Water consumption
Pandox uses the municipal water system in all hotels. Water consumption in the hotels is affected by the amount of showering, dishwashing, cleaning, laundering and flushing that takes place, which in turn is impacted by hotel occupancy. Reducing water use is therefore a significant sustainability topic as Pandox’s operations have a direct impact on usage.
Pandox aims to reduce water consumption by installing water-saving equipment, for example in bathrooms and kitchens, and changing the water-related behaviour of employees and guests. Today, the majority of hotels in Own Operations involve their guests in this effort, by informing them of the hotels' ambitions to reduce water use. This is done, for example, by involving them in making choices that reduce water use by showering for shorter periods and not requesting a daily change of towels or sheets.
Pandox has measuring systems for water use at the hotels included in Own Operations. With the help of sub-meters, water leaks have been alerted and can be fixed immediately. Examples of water leaks that have occurred are in pipes, toilets and sinks, but also showers and taps left on by guests. The water leakage systems detect and fix an estimated 6 to 9 leaks per month.
Pandox is also working on installing more sub-meters in the buildings so that the operator can identify and fix leaks more quickly.
As part of the action plan for the climate goal in Own Operations, a targeted pilot project for low-flow showers has been implemented. This is because water is heated primarily with gas, which is why reduced use contributes to lowering emissions. For three months the equipment was tested in three hotels with a total of around 500 bathrooms. Devices
with a low flow rate of 6 L/min were installed for hand showers and 9 L/min for overhead showers without affecting guest comfort. The hand showers are thus also in line with
the Taxonomy requirements. This project resulted in these hotels reducing their water use by around 20 percent to 151 litres per guest night, rather than 193 litres per guest night as
before. The devices will be installed in all 11 hotels included in the action plan.
The water used in the hotels then goes to municipal sewers and treatment plants. In some hotels there is also a grey water collection tank in the hotel. This has the potential for heat recovery before it goes to the sewerage system. Chemicals used in washing and cleaning at the hotels have the greatest impact on the quality of grey water. Pandox's ambition is to phase out hazardous chemicals from these processes and switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives that have a positive impact on water quality.