Irish Hospitality Institute
Hospitality Manager of the Year – Environmental Application
Edited by Lesley Emerson PR West & Michael Lennon
Areas of responsibility
· General management of Westport Woods Hotel and Spa. Sustainability and
profitability of the business, vision of the business
· Environmental management – sustainability, reducing utility costs
· Marketing focus – website development, innovation
Mentor of HR Manager activities – customer care, Optimus, training developments, Best Practice Business
· Financial Management – direction to Financial Controller and management team to
achieve the business goals and requirements.
· Change Management – in challenging times, response/reaction, not just business as
usual
Elaboration on each of these bullet points is included in the headings below.
Nominator: Mark Thornton FIHI, DTA Marketing (Tel: 01 6610022, Mobile: 086 2555702)
1. Leadership/Management Ability
Michael Lennon and Joanne McEniff have been the senior management team of the Westport Woods Hotel and Spa for 13 years. During this time he has developed, expanded and improved the hotel from a 57 bed to a 113 bed hotel. They have added a leisure centre with swimming pool and a spa, expanded the function facilities, and developed a new expanded cafe/bar. All of these expansions, renovations and extensions have worked to a master plan and have enhanced the appearance and function of the hotel both from outside and on the inside. Everything was co-ordinated and systematic.
Around seven years ago Michael Lennon was ahead of his time in spotting the environmental opportunity within the Westport Woods Hotel and Spa. He began with bio diversity by regenerating the 14 acres of woodland on the hotel site using a professional arborculturalist. From this he introduced the notion of eco-friendliness to the hotel itself and has worked since then to make concern for the environment part of the culture and inherent in the management. This has happened through including the environment in the hotel Mission Statement and through developing and following a comprehensive environmental plan.
The hotel operates in a commercial world and it was essential that any investment or effort repaid itself within a reasonable timeframe. Michael Lennon’s methodical research and engagement of the most appropriate professionals has ensured that this has happened. In fact the environmental achievements have resulted in significant savings for the hotel.
Michael Lennon recognised the opportunities to use the greening process as a marketing tool and has done this effectively, presenting the hotel as Ireland’s greenest and picking up a considerable number of awards along the way. Each award offers a new opportunity for positive PR.
It was clear to Michael Lennon that taking a co-operative approach was the way forward and he began working with the Cleaner Greener Production Programme (CGPP), as well as the various IHF and Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) environmental initiatives. Corporate and social responsibility is also important and the Westport Woods works closely with the very successful local Tidy Towns Organisation and Westport Town Council on environmental issues and is also an active member of the Destination Westport marketing group. Environmental work experience is provided for hotel management students with an emphasis on environmental procurement and energy management.
He is also keen to share his learning with other hotels and does this through presentations and talks with Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), the SEI and as part of the Green Hospitality Award programme which is a step-by-step environmental management programme specifically designed for the hospitality industry. It is sponsored by the EPA and involves about 200 catering establishments around the country. This includes benchmarking, relevant training and developing new ideas. Awards are given at Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level. The Westport Woods Hotel & Spa has achieved the Gold standard and is aiming to reach Platinum.
2. Track Record
Michael Lennon’s track record has been very impressive. He is totally committed to service excellence and the hotel is following the Fáilte Ireland Optimus Programme. He has built the environmental programme from humble beginnings to something which permeates every aspect of the hotel and every department without detracting from the guest experience. Greening is now totally integrated with the hotel culture.
His track record can be encapsulated in one word – consistency. Everything he has spearheaded within the hotel since the environmental programme began has related to it. This includes waste management, energy management and water management, all of which are closely monitored and controlled.
All retrofitting of the original buildings has made them more environmentally friendly, all new building has been to international best practice environmental building regulations and standards. Guests have been kept informed through PR and marketing material (website, brochures and DVD in lobby) and have been invited to contribute by using green bins in the bedrooms.
The general public is becoming ever more aware of their impact on the environment and more concerned about making an effort to minimise this impact. Guests will choose the Westport Woods Hotel & Spa if they can have a genuinely excellent holiday experience while minimising their environmental impact compared to other hotels. The feedback from guests shows that they are happy to feel that they are making a contribution.
Social networking is one of the newest ways to communicate and Michael Lennon has engaged fully with this using eZines, Twitter accounts, Facebook and eTalk on the hotel website to communicate and to underline the green message. You Tube has also been used to communicate and widen the effect of the Greening DVD. Recently he commissioned an online survey of green attitudes in holidaymakers.
As General Manager, Michael Lennon has made a point of employing “environmental champions” in each department, giving them relevant training and developing their expertise. The Cleaner Greener Production Programme (CGPP), Green Hospitality Awards (GHA) and SEI ongoing training programmes have all been used to help achieve the hotel’s environmental goals.
(See Graph 1 and Graph 2 attached)
3. Results Achieved
The results achieved have been tangible. The hotel carbon emissions have been reduced by 80% over 6 years. Waste going to landfill has been cut down by 400%, reducing from 280 tonnes per annum in 2002 right down to 30 tonnes this year. At the same time there has been an increased awareness of recycling up to twelve different waste streams and this has doubled year on year during the same period and will continue to grow. Michael Lennon continues to drive the environmental effort determinedly towards a carbon neutral situation.
For the last two years the hotel has not used any oil for heating, instead using Irish supplied sustainable woodchip, wood pellet and solar heating systems. Electricity use has been significantly reduced. All new building incorporates best energy practices in air tightness and insulation, and retrofitting of the 1960s section is ongoing. Lighting uses LED or CFL bulbs. Ice is made at night time to reduce day time electrical peak demand. The ongoing water management programme includes monitoring, controlling and acting. Hippo bags are fitted in all cisterns, sensors in urinals and push taps introduced to cut down on water use.
The leisure centre is traditionally a heavy user of energy and the Westport Woods Hotel has dealt with this very effectively. A wood pellet boiler heats the swimming pool and a liquid pool blanket retains heat and reduces energy use. The exercise bikes are now dynamo driven and 12 individual TV sets have been replaced with 2 low energy screens. A more efficient control system has been introduced for air handling. Natural light coming through large windows all over the hotel reduces need for artificial light.
An ultra-efficient composting system has been put in place, allowing composting of cooked foods as well as raw materials. The playground has a Playtop surface comprised of recycled car tyres and incorporating Nike Grind. The adventure area is surfaced with natural tree bark from local suppliers.
Bicycles and bicycle racks are supplied for the use of guests and employees are encouraged to cycle or walk to work. Guests are encouraged to take the train to Westport and a free pick up service is available. Guests are invited to walk or hike locally and horse trekking from the hotel’s own stables provides an alternative to quad bikes, driving or other high-energy use entertainment.
The Westport Woods Hotel has been benchmarked against other Green hotels both domestic and international for environmental best practice. It matches up very well and leads in many and can truly be defined as a World Class Environmentally managed business.
The future/projections
Michael Lennon’s vision for the future involves reaching a zero carbon footprint for the hotel and continuing to develop and improve environmental systems. For example, the hotel already recycles used kitchen oil into bio-diesel and the horse transport lorry will be converted to use this. He also plans to fully develop a nature trail in the woodland surrounding the hotel and to increase the number of green suppliers and green materials used.
The hotel continues self-audit guidelines laid down by the Green Hospitality Awards. The Clean Technology Centre provides an ongoing monitoring system and benchmarks against Irish and international industry standards. The energy consumption has reduced from 2.8 to 2.4 megawatts per annum. In overall terms energy costs have remained static despite a 30-40% rise in costs over the last three years.
Ronan Meally Consulting Engineers conducted a complete energy audit and feasibility study in 2006/7. In the future we plan to look at natural gas/micro CHP units in the hotel and invest in grey and brown water systems.
4. Professional Development
Rockwell College of Catering
City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 in professional cookery (1982-84)
Dublin College of Catering, Cathal Brugha Street
Diploma in Hotel Management (1984-87)
Marketing Institute of Ireland
Certificate in Marketing, part-time distance learning (1990-96)
University of Limerick
Diploma in Equine Science, part-time distance learning (2000-07)
Professional Work Experience
Novotel Mannheim, Germany 1985
Noga Hilton, Geneva, Switzerland 1986
Newpark Hotel Kilkenny 1987 - 1988
Chicago Hilton & Towers 1988 - 1990
Slaney Hotel, Tullow, Co Carlow 1990 - 1991
Great Southern Hotel, Eyre Sq, Galway 1991 - 1992
Brian McEniff Hotels, Sales & Marketing 1992 - 1995
Westport Woods Hotel & Spa 1995 - to present
Hotel & Marketing Mentors
Mr Bobby Kerr Senior (RIP), Newpark Hotel Kilkenny
Mr Brian McEniff, Brian McEniff Hotels
Mr Douglas Thornton, DTA Consulting
Michael Lennon has also attended regular courses on Health & Safety, hotel customer care, marketing, environmental management seminars throughout his hotel career presented by CERT, Bord Fáilte, Fáilte Ireland, Computers IIA, IBEC, IHF, AIRE, IHCI's CGPP and the GHA's quarterly reviews.
Green Suppliers to the Westport Woods Hotel & Spa
Green Supplier
Commodity
1 Airtricity - electricity
2 Balcas - wood pellets
3 Ecolabs - phosphate free cleaning products
4 HBF BioFuels - waste cooking oil converted to bio diesel
5 Bourke Waste - general waste and recycling
6 Ecocem - concrete
7 Munster Joinery - 0.8U value windows pms
8 Rural Generation - Energy Cabin and solar and pellet boilers
9 Igneus - 220kW pellet boiler to heat the swimming pool
10 Clearpower -150kW pellet boiler for heating
11 Danfoss -heat flow meters
12 Apricot Environmental - Big Hanna Composter
13 Nature Play - recycled tyres/Nike Grind surface in the playground
14 Pool & Spa Services - automatic water based pool blanket
15 Prima Fitness - dynamo exercise bikes
16 CEF Electrical - energy efficient lighting
17 Cliffords - energy efficient lighting
18 Robert Roberts- Fairtrade coffee and energy efficient equipment
19 Snap Print - printing on FSC/PEFC accredited recycled paper
20 Green Hospitality - training and monitoring
21 SEI - advice and financial support
22 Thermoair - air handling unit for the bar
23 Clarkes Fish - organic salmon
24 Michael Hoban - arboricultural and biodiversity advice
25 John Kavanagh - developing nature walk
26 Ronan Meally Consulting -natural gas advice and audit
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