ITC’S THREE LEED ZERO CARBON-CERTIFIED HOTELS CREATE GLOBAL MILESTON

ITC’S THREE LEED ZERO CARBON-CERTIFIED HOTELS CREATE GLOBAL MILESTONE

 ~Experience ITC Hotels' timeless spirit of innovation #LoveNatureLivezero~

 

Delhi, Jun 2022- Reaffirming its credo of ‘Responsible Luxury’ with a comprehensive focus on sustainability, health, and hygiene, ITC Hotels is proud to announce that 3 of its properties in India have been ranked as the world’s top 3 LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Zero Carbon certified hotels, a first-of-its-kind achievement globally. 

ITC Windsor, Bengaluru, became the 1st hotel in the world while ITC Grand Chola is one of the largest hotels in the world to have received the prestigious LEED Zero Carbon Certification. ITC Gardenia has become the third hotel in the world to receive the certification. 

LEED Zero Carbon recognizes buildings operating with net-zero carbon emission and LEED® Platinum is the highest rating awarded by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ITC Hotels is the world's largest chain with the maximum number of LEED Platinum Certified Properties as per USGBC.

From using renewable energy and recycling solid waste to conserving water, actively mitigating single-use plastic and reducing the carbon footprint at every step, ITC Hotels have been delivering luxury experiences with planet positive offerings embedded in product, processes, people & progress. Over 40% of consumable food materials used at ITC Hotels is sourced locally and the properties have adopted infra-red based efficient cooking in the kitchen leading to near 20% energy savings. 

 Living up to its promise of ‘Responsible Luxury’, ITC Hotels launched a path-breaking “WeAssure program, adopting the highest standards and protocols in health, hygiene, safety and infection control management. For this initiative, ITC Hotels became the first hotel chain in the world to receive Platinum level certification under DNV's My Care Infection risk management program. In addition, the hotel group introduced waste segregation methods to achieve more than 99% waste recycling and also pioneered the mitigation of single-use plastic. 

 

Anil Chadha, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC Hotels, stated, “ITC Hotels is committed towards sustainability and consistently works to achieve its vision of offering patrons an experience of 'responsible luxury. We pride ourselves on the milestones that we have achieved in our endeavor toward contributing to the Planet. Three of our luxury properties have put India on the global stage by being recognized by LEED as Net Zero Carbon Certified hotels. This achievement is not ours alone but of all our associates and guests who believed in us and shared the same value system. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of ITC Hotels in ensuring that we preserve the elements of sustainability. We shall continue in this direction with our promise to Mother Earth.”

 

All ITC Hotels have organic waste converters with most of them being equipped with Onsite Bio- Methanation plants. The group has reduced freshwater consumption by almost 50% with strategic conservation, treatment, and reuse over the last 5 years. 57% of electrical consumption at ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels is met through renewable sources. These include ITC Grand Chola, ITC Windsor, ITC Gardenia, ITC Maratha, ITC Grand Central, ITC Mughal, Welcomhotel Chennai, Welcomhotel Coimbatore, Welcomhotel Bengaluru, and Welcomhotel Sheraton New Delhi, which are powered by renewable electrical energy. ITC Hotels’ current carbon emission level is 61 kg per overnight guest stay and 58 kg per sqm per annum against the 2030 target of 65 kg and 129 kg respectively. These milestones have been accomplished through the implementation of various renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.

Some of the pioneering eco-friendly initiatives of ITC Hotels are highlighted below:

  • The design of every ITC Hotel is based on Green Building guidelines and standards which are energy efficient, utilize renewable energy, conserve and recycle water while taking concrete steps to preserve the eco-system around them.

  • The hotels have witnessed up to 20% increased efficiency with the installation of a programmable HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) control called the Automated BMS System

  • Key sustainability initiatives are executed in identified hotels. They include in-house production of water with the help of atmospheric water generators, rainwater harvesting, daylight harvesting, solar heating, food waste composting, biogas generation, and the switchover from HSD/biodiesel fired boilers to renewable electrical energy based boilers for steam application. 

All ITC Hotels and Welcomhotels are ISO 14001 Environment Management System and ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Certified. ITC Kohenur has received the 5-star Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) for incorporating various sustainable practices in building design & operation. ITC Sonar is the only hotel in the world to earn carbon credits under the UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change) Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism.

 

All ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels have implemented COVID Mitigation in Conditioned Space in its HVAC system. The advanced oxidation patented technology neutralizes indoor air pollutants, bacteria and viruses. This technology cell creates photo hydro ions and destroys more than 99% of microbes present in the conditioned space. It is an active technology, where the ions neutralize every airborne organic contaminant it locates.

 

ITC Hotels is also committed to supporting local artisans while reviving and popularising ancient cuisines and is actively engaged in keeping alive India's time-honored rituals that promote well-being. Walmart, WelcomJawan, WelcomTheatre, Responsible Dining through Local Love, Eat Wisely and Food Sherpa are some of its signature programs that have defined Responsible Luxury.

About ITC Hotels:

ITC Hotels is the largest chain of hotels in the world, which has the maximum number of LEED Platinum Certified Properties (as per USGBC on June 2020, ). Continuing with its Planet Positive Promise, ITC Hotels launched Sunya Aqua or zero-kilometre water in glass bottles across the chain over a decade back and have taken this lead further and pioneered the mitigation of single use plastic from its operations pan India. 





EVENTS | ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru hosts Chapter-I of The Bangalore Wine Society

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ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru was the proud host and venue partner of the Chapter 1 of the Bangalore Wine Society founded by Suryaveer Singh and co-hosted by Food & Travel Influencer, Abhilash Mithren. The event took place on Saturday, February 20, 2021 in the classy ambience of Ottimo – the Italian restaurant at the hotel.

Suryaveer graduated from École Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland and has worked in various capacities with some of the best luxury hotel brands across the globe. Suryaveer is also the Executive Director of Trance Hotels- a sleek hotel management company which he started with his mentor and father Mr. Veer Vijay Singh- another industry stalwart. Suryaveer received his wine degree at the Court of Master Sommeliers, Beverly Hills. Thus began a lifelong appreciation of wine, which Suryaveer imbibed into his professional role. Following his passion of wine and educating, he started the “Hyderabad Wine Society” which has successfully completed thirty-three wine dinners across the city- notably an astounding dinner at the luxurious Taj Falaknuma. The Wine society’s aim was to promote wine culture and education within the city via wine dinners and educational classes. The goal remains the same with the “Bangalore Wine Society” and with the dynamic audience of the city, it is an excellent initiative

Abhilash is a food, travel & lifestyle blogger based out of Bangalore and his journey started in Hyderabad too back in 2011. He writes extensively on his food and travel escapades and takes pride in his blog – GulpNMunch. He has curated food walks in Hyderabad and Bangalore, and has experienced numuroues cuisines in is its authentic form. Over the last couple of years, his food & travel journeys has been featured online as well as mainstream media.

Knowing well that Bengaluru is blessed with a gamut of food options across all the luxury hotels it has, The Bangalore Wine Society is hoping to curate wine dinners every month with cuisines from around the world paired with some fantastic old and new-world wines.

The wine dinner hosted at ITC Gardenia saw a mix of crowds – both wine experts as well as wine beginners, making it an excellent forum for learning about wines and understanding the nuances of pairing it with food. The second Chapter on the Bangalore Wine Society is slated for the mid of March 2021.