The ASEAN Green Hotel Standard is an ASEAN initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism practices around the Asean (ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations). TheASEAN Green Hotel Standard is currently active in Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Philippines.
The ASEAN Green Hotel Standard fosters sustainable tourism through the adoption of the Environmentally-friendly and Energy Conservation; compiling, adapting and creating the tools and training to engage in ASEAN Green Hotel practices. This Green Hotel Standard deals with the following essential elements of professional Green Hotel operations: Environmental plan, green products, Human resource and environmental management.
A Green Hotel as defined by this standard is an establishment for the promotion of the Environmentally friendly and Energy Conservation. This main management consist of engineering division, room division, front office department, F & B division, … A Green Hotel operation can be modified for many stakeholders such as hotel management, guest, staff, community for make a better cooperation to reach the criteria and success in green management.
ASEAN Green Hotel Standard – Major Criteria and Requirements:
1. Standards
- Promotion of environmental activities.
- Existence of plan for raising staff to be aware of environment i.e. training.
- Existence of environmental management plan for hotel operation.
- Existence of monitoring program for environmental management of hotels.
2. Air quality management (in door & out door)
- Designation of smoking and non-smoking area.
- Regular monitoring and maintenance for equipment and hotel facilities to ensure the air quality i.e. air conditioning.
3. Noise pollution control
- Existence of noise control program from hotel operation.
4. Toxic and chemical subtaince disposal management
- Regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance for storage in order to avoid leakage of gas or toxic chemical substance.
- Provision of clear signs for toxic substance.
- Appropriate hazardous waste disposal management.
5. Using green products
- Encouragement for the use of environmentally friendly products.
- Encouragement for the use of local products for hotel operation such as food and handicrafts.
6. Collaboration with the community local organizations
- Creation of activities in promoting culture and traditional performance and local ways of life.
- Creation of job opportunity for local community.
- Existence of plans/activities to help improve quality of life of the community.
- Existence of awareness rising programs for local community on environmental protection.
7. Energy effiency
- Introduction of energy saving techniques and / or energy saving technology and equipment for hotel to reduce energy consumption.
- Installation of meters/equipment to monitor energy consumption.
8. Water efficiency and water quality
- Introduction of water saving techniques and / or use of water saving technology and equipment to reduce water consumption.
- Regular maintenance for water saving equipment.
- Encouragement of the involvement of hotel Guest in water saving.
- Ensure the quality of water used in the hotel.
9. Waste water treatment and management
- The use of mechanisms to prevent water contamination and reduce waste water generation.
- Promotion of the use of recyclable/grey water in operation such as watering trees.
- Encouragement for an appropriate use of wastewater treatment.
10. Solid waste management
- Introduction of waste management techniques e.g. waste reduction, reuse, recycling, waste separation and composting.
- Encouragement of the involvement of hotel staff in waste reduction, reuse, recycling, waste separation and composting program.
- Encouragement of the involvement of hotel Guest in reuse, recycling, waste separation.
11. Human resource development
- Providing training programs for operation and management staff on environmental management.
ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten Southeast Asian states which promotes Pan-Asianism, intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, military, educational and cultural integration amongst its members and Asian states. The countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
