Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra: Spirited sustainability performance reaps better results
Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra is situated in an urban oasis within the capital’s city center and business district. Stylish Ghanaian décor provides a warm African welcome to guests at this five-star contemporary hotel. The Accra Financial Centre, the World Trade Centre, the International Conference center and other government ministries are close by while the airport is a short drive away.
The Green Globe property has recently been recertified for the third consecutive year and continues to make progress in wide ranging areas of sustainable development.
Akoi Amoah‐Larbi, Hygienist and Green Globe Champion at Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra said, “The marked improvement in our Green Globe score from 80% to 85% was a result of the spirited performance made by the management and staff of the hotel. Regarding infrastructure - new energy and water saving initiatives were implemented and garden fittings were installed. Also, in relation to sustainable practices, more environmentally responsible behavior was instilled in our staff to reap better results.”
Biodiversity and wildlife management are key areas addressed by the hotel’s environmental programs. The hotel has renewed its corporate partnership with the Ghana Wildlife Society. As stated in its Sustainability Management Plan, a 1.5 X 6m billboard erected on the premises of the Ghana Wildlife Society has been branded with the image of the Roseate Tern, a wholly protected bird species which lives on the coasts of Ghana, to raise conservation awareness amongst the public. As a further contribution to conserving biodiversity, Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra supported an audit of local birds by the Ghana Wildlife Society within the property grounds and also hosted the annual Ghana Wildlife membership meeting at the hotel.
Regional development is another priority for Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra. The hotel was recognized as the highest contributor to the Tourism levy at the National Tourism Awards which was introduced by the Ghana Tourism Authority to market and promote tourism, build capacity, conduct market research, offer tourism education, as well as provide training and improve tourism infrastructure. The hotel had contributed a total of GHC 1,334,912 to the levy as at February 2015.
Significant reductions in overall resource usage and waste output were achieved over the past year. All energy and water consumption is monitored with the Hotel Optimizer system. In the past year, the hotel has installed more LED lights thereby reducing total energy consumption. Air curtains were also installed in front of cold rooms and two elevators were shut down without affecting guest comfort. The property rationed the usage of its HVAC chillers after learning from the 2013 Hotel Optimizer report that chiller consumption constitutes about 45% of total energy consumption. In addition, the main entrance and pool entrance gates were replaced with revolving doors to lessen energy usage. As a result, according to the 2014 Hotel Optimizer report audited by FARNEK Engineers, electricity consumption has dropped by 15.33%.
As part of its water conservation strategies, Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra uses water from two (2) boreholes solely for irrigation. Staff training on water reduction has also increased. Furthermore, sprinkler systems were repaired and re‐ automated and the timing of watering rationed to minimize water loss through evaporation and drain offs. The 2014 Hotel Optimizer report states water consumption has fallen by 14.54%. In 2016, new meters will be installed around the hotel to monitor departmental consumption and help concentrate efforts at reducing water consumption in high usage areas.
In line with its waste management policies, the hotel achieved a waste diversion rate of 23.34% in 2014, compared to 16.91% in 2013. Also a total waste reduction of 21.36% was attained. Through increased staff training on waste management and an extra 5% discount from a waste contractor for the recycling of plastic materials, the hotel’s overall expenditure on waste disposal dropped by 15%. Garden waste constitutes about 24% of total waste, so the hotel aims to convert the garden waste into compost in the future.
“Our motto “Healthy Environment Sustainable Hospitality” is proudly displayed on our Ghana Wildlife Society billboard,” concluded Mr. Amoah‐Larbi.
