UAE-based Time Hotels has launched the Middle East’s first carbon offset accommodation at two of its hotels in Dubai – for just Dh15 ($4) guests may offset the carbon emissions they generate by consuming energy and water during their stay.

Each guest that checks-in at one of the participating Time hotels is offered a chance to contribute towards climate protection.

The two hotels initially chosen were Time Oak Hotel & Suites and Time Grand Plaza Hotel which together are aiming to save over 320 tonnes of carbon emissions by the year end, the equivalent of flying a fully occupied 60-seater plane around the world, through their ‘Hotel Stay Carbon Offset Programme’.

The contribution from the guests is transferred to the myclimate Foundation, a Swiss non-profit organisation that helps companies around the world to offset their carbon emissions.

Myclimate calculates the amount of climate-impacting emissions from organisations such as Time Hotels and invests into high quality carbon offset projects. In this way, the same amount of climate-impacting emissions that are generated by a guest stay are saved somewhere else.

Carbon offset guest stays at TI’ME Hotels will support solar lighting initiatives in rural Ethiopia, by replacing traditional kerosene lamps and funding energy-efficient cooking stoves for displaced families living in temporary camps in Darfur, Sudan.

“We remain focused on developing sustainability into all areas of our business and this initiative highlights our commitment to that objective while continuing to play our part in the UAE’s drive to reduce its carbon footprint,” said Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, Time Hotels.

“We are offering our guests the opportunity to offset some of the carbon emissions that they generate during their stay with us. Environmentally- conscious guests can reduce the environmental impact of their stay, at either the Time Oak Hotel & Suites or the Time Grand Plaza Hotel, in Dubai,” he added.

Time, which has been guided through the whole carbon offset programme by the consultancy division of UAE- based facilities management company Farnek, also designed the cost-to-benefit ratio model and advised Time what carbon credit tariff it should charge, as well as providing a choice of environmental projects Time should consider funding.

Sandrine Le Biavant, director of Consultancy at Farnek, said that it proved to be a rewarding collaboration between the two, given the positive response and uptake from hotel guests, which were introduced to the scheme in April.

“The hospitality sector, like many other industries contributes towards the damaging effects of global warming, carbon emissions are simply unavoidable. However, by actually making a commitment to reduce its impact on the environment, Time hotels has set itself apart from the competition, becoming an outstanding ambassador for sustainability best practice,” said Le Biavant.

Myclimate Foundation has launched 70 projects in 29 countries across the globe, and supports initiatives that use renewable energies, which realise energy efficiency measures, cutting methane gas emissions.

“Carbon offsetting is crucial in the battle against climate change and is one of the central environmental challenges of the 21st century. Scientific research indicates that with the current global population, each of us would need to limit our carbon emissions to a maximum of 1.5 tonnes annually to be sustainable. Unfortunately a single car produces that amount of emission levels,” said Rene Estermann, CEO of Zurich-based myclimate Foundation.

As part of its innovative and forward-looking vision, Time Hotels has already implemented a significant number of initiatives to reduce its environmental impact. In terms of sustainability, it is widely recognised as one of the most progressive hospitality groups in the Middle East and two of its properties have been awarded the prestigious Green Globe Certification. - TradeArabia News Service