon emissions.

“Hotels have a corporate responsibility to the environment and all of its stakeholders. We invested a lot of time and money into this initiative but now we are reaping the rewards financially, socially and environmentally,” said Rodrigues.

Farnek Avireal currently has the exclusive rights to utilise the Green Globe brand, covering tourism properties within 20 different countries throughout the Middle East.

Through Farnek Avireal’s web-based hotel optimiser technology, GGC programme participants can calculate their CO2 emissions including the financial cost, which enables them to track their performance of energy and water consumption as well as non-recyclable waste production. – TradeArabia News Service