Green with Envy

At one time, a load of green stuff growing all over your property would have spelled an expensive phone call to a man with some poison and a face mask, leaving you ready to run a mile. 

Nowadays, construction policies in some countries don’t just ask for it….they demand it! 

Singapore’s enforcement of energy efficiency standards for buildings and vehicles, and issuance of carbon tax, has seen radical changes occur. 

Rates of air and water pollution that are some of the lowest in the world have seen the city flourish as a global leader in sustainable urban development. 

While 56% of the world's population is currently considered to be living in cities, that number could be considered idyllic compared to the 70% expected by 2050, underscoring the immense challenge of managing this rapid urbanization.

Incorporating nature into your property then, isn't purely a method to appease your conscience. With mass urbanisation on a scale never seen before, the disconnect between cities and nature is stark. 

Recent reforms in cities across the globe have given way to repurposing of outdated infrastructure to create city streams or parks. The Highline in New York being one of the more high profile amendments, as well as various streams and urban parks dotted around Seoul, South Korea, which have replaced smog inducing highways

The addition of green spaces that have been developed not only provide residents with beautiful natural spaces in their own neighborhoods, but also improved environmental conditions. 

Numerous natural components stitched together by feats of man’s engineering (or is it the other way round?!), all striving towards the same goal of enhancing their environment by coexisting, all compounding the interest of this synergistic movement. 

So what is Green Infrastructure (GI)? How can hotels and other accommodation providers incorporate it into their environment? And crucially, why would they want to?

As the name suggests, GI isn’t just one feature, but a strategic network of natural and semi-natural areas and innovations, all designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services, while simultaneously mitigating heat and enhancing biodiversity. 

It Never Rains but it Pores

According to World Bank, 1.81 billion people (or about 23% of the world's population) are estimated to face significant flood risk worldwide, and around 55 million directly affected in 2022 alone. 

With flood related issues featuring prominently across the globe, delay and redistribution methods have been found most effective in tackling this incredibly serious, yet extremely common issue. 

Techniques such as—downspout disconnection, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens, planter boxes, bioswales, permeable pavements, green streets and alleys, green parking, green roofs, urban tree canopy, land conservation, permeable surfaces, wetland restoration, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and naturalized shorelines, to name just a few—all going about their own business for the betterment of their surroundings.

Their collective ability to effectively manage flooding issues, conserve natural resources, enhance biodiversity, and promote environmental sustainability in urban areas drastically dealing with the elements that come their way.

So what does this mean for the hospitality industry? As a major consumer of excessive resources incurring unnecessary operational costs, hospitality has been cited as possessing the scope to enact major change and lead the way in GI adoption.

From reducing energy and water consumption and production of waste, hotels who want to save on utility bills, maintenance costs, and taxes, as well as enhancing their reputation and brand image, can all find some method of GI to help the cause for the greater good. 

Here are 5 of the most effective methods for a hotel to apply GI to their properties.

Green Roofs & Gardens

The insulation properties provided by green roofs and planter boxes help reduce energy costs, with filtration systems managing stormwater runoff, all while creating attractive outdoor spaces for guests. 

Vertical gardens or “living walls” also offer some of the benefits of the green roof, providing aesthetic appeal, improvements in air quality,  building temperature regulation, and other ecological advantages.

The benefits of applying green roofs and walls also extend to masking any deficiencies that the architecture or design features have bestowed, and potentially freeing up capital to spend on more pressing issues elsewhere, such as staffing or other design features. 

Rainwater Harvesting

Collecting rainwater for non-potable uses such as irrigation, landscaping, toilet flushing, or saving for future use, can significantly reduce water consumption and lower utility costs. 

Other innovations to distribute some of the water is to install Japanese style toilets. No, not the ones that penetrate your soul via a lazer guided precision jet of water, or the ones that require sumo-style squatting skills for any chance of success, but the ones with the sink above the cistern, dealing with two jobs at once. 

Areas that experience droughts or dry seasons can also retain the resource for those barren periods, ensuring services remain sustainable. 

Permeable Pavements

Parking lots or walkways with permeable qualities, in contrast with watertight surfacing solutions such as asphalt, allows rainwater to infiltrate into the ground. This reduces runoff, mitigates flooding, and supports groundwater recharge, rather than just kicking the proverbial can down the road for somebody else to deal with.

The absence of heat-absorbing asphalt and other paving materials with high ratios of impermeable surfaces, also prevents the area from contributing towards increased ambient air temperatures that require more energy for cooling.

Downspout Disconnection

Directing rainwater from downspouts on the roof towards permeable areas, instead of letting it flow directly into storm drains, allows areas that can absorb water such as grassy patches, gardens, or rain barrels, to infiltrate into the ground naturally, reducing the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff.

The benefits to the surrounding environment are improved water quality through natural filtration, prevention of erosion, and conservation of water resources by capturing rainwater for reuse. 

Regular maintenance and consideration of drainage patterns are important to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of downspout disconnection practices. 

Overall, this technique contributes to sustainable water management and helps mitigate the impacts of urban runoff on the environment.

Urban Tree Canopy

In urban environments, tree canopies can enhance streetscapes aesthetically and improve the overall environmental quality by reducing heat, stormwater, and biodiversity. 

With around 20 percent of sunlight able to penetrate a well designed canopy, the shade provided can also prevent paved areas from overheating, severely reducing urban heat island effect. 

The benefits of trees within built-up areas don’t stop there, as pollutant absorption abilities also enhance air quality.

Noise pollution can also be reduced due to the ability of trees to muffle the sounds of traffic and other disruptive noises. And if that incredible assortment of qualities wasn’t enough, studies have also found that exposure to trees can measurably improve people’s mental health, with stress and anxiety levels significantly reduced.

So, the next time you're in the market to make some changes to your hotel, check to see what impact GI may have on you and your neighbourhood. With the right implementation, its inclusion can be a win-win for you, your business, and the world around you!