- Innovative Program Launch: IHG Hotels & Resorts introduces the industry’s first Low Carbon Pioneers program.
- Sustainability Leadership: Features energy-efficient hotels with no on-site fossil fuel combustion.
- CEO’s Call for Action: CEO Elie Maalouf urges government support to enhance renewable energy access and reduce technology costs.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched its groundbreaking Low Carbon Pioneers program, bringing together energy-efficient hotels that operate without on-site fossil fuel combustion and are powered by renewable energy.
This pioneering group, the first of its kind in the hospitality industry, aims to test, learn, and share sustainable practices, inspiring other properties to join the initiative. The initial Low Carbon Pioneer hotels include:
- Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain
- Iberostar Waves Cristina, Spain
- Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary
These hotels employ sustainable solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps and fully electric kitchens, all certified by recognized bodies like Green Key and LEED. The hotels will also use IHG’s Green Engage platform to monitor and measure energy data.
Elie Maalouf, CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts, stated:
“We are excited to launch our Low Carbon Pioneers program as another innovative way in which we’re meeting evolving guest expectations, helping our hotel owners future-proof their businesses, and reducing carbon across our estate.“
He emphasized the need for broader government support to accelerate the industry’s transition to sustainability:
“Accelerating change at scale requires broader support from governments, ranging from greater access to renewable energy and incentives for owners, to a reduction in the cost of technology that speeds up the industry’s transition to a greener, more resilient future.”
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IHG’s Low Carbon Pioneers program is designed to future-proof properties, offering benefits like alignment with environmental regulations and improved access to green finance. This initiative also supports IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan, which focuses on reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability across its thousands of hotels.