Environmental and Economic Improvementsthrough Implementation of Cleanerproduction In

Environmental and Economic Improvementsthrough Implementation of CleanerProduction in the Hospitality Sector in Jordan

Background

Tourism sector forms an important part of the Jordanian economy, having positive effect on the country’semployment and investment opportunities. The tourism sector accounts for approximately 12.4% of the country’s grossdomestic product (GDP) (Ministry of Tourism, 2010) where direct employment in tourism sector reached 41,900 personsin 2010. In Hospitality sector there is a high demand for water and energy,thus it is essential to rationalize the consumption of water and energy in this sector.

Cleaner production (CP)assessment ofeleven hotels in Aqaba, Petraand Madaba (1-3 starhotels) was undertaken to improve the efficiencyof utilizing raw materials, water and energy, to reduce waste emissions and eventuallyto advance the environmental performance. The assessmentfollowedintegrated steps that included reviewing all hotelsdepartments, data collection, benchmarking, and generation of cleaner production options, evaluation and prioritization of the identified options.

Many optionswere identified for each hotel. Some of these are good housekeeping measures that could be implemented immediately with no or very low cost.Other options required relatively moderate to high investment such as installing sensors in the windows to shut off automatically the air conditioning system when the windows are opened, installing movement sensors in corridors to automatically switch on/off the light and installing water saving devices.The saving were substantial; for example, the installation of a solar water heating system in one of these hotels could save annually around (11'143 liter diesel/year). Thus the implementation of CP enhanced the efficient use of resources and it advanced further the financial position of the hotel.

Description of the hotels included in the study

1-Star Hotels

A quick scan (rapid) assessment has been conducted for two 1-star hotels (hotel B and D); both hotels were established as family businesses and managed by their owners, each consists number of rooms, one restaurant and one kitchen. The needed food, beverages and cleaning chemicals like soaps, shampoos are purchased from the local market.

2-Star Hotels

A quick scan assessment has been conducted for four 2-star hotels (hotel A, F, I and K); each hotel was established as a family business and managed by its owner, each hotel consists number of rooms, restaurant(s), kitchen(s) additionally hotel A has laundry, hotel I has Turkish bath and terrace café and hotel K has a swimming pool and laundry. The requested detergents such as soap and shampoo are obtained from local suppliers. Also, the food and beverage are bought from the local markets.

3-Star Hotels

A quick scan assessment has been conducted for five 3-star hotels (hotel C, E, H, G and J). All hotels were established as family businesses except hotel G which was established as one of the Social Security Corporation investments, each hotel consists number of rooms, restaurant(s), kitchen(s) additionally hotel E has Turkish bath and café, hotel J has a Turkish bath, swimming pool and internet café and each of hotel G and C has a laundry. The requested detergents such as soap and shampoo are obtained from local suppliers. Also, the food and beverage are bought from the local markets.

Table (1): Hotels information

Environmental and Economic Impact:

Many of the workable options (those that require more investment in time and money than good housekeeping measures) have significant environmental and economic saving potentials. For example, the option of installing a solar heating system for hot water and the option of installing water saving devices for taps and showers would result in the following savings:

Table (A): Environmental and economic benefits of installing a solar heating system for hot water

Table (B): Environmental and economic benefits of installing a water saving devices

Therefore, as illustrated above a significant amount of savings can be obtained by implementing the CP options. It is apparent that savings in energy were the most attractive and dominant options. This has certainly been influenced by the rise of oil prices. Solar heating in Jordan is quite a well developed technology, this makes the options of solar heaters relatively easy to apply; there is no need to import a new technology that is not tested locally. Such factors were taken into account in the evaluation of options.

References

1)Jordan National Tourism Strategy 2004 – 2010, Book.pdf.

2)Ch. Buser and J. Walder, Guidelines for Cleaner Production: Conducting Quick-Scans in the Company, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland, 2007 (not published).

3)H. Hamele and S. Eckardt, Environmental initiatives by European tourism businesses: Instrumentsindicators and practical examples, 2002.

4)Cleaner Production Excellence Model, prepared by the Sustainable Business Associates in cooperation with the Royal Scientific Society and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland.

5)Quick Scan Plus (QS+) assessment reports at Hotel A, B, C and D, Cleaner Production Unit (CPU)/ Royal Scientific Society (RSS), October 2007.

6)J. Müller and J. Schweizer, Sustainable Hotel Management in Jordan and Switzerland, Diploma Thesis, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, September 2007.

7)RSS/ ERC-CPUQuick-Scan Plus assessment reports at Hotels A-K in Petra, Aqaba and Madaba/ Jordan (2007-2008).

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[1] All prices were calculated based on the current status of diesel price = 0.68 JD/liter diesel

[2]All prices were calculated based on the water price which is equal to1.5 JD/m3water.