As part of our consultancy project with Adnams I mentioned that we were on a quest to find the holy grail of carbon reductions. We ran a project with two Hotels in the Adnams group: the Swan and the Crown. Both are old buildings restricted by planning regulations and by-laws in Southwold, but the staff are keen and aware of environmental issues.
Our project, named Carbon Combat at the suggestion of the hotel teams, involved a competitive element and a financial incentive. For a four week period each hotel team battled to see who could save the most carbon emissions. Each week, after meter readings, posters were displayed in staff rooms and in other areas where staff would notice them. We used a baseline of the last three years' meter readings and the staff were told that all financial savings would be passed on to the hotel team that saves the most emissions.
The project ran at short notice and at the busiest time of the year for both hotels. Guidance was given on "quick wins" or low hanging fruit: switching off lights; keeping fridge doors closed; changing lightbulbs to low energy bulbs; switching off the gas when not needed in the kitchen. All staff - from cleaners, chefs, bar staff and waitresses - were encouraged to think about how to reduce emissions and guests were discreetly guided with quirky messages in their bedrooms.
The results are very interesting. The Swan won with a 32% reduction for the four weeks year on year. The Crown still managed a respectable 9% reduction. The Swan did have an advantage in that they had more efficient boilers and a newer kitchen. The Crown serves more covers using a more inefficient kitchen. However, emissions per room were higher for the Crown than for the Swan.
What's pretty clear, we think, is that around 9%-10% of the reduction in emissions was due to behavioural change - the switching off of lightbulbs and so on. Even the sceptics in the hotel still wanted to beat the other team and there was much discussion on the best method and how the figures were calculated. We're clear that "green teams" are not enough: there needs to be financial incentives -we recommend up to 50% of the savings to be passed on to the staff- with a competitive element attached to it.
What's pleasing is that the management team were very happy - they saved £1000 in the four weeks - and they're looking to extend the project all year round to all four hotels. We will also be recommending to Adnams that they extend the project to their retail outlets and offices. A 10% reduction is easily within reach and given that Adnams have signed to the Guardians 10:10 campaign - it's all come together nicely.
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This is a really interesting initiative, Ben, and shares a lot in common with the Student Switch-Off campaign which Neil Jennings developed at UEA and is now rolling out at University campuses across the country. He saw a major problem being that students fay a fixed rate for their accommodation, so had no incentive to cut their energy use. He instigated competitions between halls of residences, with celebrations and prizes for the most successful energy-savers over the term. Energy savings were impressive.
ReplyDeleteHe also posed in a 'power rangers' lycra body suit which probably helped morale enormously!
http://www.studentswitchoff.co.uk/
Neil is coming to talk to us about his campaign later in the term, I'm sure you'll find it interesting.
I'm looking forward to the course and Neil's presentation. Change behaviour is the holy grail, but like Jim's comments on obesity, don't tell them it's about climate change!
ReplyDeleteCompetition, financial incentives and pride seem to work better than awareness and guilt.
We still need the eco-pioneers - the transition towners and the permaculturers, but to beyond this small percentage we have to engage with the majority. That means we don't mention climate change if we want to be successful.