Working in an historic building brings challenges and opportunities. The embodied carbon of heritage buildings makes their continuing use the most environmentally supportive choice. However, with such a remarkable legacy comes the task of upgrading our systems in a way that is both sustainable, and suited to our beautiful buildings.
Respecting the traditions of our building, and building on its strengths, we have upgraded our boilers with energy efficient condensation systems throughout the hotel. We have also switched to renewable electricity suppliers: for the past five years, the electricity supplied to The Merrion Hotel has been certified as 100% renewable. This has reduced our CO2 output by 1200 tonnes per year. Energy efficient variable speed pumps have also been installed to supply domestic hot and cold water throughout the hotel. Realising that sustainability is a process of balancing intelligent reuse and change, energy efficient LED lighting has been installed on a replacement basis, bearing in mind the carbon footprint of manufacturing new bulbs before the old ones are ready to retire. We are now at 95% LED throughout the hotel. In relation to heating, the Combined heat and power plant(CHP) that we have installed generates some of our electricity and has a biproduct of heat which is directed into our heating system.
Whether you are staying in one of our Main House Rooms or Suites or Garden Wing Rooms and Suites, you’ll see your windows are thermally efficient, but always in keeping of the heritage aspect of the building. We are also committed to making changes to the things you can’t see. For example we have worked with experts to make water-use throughout the hotel more efficient, cutting out waste. This is monitored on an on-going basis. Shower heads have been replaced with environmentally sustainable versions, although we guarantee you won’t notice the difference.
You may notice that lighting in the corridors later in the evenings dips to 50%, which we like to think makes your route to a good night’s sleep calmer than ever before. Elsewhere, sensors switch off lights in areas not in use, but you probably won’t notice that, as the system makes sure they’re back on again by the time you arrive.
Continuing the good work: our goal is to go beyond Net Zero, to become Net Positive through our additional Carbon Offset policies and in line with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance of which we are proud members . We see this as an on-going project, and we monitor new developments, so that replacement systems and materials are always at the leading edge of energy efficiency. A comprehensive metering system throughout the hotel measures usage of Gas, Electricity, Water and Waste. This is bench marked, and monitored on an on-going basis via Emerald Power –our sustainability management platform. We are also recent recipients of Green Hospitality Ireland’s Gold Award and achieved the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) sustainability basics.
More recently we introduced the Just a Drop initiative to our guests. As proud members of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, The Merrion is pleased to support the ‘Better Futures for All’ program. Under the banner, “Better Futures for All’, Just a Drop and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance are collaborating to provide a holistic path out of poverty. The program combines Just a Drop’s expertise in safe water provision with the Alliance’s focus on youth training and employment. Just a Drop addresses water, sanitation, and hygiene needs while the Alliance offers disadvantaged young people employable hospitality skills and placements within the hospitality industry. This transformative initiative hopes to change lives and uplift entire communities.
