Hotels (Commonwealth Union) _ The Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) recently bestowed recognition upon Jetwing Hotels for their steadfast dedication to promoting environmental sustainability and sustainable tourism within Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector. At the Annual Green Building Awards 2023, Jetwing Hotels was honored with the prestigious Green Investment Excellence Award in the tourism sector, underscoring their commitment to integrating sustainable development principles into their operations.
Jetwing Hotels’ approach to sustainability is characterized by a holistic embrace of environmental stewardship across their chain of properties. Each Jetwing hotel is thoughtfully designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings, employing green building principles to enhance energy efficiency, conserve resources, and manage waste effectively. Through open architectural layouts and the incorporation of courtyards, the hotels maximize natural illumination and ventilation while minimizing their environmental footprint.
Renewable energy plays a pivotal role in Jetwing Hotels’ sustainability strategy, with over 60% of the hotels’ total energy demand being met through investments in solar power. Many properties boast grid-tied or off-grid solar installations, complemented by innovative vapour absorption chillers powered by steam generated from biomass boilers fueled by cinnamon wood—a byproduct of the cinnamon industry.
In addition to energy conservation measures, Jetwing Hotels implements a comprehensive waste management system at each property. Solid waste is sorted at the source, while food waste is directed to onsite biogas digesters, generating biogas for kitchen use and organic sludge for garden fertilization. Plastic, glass, and paper waste are responsibly recycled through partnerships with third-party recyclers.
Jetwing Hotels further demonstrates their commitment to sustainability through initiatives like the use of glass water bottles filled at onsite bottling plants, offering a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. These efforts underscore the brand’s dedication to environmental responsibility and resource conservation, setting a new standard for sustainable practices in the hospitality industry.
Director of Engineering at Jetwing Hotels, Jude Kasturi Arachchi, expressed gratitude for the Green Investment Excellence Award, emphasizing Jetwing’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable tourism. This recognition serves as a testament to Jetwing Hotels’ unwavering dedication to fostering a more sustainable and responsible future for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, and their continued collaboration with GBCSL underscores their commitment to innovation and excellence in environmental stewardship.
