Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has just received its Earth Check Bronze Certification (Earth Check is the new name for Green Globe). Hotel general manager Mark Winterton explains the hotel’s journey to this process:

What sustainability initiatives is the hotel involved in?
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has two initiatives. Green Engage is our brand initiative with InterContinental Hotels Group. This lets us compare energy consumption and waste management across all our hotel brands in Asia and Australia.

We get feedback from this on how we can improve. Our hotel initiative is Earth Check. All departments have a green champion as well as a ‘green wall’ with educational information available. At morning briefings, departments discuss how we can reuse and recycle hotel waste.

Our staff have joined tours of conservation parks and water treatment plants, and we have educated them on how they can be better at managing resources.

Our disposal companies help us to to recycle and separate hotel waste. We turn off back of house lighting where it isn’t needed. On guest floors we have installed LED light bulbs. They cost a bit more at the start but save money in the long run. We can closely monitor this each month through our engineering department. 

What were the key steps involved in achieving Bronze Certification?
The certification came in last month. We were given a checklist and had to organise a green committee. We filled out a detailed online survey about our suitability for bronze status, some of which needed independent proof. For example, our energy usage.

We have also had a green committee since we opened. We educate our staff about sustainability issues and how it is good not just for business, but also for their own well-being.

How was this managed?
Our security manager is our green chairman and there are another 11 staff members overseeing the process. We meet each month and do a team activity every two months. For example, recently we went to a nearby beach for a clean-up day and educational.

What were the key challenges?
Educating staff getting them involved. Also, operational aspects that conflict with recycling. For example, airconditioning takes up a lot of energy so working out a balance to keep the place cool and still reduce its usage forced us to think creatively. We took a good look at our building management system for this.