Environmentally friendly Garden Court Umhlanga

"Our efforts are aimed at creating a more sustainable travel future and reducing our impact on the environment," said Clifford Campbell, GM, Garden Court Umhlanga. "Our focus on becoming green forms a crucial tenet of our operations."

As such, from the outset, the hotel's design concept and operational blueprint carefully considered the environment. The building's chilled-water facility (using run-off water from a grey water system), for example, incorporates a heat exchanger to heat hot water while the air-conditioners are operational. "A boiler uses approximately 40 to 50 percent more electricity than the heat exchanger. This system is also more efficient than solar heating," explained Campbell.

Multi-million rand project

Two secondary chilled-water pumps have been fitted with variable speed drives to regulate the amount of chilled water distributed to the building, depending on the building cooling load, thereby also saving energy. "It is so successful Garden Court is embarking on a multi-million rand project in collaboration with Eskom to retrofit heat exchangers into all its hotels."

To minimise the use of electricity further, key-card activation systems installed in the bedrooms switch the lights on when guests enter their rooms. The lights turn off automatically 30 seconds after they leave. From a lighting perspective, the design incorporates 9 Watt voltage LED down lights.

The need for internal heating has also been reduced through the architectural design, which features tinted glazing in areas with direct sunlight while cavity brickwork insulates the building.

Additional initiatives include a self-chlorination system in the pool, as well as separate showers and baths comprising aerators in the showers, dual flush toilets and low-flow tap fixtures, to reduce the amount of water used.

Water preservation

The focus on water preservation extends to providing guests with safe, treated drinking water, which will also be used in food preparation. The hotel's Ozone water-treatment application essentially kills germs, bacteria, fungi, algae, and viruses, while breaking up pesticides, iron, manganese, sulphides and tannins, hormones and gases such as ethylene. Water treated with Ozone keeps fruit and perishables fresh, removing mineral deposits and harmful elements. "We are packaging the water in handmade sandblasted glass jugs using recycled glass. Recycling glass enables us to reduce the use of plastic, while recycling valuable materials and fostering development and economic growth," added Campbell.

Recycling waste

The hotel recycles waste and is working towards placing recycling bins in the bedrooms too. In addition, soaps and chemicals have been assessed from a green perspective. "These initiatives fulfil our objective to reduce, reuse and recycle."

"There are lots of great ways to make the world a better place. And Garden Court has scrutinised how it can modify and transform elements of its operations to ensure it functions in a manner that is cognisant of broader social and environmental impacts."

Change the outlook

Recognising this strategic need, as a group, for the past three years Southern Sun has consulted with The Heritage Environmental Management Group. "We want to control our environmental issues and change the outlook of our day-to-day operations from an environmental perspective," said Campbell. Consequently, 52 hotels within the group are creating policies in this regard. Heritage audits every hotel twice annually and provides input relating to environmental management.

"This accreditation process will establish our carbon footprint. We are taking responsibility for our impact on the environment. And while there is a cost associated with environmental initiatives, there are positive spin-offs. Eventually, we aim to create carbon offsets.

"There exists a definite global movement towards responsible tourism. We are implementing actions and working towards better understanding our own impact," said Campbell. "Through our internal initiatives we hope to pass this on to our guests too."