media & awards

water conservation - case study

The Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, a 204-bed hotel on Wollongong's beach front, has nearly halved its daily water use through a mixture of basic efficiencies, rainwater capture and water reuse projects.

In 1998 the hotel, which also contains a swimming pool and on-site laundry, was using 200kL/day and up to 250 kL/day in summer. Water use is now as low as 100kL/day with peaks of 150kL/day during summer.

The hotel's first step to cut water conservation was joining Sydney Water's Every Drop Counts (EDC) Business Program. A water efficiency audit of the hotel was undertaken - one of the first undertaken by the EDC program.

One of the first actions undertaken was to install flow restrictors on all basins and showers. This cut the hotel's water use by 12%, with minimal financial outlay and rapid payback.

Knowing where water is used in your hotel is vital to be able to plan effective water conservation projects. During the water efficiency audit, 12 sub meters were installed in the hotel to track use in guest rooms, kitchens, the laundry, and leased shops. The meters were then connected to an existing computerised energy management system. As a result the system can automatically log water use and generates reports which allow management to see how much water is being used in each part of the hotel.

Information from the system showed that it would be feasible to reuse laundry rinse water to flush back-of-house toilets. The system was installed in 2003, at a cost of $5000 for the tank, pump and plumbing changes.

The system paid for itself in 16 months and cut the hotel's consumption by 90 kL/day. The system has been operating well for many years, but the hotel has temporarily suspended it to investigate ways to reduce the amount of lint fouling the system. It is now considering using an existing filter from an unused water feature to remove the lint before reuse.

Additionally, the hotel has installed three 5000 litre rainwater tanks which capture enough water from the hotel's roofs to supply the hotel's entire irrigation needs.

The Novotel's water efficiency programs were kicked off by Chief Engineer Chris Martin, were subsequently been managed by David Peterson and are now managed and maintained by Michael Cook. One of the important lessons learnt by the hotel is that education and staff training are vital to ensure that all new managers and staff understand the hotel's water conservation program, and are familiar with all the hotel's water management practices.

Novotel Wollongong Northbeach is located on the beach in the heart of the Illawarra region, with spectacular ocean and mountain views and is one of the South Coast's most popular conference and getaway venues. The hotel has proudly built an impeccable reputation based on service quality, impressive facilities and environmental conservation activities.

Wasting water costs money. But fixing leaks and improving efficiency in public amenities, you can make big financial savings with little investment.

The most cost effective ways to save water in your hotel are fixing leaks, and improving the water efficiency of amenities.

• Install AAA rated showerheads, and flow restrictors in hot and cold water taps. Reducing the hot water used in showers will make healthy reductions in your energy bills, too.
• Check your water meter regularly. If your water meter shows usage when no one is using water in the building, you probably have an undetected leak.
• Use more water efficient dishwashers and glasswashers, and only use this equipment when you have a full load. Improving dishwasher efficiency will cut your water use, cut your hot water heating cost, and reduce your detergent costs. Looking at the hidden costs of water will often reveal financial justification for many water saving projects.
• Make sure water efficiency is part of the everyday operations of your hotel. Nominate someone - either a manager or facilities maintenance staff member - to take responsibility for water efficiency. They must be responsible for monitoring meters regularly, and undertaking pro-active maintenance of amenities, taps and other water using equipment to identify problems before they become big leaks. Its important to have a central contact, so staff and guests know who to report leaking taps and toilets too - and have confidence that things will be fixed.

< Read our other Media & Awards