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- The hotel chain meets all the requirements established in the Balearic Carbon Footprint Registry’s regulatory decree.
- To achieve this, the chain has opted for geothermal energy, ecological cooling systems in the kitchens and a gradual robotisation of the hotels to reach maximum efficiency.
Thanks to a constant strive to provide the best accommodation service while protecting environmental values, Zafiro Hotels have obtained a verification of ISO standard 14064-3:2019. This standard certifies the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the hotels.
The specialised company SGS Tecnos S.A. (SGS) has overseen a detailed evaluation of the GHG emission protocols for all hotels pertaining to the hotel chain. These checks have been carried out in accordance with the requirements established in Decree 48/2021 of December 13, regulating the Balearic Carbon Footprint Registry.
Significant improvements to reduce CO2 emissions
Over the last few years, the hotel chain Zafiro Hotels has worked tirelessly to optimise its establishments and bring them in line with established standards to reduce the hotels’ carbon footprint, with a clear commitment to a more sustainable type of tourism.
As explained by the Corporate Director of Operations, Dirk Robeyns, one of the most important actions when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions from Zafiro Hotels has been replacing power generators for the air-conditioning “replacing them with more innovative units that incorporate heat recovery systems, where generated energy can be used to heat up swimming pools, for example. In other words: the entire hotel consumes less energy thanks to these systems”.
At the same time, he adds, work is being done on the energy transition towards more sustainable models “reducing diesel to a minimum, replacing it with city gas”.
Energy consumption optimisation
Energy consumption optimisation and reduction has been, and still is, the other main focus area for the work carried out at Zafiro Hotels in terms of environmental measures. The goal is to implement renewable energies – such as geothermal energy, biomass energy or photovoltaic energy – that allow for energy savings in the hotel's air conditioning system, especially during summer.
Robotisation of all hotels
In a world where data is becoming more and more important, information turns into a tool to help optimise resources while always providing excellent service. To take advantage of this fact, Zafiro Hotels are already working on achieving full computerisation and robotisation of all the hotels around 2025.
Speaking of this, Robeyns points out that the gradual introduction of state-of-the-art robotic systems at all the hotels has made it possible to obtain real-time information for a number of interesting factors: what is the actual energy consumption at any given time, what are the usual on and off times and what temperatures are reached, for example.
This information means better knowledge, which in turn facilitates decision-making to continue optimising and improving the hotels' energy consumption.
Ecological cooling
There are countless areas in a hotel that must be managed or used as efficiently as possible, as otherwise they can become truly unsustainable, and highly polluting. This is why we try to take good care of every energy source used at Zafiro Hotels.
One of the most interesting measures out of those that have been put in place so far has been the change in the refrigeration systems used in the hotel kitchens, where refrigerant gasses have been replaced by glycol, an ecological alternative in the form of a liquid antifreeze that mainly consists of water. Glycol prevents gas leaks, reducing gas consumption and providing a clear energy saving.
Other environmental measures in progress:
- Energy savings on diesel, using it at a minimum and replacing it with city gas.
- Migration to green energy (already in place in two hotels that belong to the chain).
- Waste recycling implemented and consolidated at all hotels.
- Firm commitment of the brand in the withdrawal of single-use plastics in all hotels.
- Energy-efficient lighting in all hotels, using LED bulbs.
- Biomass systems to heat up outdoor pools.
- Agreements with laundries that use more eco-efficient processes, with reused water.
Towards maximum efficiency
Emphasising the importance of always being open to innovation, the Corporate Director of Operations at Zafiro Hotels spells it out clearly: the medium-term objective is achieving maximum energy efficiency by optimising the hotel’s own energy resources. One example of this is how heat generated by hotel machinery can be used to supply energy to other parts of the same establishment.