STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Stockholm is a world-leading city when it comes to environmental thinking. This is particularly noticeable among the city’s hotels, which are now focusing on their green credentials more than ever. Scandic Hotels started its environmental thinking back in the early 1990s. In 2004, it became the first hotel chain to receive an eco-label, the prestigious Nordic ‘Swan’ eco-labeling, for all its 74 Swedish hotels.
Scandic Hotels’ environmental program is now fully implemented across both operations and hotel construction. The newly opened Scandic Anglais in Stockholm features a number of innovative environmental solutions. All organic waste from the hotel’s restaurants is turned into biogas, which is used instead of fossil fuels. Scandic Hotels’ goal is to have zero CO2 emissions by 2025.
“Our customers are becoming increasingly aware,” says Jan Peter Bergkvist, vice president of sustainable business at Scandic Hotels. “We want to be part of the solution instead of further increasing the environmental and social problems in the world.”
Solar Incorporated in Rezidor Project
The Rezidor Hotel Group is working to have all its 11 Swedish hotels certified under the Swan eco-labeling by summer, with six already having qualified in 2008. Rezidor’s new Park Inn Stockholm Waterfront hotel and congress center, due for completion in 2010, will feature many green solutions, including solar panels and cooling from the water of the nearby Klara Sjö.
“Sweden is far ahead with its environmental awareness,” says Kristina Windset, director of communications at the Rezidor Hotel Group in Scandinavia. “We want to export the solutions we have implemented here to other parts of the world.”
Choice Hotels is also following a strict environmental program and has a long tradition of environmental thinking. All 160 Choice hotels are to be certified under the ISO-14001 environmental specification during 2009, including all aspects of hotel operation, from energy usage to water, chemicals, waste and transports. Another aim is that by 2011, 50 percent of the food served in Choice Hotels should be organic.
“Being environmentally aware as a city will become an increasingly important criterion when choosing where to host congresses and meetings, and for business and leisure travel,” says Peter Lindqvist, CEO of the Stockholm Visitors Board. “Stockholm is well equipped to meet future environmental demands, having had a green focus for many years.”
