HOTREC | Energy Efficiency Report

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Denmark: Green Key - an Eco-label of the Tourism Industry
Green Key is an internationally available eco-label awarded to
leisure organisations, such as hotels, hostels, conference and
holiday centres, campsites and leisure facilities.
Green Key was invented in 1994 in Denmark, but at this point
it has expanded to 57 different countries and is awarded to
more than 2.700 tourist establishment. Most of Europe is part
of Green Key, but recently the eco-label has travelled to Mexico,
Kenya and South Africa.
To obtain a Green Key label the business has to limiting
the production of waste and decrease the use of water and
electricity, which also lead to reduction of cost. But the criteria
also include requirements on policy, action plans, education
and communication, that can attract sustainable customers.
Green Key is an initiative created by the Industry for the Industry
in a joint venture with environmental organizations and public
institutions based on a pragmatic and trustworthy model. It has
created a unique non-profit environmental certification which
focuses on the collaboration between the companies involved
in the program where the company itself sees the rationale in
taking the lead.
For more information:
By unburdening the entrepreneurs, this makes the energy efficiency matter very transparent for them.
Horeca Vlaanderen does all the work behind the scenes and offers tutorials, tools, tricks, information,
financial advices, help in the choice of quick wins, etc. This tackles the obstacle of the lack of knowledge
about energy efficiency. Quick wins are small initiatives that do not cost a lot of effort for the entrepreneur
and require a rather small investment. Within 1 to 2 years the entrepreneur has earned back the investment
and starts to make profit. This also helps tackling the obstacle for many entrepreneurs who do not own
there infrastructure. A return model within max 2 years can be interesting for them.
This project will be launched in May 2018 and is aimed at persuading 1000 entrepreneurs to implement
energy efficiency quick wins by the end of 2019.
For more information:
30 | Making tourism more resource efficient: guidance and solutions to raise energy efficiency in the european hospitality industry