Iberostar Group’s ambition to cut down 35% of energy consumption by 2030

As the Earth’s temperature is rising, the effects of climate change will be increasingly felt around the globe. However, swift action taken today can effectively limit global warming and avoid the worst of climate change. We all need to do our part.

The Iberostar Group has set ambitious targets for decarbonization and energy efficiency in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of substantially reducing global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the Earth's temperature increase in this century to well below 2ºC and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5ºC.

Our goals for 2030

We aim at becoming carbon neutral by 2030. And we will do so by: 1) leveraging electrification, 2) increasing renewable energy sourcing, 3) deploying nature-based carbon offset solutions and 4) reducing our energy consumption in 2030 by 35% with respect to 2019. These are strategic goals for us. Goals that are already shaping the culture of our organization. Goals based on our belief that we are in a position to lead and inspire the efforts towards responsible and sustainable tourism.

Now that emission-related or decarbonization objectives are more widespread, we would like to emphasize the value of committing to an ambitious goal of reducing our consumption of electricity and fossil fuels. As the old saying goes, the best kWh is not the renewable one but the one we do not even consume. But of course this will require wide-ranging, coordinated and sustained efforts across our organization. Importantly, this energy efficiency goal is not only valuable in itself. It is also key to help us attain our other goal: carbon neutrality. 

With carbon neutrality by 2030 we mean that all our remaining emissions in that year (e.g. scope 1, 2 and 3) will be compensated by nature-based carbon offset solutions which you can learn more about here. And in order to reduce those emissions we need to compensate for, we are stepping up our efforts to minimize the energy we consume in our hotels. 

We have made these pledges because we are committed to having a positive impact in the world we live in. This is not new from us. If you have followed us you probably know that for years we have strived to improve the environmental and social sustainability in our destinations. Beyond this, reducing our energy consumption also makes economic sense, because it pays off. It is not enough to just decarbonize our hotels and operations, we need to become better at delivering an outstanding guest experience with less energy resources. It pays off because it will lower our energy expenses and will allow us to free and mobilize the funds we need to sustain our efforts to achieve our 2030 goals.

Our energy efficiency program in a nutshell

And how are working towards the goal of 35% reduction in energy consumption? First of all, we have increased our capabilities to become a data-driven organization. We have already embarked on a metering campaign that will allow us to track progress of our energy efficiency program and to take evidence-based energy decisions. A key tool for this purpose is an AI-based energy intelligence software platform that will help us to exploit and analyze the immense amount of data that will be generated every 15 minutes in all our locations. Having data is just the first step and this platform will allow us to effectively make sense out of it and to identify hidden energy losses.

Secondly, for years we have been strongly investing in highly efficient machinery and systems to deliver the best comfort and experience to our guests. From energy efficient building envelopes and best-in-class heat pumps and chillers to state-of-the-art equipment for our kitchens, bars and restaurants. Importantly we are also investing in sensors and automatic control systems for air-conditioning and lighting.

And thirdly, we are also working at every level of Iberostar to reinforce an already existing culture of energy conservation. Since long our workers and employees have been contributing with their ideas and expertise to a continuous improvement in this area while delivering the same standard of service Iberostar Group is known for. But now we are focusing on becoming better at learning from each other, at systematizing the application of best practices, behaviors and procedures. Because we believe that only by becoming outstanding at working together, by leveraging the expertise and passion of our more than 34.000 workers and employees we will attain our goals of energy efficiency and decarbonization.

At Iberostar Group we feel immensely proud for embarking on this challenge. It won’t be easy and it will surely serve to measure the best of our skills and energies. Along the way, we hope that our movement will inspire others to take similar, bold steps to act on climate change. Now it's the time. 

By Álvaro Sánchez López, Iberostar Climate Change Manager