Harbour Hotel Galway Environmental Policy

ENJOY A GREENER STAY AT THE HARBOUR HOTEL

The Harbour Hotel recognises that our business has an important role to play in protecting and enhancing the environment for future generations, and to help secure the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry. It is our priority to encourage our customers, suppliers and all business associates to do the same.

The Harbour Hotel is committed to reducing its environmental impact through better efficiencies in the use of energy and the minimisation of waste, packaging and water usage.

Sustainability Policy

Our Green Initiatives

RECYCLING

The hotel has a waste diversion rate of 80% from landfill. Each guest bedroom has recycling cards and bins, that encourage and show guests how to recycle in their bedrooms.

All plastic bottles used for hair and body products are recyclable and are refilled by our housekeeping department.

Environment-friendly cards in our bedrooms give guests the option to re-use towels and bed linen by following simple steps.

The hotel uses bio-degradable take away cups & straws which can be composted while the lid can be recycled.

Used kitchen oil is sent to a biodiesel plant for recycling and all packaging used to transport food produce is recycled by our suppliers and reused..

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

To date The Harbour Hotel has achieved a 6% reduction in electrical consumption since 2022 and a 29% reduction in gas consumption since 2019.

This has been achieved through surveying our electrical boards and installing 10 meters to selected boards. This allows us to continuously monitor electrical consumption and profile consumption on an hourly basis. We have also installed 4 meters on our gas and monitor in the same way through our portal.

The hotel uses LED lighting throughout the premises and uses sensor lighting, in meeting rooms, stairwells and back of house.

We are investing our Capex budget in upgrades to old plant in the hotel with new energy efficient models. Examples include the upgrade of our boilers to energy efficient condensing boilers, which is helping to drive down energy and in particular our gas consumption.

We are also considering switching our kitchen to induction, replacement of all pumps with smaller Variable Speed Drive (VSD) energy efficient type pumps and upgrading radiator valves to thermostatically controlled type in the future to drive our electrical and gas consumption down further.

Awareness and education on energy savings remains front and central to all communication to staff. We educate our staff to reduce, reuse and recycle, building awareness in their roles and how they contribute to the reduction in usage in their departments.

ELECTRIC CAR CHARGERS

EV Charging stations are available in the onsite car park provided by Easy Go. Installation of the EV charging stations aligns with our aim to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. To use the stations, simply download the app in the link above and sign up to Easy Go.

ACCREDITATION

We have partnered with Green Tourism, a hospitality specialist environment accreditation partner. Green Tourism complete “Energy & Sustainability Audits” at all our hotels, with each hotel gaining accreditation as part of this process. These audits are helping us prioritise the areas we need to action, and gain accreditation.

If you have any queries on our Sustainability Policy at the hotel please contact us on Tel: (091) 894 800 or email stay@harbour.ie