IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched a Low Carbon Pioneers program, which brings together energy efficient hotels that have no fossil fuels combusted on-site* and are backed by renewable energy.

This group of low operational carbon hotels is the first community of its kind in the industry and will help IHG test, learn and share findings on sustainability measures. The goal of the program is to inspire other properties to join the program and also help encourage wider adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHG’s estate.

“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,” said Elie Maalouf, CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts. “This is an important next step in IHG’s sustainability journey but it remains one of many we must continue to take. Accelerating change at scale for both IHG and the wider industry also 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. IHG is committed to working with industry bodies and governments to help achieve this, alongside encouraging more owners to adopt carbon reduction practices and become Low Carbon Pioneers.”

The first Low Carbon Pioneer hotels span different IHG brands and locations at these properties:

• Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain (lobby shown top of post)
• Iberostar Waves Cristina, Spain
• Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary

Each Low Carbon Pioneer hotel will feature sustainable solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and hot water generation, as well as fully electric kitchens. Every property will also have an operational sustainability certification** recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, such as Green Key, or a sustainable building certification, such as LEED, BREEAM or EDGE. To track and measure their energy data, Low Carbon Pioneer hotels will use IHG’s Green Engage environmental platform.

Additional hotels will join the Low Carbon Pioneers program across all regions and IHG is also developing a “low-carbon ready” group of hotels in preparation for when it becomes possible to fully back all energy with renewables in countries or districts where this is not currently available. The full criteria for a Low Carbon Pioneer hotel is available here.

Click HERE to learn more.

*Except for backup generators that fall below 5 percent of the hotel’s total annual energy consumption
**New hotels will have 12 months to certify from when they open.