Over the years we have turned to international organizations and experts to help us design a science-based approach in order to achieve our goal of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. From construction to daily operations, sustainability is woven into every concrete action ౼ including low-carbon menus, waste management, energy and water consumption, eliminating single-use plastics and connecting each property with its local ecosystem.

On the heels of COP28, we shed light on some of our initiatives to reduce carbon emissions that lead us to a more sustainable future for hospitality.

Fairmont Royal York: The Transformative Revamp of a Toronto Landmark

The historic landmark, which originally opened its doors in 1929, undertook the largest heritage hotel retrofit in North America ౼ and in the entire Fairmont global brand portfolio.
After investing $65 million and nearly five years of detailed planning and execution, the revamped Fairmont Royal York was unveiled in November 2023. This transformative renovation proves that even expansive legacy buildings can become sustainable.

A beacon in responsible hospitality, the property is now certified as a Zero Carbon Building - Performance Standard^tm by the Canada Green Building Council. Ongoing plans include using Lake Ontario’s deep waters to replace centrifugal chillers, updating legacy steam systems with an electric heat pump installation plant and removing 80% of direct emissions from building operations. All together, these actions will reduce the building’s carbon emissions by over 7,000 tonnes every year ౼ the equivalent of taking 1,558 cars off the road.

Mövenpick Sousse: Using Technology to Lower Energy Consumption

The Tunisian seaside hotel is one of Accor’s GAIA 2.0 pioneers, a tool launched to monitor carbon monoxide emissions and optimize energy consumption. Using the platform, the Mövenpick Sousse has a real-time overview of the hotel’s energy and carbon emissions. With this data in hand, they designed a number of solutions to lower consumption ౼ notably, adjusting energy allocation within the heating system according to occupancy. The hotel has already optimized nearly 40% of its energy consumption so far.

Sofitel Dubai The Palm: A Holistic Approach to Optimize Energy Consumption

The Sofitel Dubai the Palm takes full advantage of its tropical desert microclimate with its 232 rooftop solar panels. The 530 sq/m of panels generate 2,200 kw of heat output each day ౼ enough to heat 50% of the hotel’s hot water. The hotel team has come up with a number of other energy saving initiatives including photocell facade lighting, GRMS systems in each room and the use of clay tiles and cape reed thatching on its roofs for sustainable temperature control and waterproofing. The property also features innovative waste and water management systems, a dedicated waste recycling station and an AI-powered food waste reduction program. With these efforts in place, the Sofitel Dubai the Palm has been Green Globe certified for nine consecutive years, currently holding a “Gold” status.

Meet Our Chef Squad ౼ The Culinary Minds Behind Our Low-Carbon Menu, Designed with Klimato

Highlighting Local Sustainability Initiatives as COP 28 Comes to a Close

As the curtain drops on COP 28 Dubai, it’s the perfect occasion to highlight our sustainability efforts in the region. Following our commitment to eliminate all guest-facing single-use plastics, including in-room coffee and tea with more responsible options when available, and to only offer mini bars upon request across our 79 properties in the UAE, we decided to go further by reducing the frequency of housekeeping services and maintaining hotel-wide ambient temperatures between 24 and 26 degrees.

In a concerted effort to boost sustainability in our restaurants, we have also partnered with Klimato, a Foodtech company specialized in carbon footprint analysis. By calculating the carbon footprint of each existing menu item in 48 Accor hotels in the UAE, we enable our guests to make informed choices based on the environmental impact of their meals. In addition, we gathered 10 Chefs in the region and challenged them to adapt their recipes to lower the carbon footprint of each dish. Our UAE hotels embraced the more climate-friendly recipes proposed by the 10 Chefs and incorporated them in their menus. This bold initiative aimed at increasing the low carbon and meat-free options offered in our properties for our guests.