Energy Conservation Campaign at Richmond Stylish Convention Hotel, Thailand

Richmond Stylish Convention Hotel has serviced for the First Guest since 8th January 1995. The
hotel has 220 of staffs, and all of them started working at early morning in every day. The hotel is characterized by 24 hour services with a high standard of hospitality and full accommodation.
However, we also strive to be an impeccable hotel as green credentials, i.e. low energy used and
preserve environment with the best services. From 2012 to 2014, the hotel has engaged in operating together with using energy more reasonably – worthy. To deliver the goal of using energy effectively, Richmond Hotel has created a culture of energy saving at all levels of hotel operations. We have encouraged employees to be participated in energy conservation activities. And thus they are team members, who lead the campaign “Reduce the Energy Losses and Reduce Carbon Footprint”.

The project began with the energy conservation training for all staff, so they could guide the others and also apply their know-how and skills into their working routines. Moreover, we are also encourages the guests to join the campaign by using energy economically during they stay at the hotel. Apart from activities at the hotel, there are the social service activities, which are mainly conducted to educate children about energy saving as part of our corporate social responsibility program.

For the past three years through energy conservation mitigations (i.e. both of investment and non – investment), we could reduce energy consumption by more than 4,620,724 kWh plus fuel at 3,568,683 MJ which is equal to 3,368 tons reduction of emitted CO2. Total cost saving was 21.38 Million Baht/3year (0.69 million USD), with 0.87 year of the payback period. Our Energy Efficiency Index in 2014 was 277.78 MJ/Room-day. Compared with 2012 and 2013, our Energy Efficiency Index reduced 8.94 % and 31.45 %. Furthermore, Richmond Hotel has recently received an Award of the Best Energy Saving Building of MEA 2014, organized by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, Thailand. With the prize of such award was 2 million baht. Also we were honoured at the Thailand Energy Awards 2015 and ASEAN Energy Award 2015. It should be noted that the culture of energy saving was not easy to create but at Richmond Hotel, “WE CAN”. It could be said that our success story is driven by our staff, who dedicated to the energy conservation program. And thus they are the Richmond Ambassadors who lead us to the “Green Hotel”.

Managing Organization:

Richmond Hotel set up an energy saving team in 2011. This team has been evaluated and adjusted yearly. Miss Laksawan Wongworakarn Managing Director has held the position of chairwoman of the energy saving committees. These committees are responsible to operate and control energy saving techniques to comply with eight steps of energy saving listed by the Ministry of Energy. The energy saving committees also set up a sub-committees and energy saving units, which were selected from every hotel division.

Project Description:

Richmond Stylish Convention Hotel opened for its first guests 8th January 1995. The hotel has 220 staff many of whom have worked with the hotel from its early days. The hotel prides itself on its 24 hour service and a high standard of hospitality. But it also strives to have impeccable green credentials through a low energy consumption profile, while maintaining full-service operations.
From 2011 to 2014, the hotel has engaged in an energy saving programme and this has resulted in reduced energy consumption. To deliver the goal of energy efficiency, Richmond Hotel has created a culture of energy saving at all levels of hotel operations. We have encouraged employees to be personally involved in energy conservation activities. They are team members, who lead the campaign to reduce the carbon footprint. It started with energy conservation training for all staff so they could guide others and also apply their know-how and skills in their working routines. We also encourages guests to join the campaign by using energy economically, during their stay at the hotel. Then there is an ongoing outreach to the community. Activities are conducted to educate children about energy saving as part of our corporate social responsibility programme.

For the past four years through energy conservation activities (both investment and non-investment), we have reduced energy consumption by more than 4,620,724 kWh, which is equal to 3,368.06 tons of CO2 emissions. The reduction of energy consumption gave us total savings of over 21.38 million baht with the average ROI of 0.87 per year. Recently, Richmond Stylish Convention Hotel was awarded the best Energy Saving Building of MEA 2014 from the Metropolitan Electricity Authority of Thailand with prize money of 2 million baht. Also the winner of “Thailand Energy Awards” and “ASEAN Energy Awards” 2015.

A culture of energy saving was not easy to create but at Richmond Hotel, WE CAN. It is our firm belief that our success story is driven by our staff, who are committed to the energy conservation programme. They are the Richmond Ambassadors leading the greening of our hotel.

Savings Narrative

1. Energy Saving

Since 2011, the impact of the Great Flood together with Thailand’s Political and energy crisis, Miss Laksawan Wonworrakan, Managing Director of Richmond Group decided to designate an energy conservation policy. Over four years of performing energy saving programmes, the executive team has spent more than 18.60 million baht to train staff (Peopleware), create work systems (Systemware) and improve machines’ efficiencies (Hardware). We also fine-tuned our machines to maximize efficiencies. This enabled us to be able to reduce our energy consumption for more than 4,620,724 kWh.

2. Environmental Effect

2.1 Reduction of CO2 Emission due to Energy Saving Plans

Richmond Hotel educates its staff to be aware of carbon footprint and environmental impacts due to energy consumption. With this knowledge and strong determination, Richmond Hotel staff reduced energy consumption during 2012-2014 by over 4,620,724 kWh. This is equal to 3,368.06 tons of CO2 emissions. (See table 2) Apart from energy saving programmes, Richmond Hotel also held “A Re-planting Mangrove Forest Activity” every year. Richmond Hotel staff planted more than 4,000 trees, which is equal to 11.10 kg of CO2. This environmental success would not have been possible without staff collaboration and determination to increase forest areas in Thailand.

2.2 Waste and Pollution Management

Managing Director and committees had visited Wongpanit Waste Recycle Factory Suvannabumi branch. “Richmond Waste Bank” helped to change staff attitude about waste and encouraged them to look for value in waste. “Richmond Waste Bank” also received collaboration from both staff and customers. We could add value from our waste to the sum of 115,596.50 baht a year. The price of waste is normally 2.42 baht/kg, but after our transformation waste was sold for 5.01 baht/kg, increasing more than 107%. Richmond Hotel also held “Innovation from Waste Contest” to encourage staff to invent various techniques to apply wastes from their divisions.

Richmond Hotel has applied diligently the 3Rs principle in its waste management with participation of staff and customers. These 3Rs are; reduce, reuse, and recycle. We reduce use through a “3 pieces of tissue paper” campaign that encourages staff and customers to use tissue paper wisely and economically. Also, the reuse campaign recommends using two sides of A4 paper, Reusing left over pens and pencils, or reducing the times a bed cover is changed. Disposal waste is then sold to the “Waste Bank” or recycled by hotel departments through a “Innovative Recycle Contest”.

3. Economic Effect

When Richmond Hotel made a decision on machine investment, we considered three factors; 1. Results (Sustainable and Consistent Savings), 2. ROI Period (Less than three years), and 3. Subsidies. Richmond Hotel has many projects, which received subsidies from the Ministry of Energy such as “Energy Saving Technology Demonstration” (subsidised 40%), “Materials and Tools in Energy Saving” (subsidised 20%). The total subsidies are 3 million baht. Due to our continuous investment, Richmond Hotel has made a total saving of over 21.38 million baht. The average ROI is 0.87 year. This number might seems small compared on a domestic scale, but Richmond Hotel is ready to act as an example of energy saving programmes, which will encourage other organisations in the near future.

4. Energy Efficiency Index (MJ/year, MJ/Room-Day)

Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) for hotels is a ratio between “total energy consumption (Joule)” and the “amount of hotel guest (room-day)”. At Richmond Hotel, we have 455 rooms with 73.36% occupancy (2012-2014). Our Energy Efficiency Index in 2014 was 277.78 MJ/Room-day. Compared with 2012 and 2013, our Energy Efficiency Index reduced 8.94% and 31.45%, respectively. This success in energy saving was made possible through the collaboration of Richmond Hotel staff.

Savings Narrative:

Energy Savings:

Environmental Effect:

Reduction of CO2 Emission due to Energy Saving Plans Richmond Hotel educates its staff to be aware of carbon footprint and environmental impacts due to energy consumption. With this knowledge and strong determination, Richmond Hotel staff reduced energy consumption during 2012-2014 by over 4,620,724 kWh. This is equal to 3,368.06 tons of CO2 emissions. (See table 2) Apart from energy saving programmes, Richmond Hotel also held “A Replanting Mangrove Forest Activity” every year. Richmond Hotel staff planted more than 4,000 trees, which is equal to 11.10 kg of CO2. This environmental success would not have been possible without staff collaboration and determination to increase forest areas in Thailand.

Waste and Pollution Management:

Richmond hotel has three principles for waste and pollution management, which consist of classifying waste from the starting point with customer participation, reducing waste in each department area, and increasing the value of our waste through “Richmond Waste Bank” which was created after Miss Laksawan Wongworrakan, Managing Director and committees had visited Wongpanit Waste Recycle Factory Suvannabumi branch. “Richmond Waste Bank” helped to change staff attitude about waste and encouraged them to look for value in waste. “Richmond Waste Bank” also received collaboration from both staff and customers. We could add value from our waste to the sum of 115,596.50 baht a year. The price of waste is normally 2.42 baht/kg, but after our transformation waste was sold for 5.01 baht/kg, increasing more than 107%. Richmond Hotel also held “Innovation from Waste Contest” to encourage staff to invent
various techniques to apply wastes from their divisions.

Benefits Overview:

The immediate benefits were the saving electricity of 4,620,724 kWh and fuel of 3,568,683 MJ in
energy consumption, which was equal to 3,368 tonsCO2. This translated into a substantial financial saving of 21,377,575 baht. However, the most valuable long-term benefit has been the opportunity to inspire staff at all levels to adopt energy saving as their own campaign. This resulted in creativity at the individual and team level that not only increased daily energy saving, but also enhanced service quality for our guests. We are ready share what we learned and support other organisations on their journey to sustainable energy success. At Richmond Hotel, we are honoured to contribute to Thailand’s green initiatives. Our ultimate goal is to play our part to conserve energy and make the world a better place for the benefit of the next generation.

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