JUSTIFICATION

INTRODUCTION:

Ecotel hotels are defined as a hotel or accommodation that has made

important environmental improvements to its structure in order to
minimize its impact on the environment. Ecotel hotels are also said as
hallmark of environment sensitive hotels.

Getting an Ecotel Certification for a hotel means that the hotel is

completely environment friendly. Each of the hotels applying for the
certification need to fulfil certain criteria and the norms set by the
authorities before they are awarded the Five Globe Certification Award. In
an audit conducted by HVS International, five criteria are inspected for
Ecotel certification they are:

Incidentally, the Five Globe Ecotel Certification Awards have been given
to a few select hotels the world over. In Asia, the first Five-Globe
Certification award went to the Orchid Hotel, Mumbai.

NEED:
Hotel industry consumes a vast range of goods in construction and
operation. They generally use huge amounts of energy, consume large
amounts of water and generate disproportionate amounts of waste. If a
hotel that is minimising its energy and water consumption, if it is making
efficient use of resources and reducing waste without compromising on
quality or standard of service, it will increase the competitiveness of the
business. And so along with their own responsibility to the environment,
they are well positioned to encourage others-including their suppliers
and business partners to do the same. So hotels can be a formidable
force for change towards sustainable development.

However, of late, the scenario in India is rapidly changing for better, as

the local and global environmental pressures are becoming increasingly
evident. Indian hotel industry is just beginning to realise that energy and
environmental management is the cutting edge strategies for their
business profitability, thus the need for the project is evident.

THRUST AREA NECESSITY:

The hotel industry is beginning to implement green design and

construction practices, saving energy, water, and resources and thus
helping to preserve the environment. In addition, green building practices
also can provide healthy and comfortable indoor environments to hotel
occupants including guests and employees. However, there is the
potential for conflict between green building practices and hotel guests
satisfaction and comfort, as the conservation of resources could detract
from the quality of a guests visitor experience.
The extensive negative effects of disregarding the implementation of
sustainable building practices in restaurant design highlights higher
operating costs and lowering profit margins for business stakeholders,
and ultimately perpetrating detrimental impacts to the earths
deteriorating ecosystem.

Though sustainable restaurants typically necessitate an increase to project

costs, they offer notably lower operating expenses in the short and long
term by reducing their waste output and carbon footprint, thus increasing
a stakeholders financial gain.

This study will provide an understanding that the building industry is

constantly shifting to accommodate the newest trends, such as
implementing LEED certification into restaurant design. Specifically, this
study examines actual details, such as energy consumption and recycling
measures of restaurants that have successfully achieved LEED
certification, as case studies, to prove that it is possible to implement
green design practice into restaurant design.

PROBABLE SITE DETAILS:

LOCATION: HEBBAL, BANGLORE

LATTITUDE: 13 0244.36N

LONGITUDE: 77 3456.51E

SITE AREA: APPROXIMATELY 13 ACRES

OWNERSHIP: ORCHID GROUP OF HOTELS

The site is located beside the hebbal lake.

SITE SELECTION:

The location of the site is ideal as it is located on the outer ring road
linking the city and the Bangalore international airport

Well connected and easily accessible

Ambient environment
Major portion of the site has water edge

Panoramic views

PROBABLE SITE DIMENSIONS:

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

This research will be conducted through a mixed method approach

using qualitative research, by means of case studies and interviews of
representatives involved in the design and construction of the hotels
participating in the study.

Quantitative research methods will be used to acquire data from the

participating restaurants with the purpose of analyzing the information
provided by subjects of LEED certified hotels. Because of the lack of
publicized evidence regarding energy usage and waste diversion of
LEED certified restaurants, it is imperative to obtain tangible data in
order to document and ascertain the proposed negative effects on the
natural environment and the restaurant owners bottom line.

Supporting information, such as LEED checklists for each LEED certified

hotel, from the IGBC and LEED, Online will provide additional evidence
regarding the type of efficiencies the subject hotels implemented into
the design and construction of hotel facilities.

PREPARATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE

An elaborate questionnaire will be prepared thereafter with a

perspective of detailing quantitative as well as qualitative investigation.

The questionnaire will be divided into four parts- A, B, C, D & E.

The questionnaire is based on the five globes-

Environmental Commitment

Water Conservation & Preservation

Energy Efficiency

Solid Waste Management

Employee Environmental Education & Community Involvement

PART A

General Information
 Infrastructure

Facilities

PART B

Environment Commitment

Building, Interior and Operation

Emissions and Indoor Air Quality

Services

Noise Management

Environmental Management Systems

Water Conservation & Preservation

Energy Efficiency

Solid Waste Management

Employee Environmental Education & Community Involvement

PART C

Visitors response, as received by the Hotel

PART D

Senior Management

PART E
 Guest Survey (Survey of Frequent Travelers)

Comparative study will be made between different developed Ecotels

(Ecotels which are fully certified members of the collection) and non-
Ecotels considering all environmental-friendly/green
performances/initiatives at all levels/globes.