Africa’s greenest hotel has led the way with innovative water saving initiatives since it was built in 2013.
General
- The hotel was built in 2013 with the following active technologies to save water:
- Rain water and subsoil drainage harvesting
- Infrared sensor activated taps
- Grey water recycling system
- The grey water from showers as well as the condensate from most air-conditioners are drained to the PONTOS grey water recycling plant where is it filtered and sterilised. The water is first filtered to remove macro particles and then passed through a series of tanks that are aerated for optimal conditions for bacteria that break down organic matter in the water. Lastly, water is sterilised by passing it over ultraviolet lights.
The resulting colourless and odourless processed grey water is then reticulated throughout the hotel and used for flushing of the toilets saving up to 6000 litres of drinking water per day.
- The rainwater from approximately one third of the roof is captured and passed through a passive, mechanically self-cleaning Wisy screen filter before being channelled to a 40,000 litre stainless steel tank in the basement of the building. The basement extends below the water table so all water that would otherwise migrate into the basement is filtered and collected in sumps before it also is pumped into the 40,000 litre tank. This is also linked to the grey water reticulation system so that rain water can also be used to flush the toilets in the future if desired or if the grey water recycling plant is required to be shut down for maintenance.
- All fittings throughout the building are low-flow, allowing the same functionality but saving water by aerating it and reducing the flow.
- All toilets are duel-flush, allowing users to flush using only the amount of water required.
- Waterless urinals in the building will save close to 1 million litres of water each year.
- The hotel washing machines re-use the final rinse water from the previous cycle for the next loads pre-rinse cycle.
- The hotel’s sustainable design and structures, such as the grey water recycling system, have ensured that guests experience has not been altered noticeably – Hotel Verde has used 65% less water than regular hotels since it opened in 2013.
- All vegetation that has been planted is indigenous or endemic and water-wise. Vegetation was selected, where possible, to have high carbon capturing potential.
F&B
- We use left-over molten ice from our breakfast buffet to also rinse our fruits and vegetables, to save on rinsing water. Left over ice from the bar is used to water our garden.
- Where we were using napkins that needed to be washed daily, we are now only supplying our guests with paper serviettes
that are compostable and printed with water based ink.
- All décor in the restaurant has been changed from live flowers to colourful dried flowers.
- Our F&B team will soon also be implementing rewards for guests who choose to order wood fired meal items from our menu.
- Where possible we have also removed the use of porcelain side plates and only offer this use where necessary.
- All linen table cloths and runners are removed where possible.
- Water bottles were displayed on all our restaurant tables for dinner, this is also now only on request. Hotel Verde also had various water dispensers available at our breakfast buffet, which is now also limited and on request.
- We reward our guests with a R2 off their beverage if they do not make use of a glass and ice. In doing so, we saved a total of 127.20 litres of water from December 2017 to end January 2018. Per month we are saving an average of 63.5 litres of water. Every drop counts.
- We have introduced the use of paper side plates in the restaurant and with conferencing tea & coffee stations as well as encouraging guests to re-use their porcelain plates for more than once meal course. Guest are reading the notice and are wonderfully responding to the encouragement.
Public Areas
- We have strategically placed water wise signage throughout the hotel which communicate water-saving tips; from check-in through public areas (gym, lounges, venues, restrooms and hotel rooms) reminding guests to save water in every way possible. Our Hotel Verde Slogan is DON’T KEEP CALM, GET PASSIONATE ABOUT SAVING WATER.
- We had a water station at reception where guests were welcome to help themselves, this has been replaced with only two water bottles to ensure there is no wastage.
- Our guests are greeted by our reception staff informing them of the drought and informing them on tips to assist us on saving water. Our water-saving tips are also shared inside the room key card holder.
- We have strategically placed hand sanitisers and signage in bathrooms, public areas and staff areas to encourage the use of hand sanitiser instead of water.
Rooms
- All guests are greeted with a letter from Mr. Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities to inform them about the drought and urging them to save water as if they are a local.
- We encourage guests to reuse their towels and thereby reduce the amount of laundry needing to be washed. Guests who participates gets rewarded with a Verdino, our in-house guest reward incentive programme.
- We also encourage guests to use their hand towels instead of their bath towels. #HandTowelChallenge Guests who participate get rewarded with a Verdino, our in-house guest incentive programme (1 Verdino has the value of R5) and can win a weekend stay at the hotel. These are small ways we create awareness to our guests to save water and the importance thereof. Guests have written notes on our reception notice board, commending Hotel Verde on this effort with remarks like: “we won’t even shower” or “I did the hand towel challenge”
- We only have 9 rooms with baths in our hotel; these were always allocated last anyway, but we have now removed the plugs from all of them as well and we are making guests aware that we are a “no bathing zone”. We have placed trees in all our baths, with a message asking guests to refrain from using the bath as “water does not grow on trees”.
- We have also removed unnecessary laundry items from the rooms like gowns and a second sheet on the bed. These items will be provided upon request only.
- Instead of all our rooms, only arrival guests receive a bottle of water in their mini bar and this is only replaced on request for long stays.
- We provide like most hotels 4 pillows on a King size bed, but have now implemented placing 2 pillows separately on the side of the bed, with a message asking guests to refrain from using them if not needed and to place in the cupboard or desk; this assists us to save water by not having to wash all the pillows. Guests are also rewarded for this with a Verdino-our guest in-house incentive program.
- Water-saving tips for guests are in all bathrooms.
Conferencing
- We have implemented a water station in all boardroom venues instead of us offering a bottle of water for every 2 persons seated at the venue.
- Water is only refilled on request and is only stationed once.
- We have removed all porcelain plates from our conferencing rooms and replaced it with compostable paper plates. Our glasses have also been replaced with compostable paper cups. This assists with not having to wash the dishes.
Reservations
- At reservation stage, the team communicates that we are a no bathing zone due to the drought.
- The reservation confirmations which we send to all our guests have a clear message informing them about the dire water situation and asking them to save like a local.
- A recent article from our Tourism partners with questions and answers about “Planning to visit CPT, come and enjoy but be mindful” is also shared with our guests upon booking.
- Our Website booking confirmations also share the water situation upon reservation to our guests.
Staff & Marketing Department
- We have a Green Guardian team that motivates and keeps awareness alive within our staff to save water at home and at work; they have monthly initiatives.
- Our AVANTI (Moving forward in Italian) team that is driven by our Human Resources department, have quarterly presentations with our staff, that also include sustainability awareness and participation. This is where we workshop new ways we can implement water saving at Hotel Verde and keep the awareness alive.
- The hotel also communicates the drought on its Social Media pages to increase awareness to guests and the greater Cape Town, informing guests about the restrictions and saving of water.
- All hotel staff have signed a pledge to contribute towards saving water at home and at work.
- The mopping of staff areas has been limited daily and only cleaned when and where needed. Sweeping and spot cleaning is encouraged.
- Day Zero information and water-saving tips signage is displayed in all staff areas and staff is encouraged to report water wasters.
- We are a member of FEDHASA, WWF and the City of Cape Town and participate in any water-saving event, talk or meeting to ensure we are supporting the city in every way possible and remain informed.
- All staff have a water-saving message on their email signatures to create further awareness.
- We have asked our staff to not wear their blazers with their uniforms if not necessary and to re wear their uniforms where possible. Hotel Verde has done away with ties for the men, as another item that does not have to be washed or kept clean.
Question: Apart from current water-wise measures at your establishment, are you planning any future water-conservation projects to raise the bar?
Answer: Being Africa’s Greenest Hotel, since inception water saving has been part of what we do, not just through our systems but also in operations. We believe that our team has assisted us so much already with new and innovative ways during the past year and recent months preparing for stricter and stricter water restrictions and to support the current conditions. It is most important to us, to continue the awareness, education and to keep up the momentum of new implementations daily, weekly and monthly-this is the new way of life.
Preparing for day zero includes additional water storage, continually ensuring we are compliant with all new water restriction level requirements, installation of even more sparing flow restrictors on our taps and showers, stocking up on items such as sanitizers, wipes, additional glass water bottles for drinking, installation of more sanitizers in each of our rooms, items in our 24 hour Verdeli that guests can buy to assist with hygiene and a possible Reverse Osmosis plant installation. (This plant would see the hotel supply its own potable water from the stored rain and subsoil drainage water.
Question: And, finally, what is the biggest lesson your establishment has learnt about saving water as South Africa has become one of the driest countries in the world? Please give me the full name and title of the person to whom I can attribute this quote.
–Answer: For our team it would be to not take natural resources for granted overall and be initiators of change and awareness, every little bit helps. “Hotel Verde Team” or “Lindy Meiring-General Manager”