In times past the hospitality industry was always concerned with providing luxury at an affordable price. That business model is slowly starting to fade in some areas as consumers are becoming environmentally aware and want their lifestyles to reflect this. Due to this trend, more hotels are striving to meet eco standards by updating facilities to have a lower impact on the environment. This trend is more evident in areas like India where many developers are trying to obtain an Ecotel certification.
This certification, shows the developers commitment to being an environmentally responsible provider. Unlike the agricultural industry where it is quite easy to label a product as "organic" eco friendly hotels will be subject to a set of standards that must be met. Agencies like the USGBC (US Green Building Council will audit and certify these hotels to ensure that they meeting the standards of an Ecotel).
Green developing is not an easy task. For a hotel to truly meet green standards, planning has to begin from the foundation up. Every effort must be made to reduce energy consumption. Every effort should be made to keep the building from wasting considerable amounts of energy cooling the property. Basic building materials should be made from renewable resources or recycled products. The use of wood and plastic should be avoided at all costs where a suitable replacement exists. While meeting green building standards isn't easy, many developers have discovered a secondary benefit – more interest from investors and buyers.
In the overseas property markets, there is no question that many of the world's hot spots have begun to cool. In many of these areas, especially India, developers that conform to green building standards are finding they can still move units despite not being the cheapest. Eco friendly buyers are on the lookout for real estate firms that share their passion for the environment.
