Protecting water and promoting sustainability is now a major global concern and it is essential that the hospitality industry works together on water stewardship. In light of this, GROHE is delighted to have teamed up with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group to organise a series of water workshops with influential leaders and suppliers of the hospitality sector.
Launched in 2014, the second water workshop took place in Düsseldorf on 7 May 2015 with 15 partners from the sanitary and hospitality sectors, as well as experts in architecture, design, property management and behavioural psychology. The water workshops were created to identify untapped opportunities to reduce the water footprint of hotels. The workshop featured lectures and discussions on topics such as “future-proof buildings” and “guest behaviour”, and also raised fundamental questions on “hotels of the future”, including whether they would be water neutral and important providers of water to local communities.
“One of the vital questions we addressed this year was how to motivate hotel operators, project developers and property investors to integrate state-of-the-art water-saving technologies in their new hotel constructions and/or refurbishments,” said Michael Rauterkus, CEO of GROHE AG. “As we continue to develop new solutions for the responsible use of natural resources, we are not only protecting our environment but also helping hotel operators reduce their operational costs. By using new technological innovations by GROHE, hotels can meet the stringent standards for sustainable buildings and treat their customers to a unique water experience. At the water workshop, we showcased several options for the sustainable use of water, and exchanged information and experience on the specific challenges faced by the hospitality sector, both in water-rich and water-poor regions.”
The second part of the workshop put guest behaviour centre stage. In particular, participants explored ways in which to heighten awareness of responsible water use and how to positively influence guest behaviour.
Olivier Harnisch, Chief Operating Officer of The Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “Our hotels have successfully reduced water use in operations by 27% but we are not going to stop here. Our strategic partnership with GROHE, complements our Blu Planet towel re-use programme, which was recently launched across all Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts. We are actively asking our hotel guests to consider re-using their towels during their stay in exchange for a donation to the international water aid charity Just a Drop, and challenge their existing thinking and behaviours on responsible use of water at home too.”
GROHE and Carlson Rezidor are committed to continuing these dialogues between industry experts and suppliers from various sectors to raise awareness of global water sustainability. The water workshops aim to inspire innovative discussions as well as the formation of strong relationships between participating companies to address a crucial global issue.
For more information, please visit the GROHE website: www.grohe.com/uk
